My Sunshine -Nuova Alba-
by solopy567
Summary: REMASTERED EDITION! CHECK CH. 1 FOR DETAILS! The divine power incident took a much different turn than anyone could have possibly expected. With the world fearing the new threat, the members of S.O.N.G attempt to set things right before they lose everything. And caught in the middle of it all is a girl called Kohinata Miku, who vows to take back their happy days. Spoilers for AXZ.
1. Chapter 1: Beckoning

**AN: Welcome, all, to the updated edition of My Sunshine! For those of you who have read the original, and for those of you who are new, let me present you the changes this version has received!**

**\- Grammar mistakes have been greatly reduced. The story should now look better as a whole and with less embarrassment on my part.**

**\- The climax chapters, previously long and exhausting to read through, have been split for easier reading.**

**\- New scenes! What are they, you may wonder? Read and find out! Do note: Not all chapters received new scenes. Most got facelifts to look better as a whole.**

**\- New terms have been introduced, and plotholes have been (hopefully) filled! The story should now be more consistent across its entire length.**

**\- Song suggestions! Some have been changed/added/removed. While they're not 100% necessary, they're there to enhance the reading experience, so do make use of them!**

**\- A bonus chapter has been added! What is it about, you may ask? Well, go on and read it to find out. Do note, it contains spoilers for XV. If you've not watched the season, do not read that chapter.**

**That's all from me. So, without further ado, the updated edition of My Sunshine! Have fun, and do tell me what you think!**

**-!-**

"_I'll be back before you know it."_

A simple phrase. Those were the last words Miku heard from Hibiki before her energetic childhood friend, once again, left on a life-threatening mission. Miku could recall the exact moment Hibiki had taken her hand in her own, and the ever-comfortable warmth filling the gentle girl's heart. Miku did not want to let go of her hand, yet she did. Knowing Hibiki was one never to turn down the chance to help others, Miku released her hold on her and watched her go.

Miku thought she was used to it by now. Used to Hibiki suddenly vanish during the day, only to return late at night completely exhausted. She thought she was used to worrying about Hibiki incessantly, only for the brunette to answer back with a captivating smile and a hearty laugh. She thought she was used to this.

But it never got easier, not for her. She saw Hibiki off again, like all those times before with a smile on her face. Usually, Miku would stay up for another hour or so, and then head to bed. Normally, she'd wake up to see Hibiki snore loudly next to her, having to rouse her in the morning so they wouldn't be late for class. Those were the peaceful yet eventful daily lives they led.

This time was different, however. This time, Miku couldn't fall back asleep. Maybe it was just a weird gut feeling she had, but the pit in her stomach just refused to allow her to close her eyes again.

It's not like she completely understood the enemies Hibiki had been facing recently. While Chris and the others shared some vaguer, more lighthearted stories from their adventures, only Hibiki truly shared some of the specifics, many of which were heartbreaking to hear. Her childhood friend consistently confided in her, particularly in regards to the horrors she saw at times, as well as her own doubts and hesitations. She didn't know what sort of dangers Hibiki was facing on the battlefield, but she knew that many of them were extremely difficult to deal with. While she couldn't assist her in fighting them, she could at least see her off, and be there to welcome her when she returns.

Her worries kept her awake, however. So this time, she decided she'll personally welcome Hibiki back, no matter what hour she returned. Miku felt that if she did not, especially now, then Hibiki would not return.

Thus, she stayed up all night, waiting. The foreboding, heavy feeling would not leave her, but she shook it off as much as she could. She was sure that as soon as Hibiki walked in through that door, everything would be fine. It's okay, everything's fine, just like Hibiki always said.

Time passed and Miku continued to sit in silence. She waited, and waited, and waited... but the door to their shared room never opened. When the first rays of sunshine lit up the sky, the door still did not open. The pit in Miku's stomach only grew deeper as the sun rose, and she furrowed her brows in worry.

Maybe Hibiki was, once again, sent off to only God knows where, which was why it was taking her so long. Those rescue missions were almost always unpredictable, and it was only logical that she may have had to leave for a few days, just like the time she left to the far off country of Val Verde.

Miku sighed tiredly, knowing that overthinking this matter again would get her nowhere. Despite getting only a few hours of sleep that night, fixed herself up and left for school.

The day passed by like a blur for her. Maybe it was exhaustion and sleep deprivation that scrambled her mind, but she could barely remember any of it. She could partially recall making up some excuse for the teacher as to why Hibiki was absent, as well as giving some reassuring words to the trio that hung around them. At various times, Miku tried to call Hibiki on her cellphone, hoping for her to answer. Yet no matter how many times she rang, the call would never connect.

The day passed, and Hibiki did not come home.

In spite of that, Miku reassured herself, believing that everything would be fine, and no matter how long it took for Hibiki to come back, she would resolve herself to wait for her patiently.

The second night passed, and Hibiki did not come home.

Miku tried to stay focused, but she could not help but feel depressed. Usually, Hibiki would send her a text message or give her some sort of heads up and tell her not to worry. She would worry as always, but at least she would know Hibiki was okay.

Miku woke up the next morning and took a look at the calendar. To her shock, she noticed it was September 13th, which was Hibiki's birthday. She figured that she had been so wracked with worry, she had forgotten to plan and prepare for it. For years, it was a day they had always spent with cake and a date. She recalled that they had promised to celebrate it together, and Miku was eager to throw her dear friend a huge party for her seventeenth birthday.

And yet, Hibiki did not come home. The thought of missing such an important date brought Miku's spirits further down, but she vowed to be strong. It did not matter how long it would take for Hibiki to get home, they would celebrate her birthday even a month late.

Night fell, and Hibiki still did not return.

Miku sat in the dorm, trying to distract herself by reading a magazine. She already ate dinner and made sure to leave plenty of leftovers for Hibiki once she came back. Hibiki was a ravenous eater, and would probably finish everything in a single meal. It didn't help that the amount of exercise she was doing only enlarged her already massive appetite.

She never cared about that. Hibiki always enjoyed her meals, and she was always thankful to Miku for making them. The girl knew she would always make her friend's dinner, no matter how much time had passed.

So she would wait for her, and pray for her safety.

It was at that time, long into the night, that Miku finally got a call. She hurriedly picked up her cellphone, fumbling with it briefly, and looked at the screen.

_'Kazanari Genjuro'_

Her heart sank. The commander of Hibiki's unit, S.O.N.G. they were called, seldom contacted her personally. Even though she had worked with them on and off at times, she could hardly be called an actual member of their organization. Any affiliation she had with them was through Hibiki.

As such, there would be exactly one reason why such a person would contact her now.

Miku swallowed nervously and answered, "Hello?"

"_Ah, Miku-kun. I apologize for calling you at this hour."_

"It's fine, sir," she answered calmly. "How can I help you?"

She heard him sigh heavily on the other end, _"I'm afraid... Your presence is more than required at the moment. We need you to be here as soon as possible. A driver is already on his way to pick you up."_

Miku grasped the phone tighter, "Something... happened to Hibiki, right?"

"_I'm afraid so. I'll fill you in while you are on your way. This... is something only you can do," _he replied grimly.

"Very well. I'll be there as soon as possible."

"_Thank you, Miku-kun. And once again, I'm sorry," _he added, and finally hung up.

Miku sat in silence for a few minutes, only staring at her phone's home-screen absentmindedly. It was almost ironic, she had to admit. The one time she decides to remain awake to welcome Hibiki back was the one day she did not return. Deep within herself, Miku felt as if she should blame herself for this. Maybe if she had lightened up a bit more, or perhaps stopped Hibiki from going, they wouldn't be in this situation.

No, she couldn't allow herself to think that way. Hibiki would be sad if she let such a mistaken feeling get her down. Slapping her cheeks once, Miku got up and prepared herself. She had something she needed to do. Hibiki needed her help.

And for Hibiki, Miku had no problem swimming through the Atlantic if she needed her.

-!-

"Hibiki is inside that thing, isn't she?" Miku asked in alarm first thing as she walked into S.O.N.G's bridge. She looked straight ahead at the wide screen before her, furrowing her brows at the ominous sight, "Is she alright?"

"Of course," Genjuro answered her. "Which is why I sent for you."

Taking his words to mind, Miku studied the _thing_ appearing on the screen. From her perspective, it looked like some sort of demented cocoon. Purple and black all over, the cocoon was suspended in midair by tendrils connecting it to the nearby building. Its most distinguishable features were the two glowing lines running parallel through its center as if splitting it in half horizontally. Periodically, the two lines would pulsate with a menacing red light, and Miku shivered just from looking at it.

Genjuro's words hardly helped calm her down. He said Hibiki was alright inside that thing, but nothing about it felt natural or at all right. From what Miku remembered about biology, whenever cocoons were involved, something was bound to emerge from it. Never did it reappear in its original form.

That made Miku all the more frightened.

But she swallowed her fear. These were good people. Whatever may happen, they would help Hibiki with all their power.

"Put us through to Maria-kun's team," he commanded. A moment later, a smaller screen appeared on the display, showing the FIS trio listening attentively.

"We are ready over here," Maria confirmed.

Genjuro nodded. However, Miku asked before he could speak. "How can we help Hibiki?"

In response, Elfnein, who had been sitting at a level lower than the commander's seat, turned to face them with a familiar gun-shaped syringe filled with red liquid in hand. "With this."

"LiNKER?" Shirabe asked, recognizing the shape in the smaller girl's hand. "No, Anti-LiNKER?"

Elfnein looked towards the away team on the display. "That's right. LiNKER and Anti-LiNKER are two sides of the same coin. Now that I can synthesize LiNKER, I can also make Anti-LiNKER."

"But how is a drug that lowers sync rates going to help us now?" Maria found herself asking.

Pressing a few buttons on her console, Elfnein brought up images of the divine serpent Hibiki had defeated in Val Verde, as well as some of the Divine Weapon, the two enemies related to the divine power that they had faced until now. "Both Yohualtepoztli and the Divine Weapon needed a vessel in order to stably manifest their immense power. Doesn't that remind you of the Symphogear system?"

A sudden realization dawned on the Symphogear wielders. The explanation completely passed over Miku's head, even though she knew what those two drugs were. But it seemed like Elfnein reached a breakthrough, and had sounded confident enough to inspire the others. The small alchemist, who had hardly been wrong before, was a common source of hope for the members of S.O.N.G, especially the wielders. Without her expertise, their ability to fight, and by extension helping others, would have been severely curbed.

They heavily depended on her knowledge and predictions, and as such, they decided to bet on her again.

"We can assume that the energy that engulfed Hibiki-kun is similar in nature to the energy of the relics that power the Symphogear," Genjuro added.

"Which means," Chris said excitedly, "That the Anti-LiNKER can pop that thing right off of her!"

Elfnein smiled. It was good to work with perceptive people.

"That's right," she said. Reaching for her pocket, she pulled out the five pendants the wielders would need.

"Our converter units!" Tsubasa exclaimed.

Elfnein nodded, "I've finished cleaning off the barrier's aftereffects from them. You're good to go at any time."

Everyone seemed happy at the news. However, Miku, who had been standing behind Genjuro the whole time, felt a bit out of place, "Um... Is there anything I can do?" she asked meekly.

Genjuro turned to her, "You're our ace in the hole. Our trump card."

"Eh? Me?" She asked curiously. How was she going to be of use here?

"It'll be dangerous," Elfnein said.

Miku met the girl's gaze, and gathering her courage, nodded in acknowledgment.

"I understand!"

Hibiki put her own life at risk day after day. She would not turn her back on her even for her own life.

Genjuro turned back to the screen before him.

"Yes, you and one other..."

-!-

She was floating.

She wasn't sure exactly where she was or how she got there. Her memory was blurry, and everything around her felt empty. However, she felt strangely warm, as if the bizarre space around her was embracing her from all directions. It was not unwelcome, but it indeed was very strange. She had not felt such an odd sensation in a very long time.

Hibiki floated in the nothingness, her mind muddled by a constant flow of colors. It was hard to focus on anything in particular, and right now letting her mind drift away felt like the wisest course of action.

Despite the comforting warmth, she hated how alone she felt at the moment and wanted someone to be near her right now. She wasn't sure who she wanted, but someone nonetheless.

Everything was _weird _and felt unnatural.

How much time had passed? She wasn't sure. Certainty was in short supply for her, especially for her muddled consciousness.

Drifting off felt like a welcome act. It was much easier than trying to focus on one particular thing. Exerting so much effort just on thinking was tiring, and she wasn't much of a thinker. Just do what felt natural. Just like always.

As she felt her mind fade away into nothingness, a voice called out from inside the darkness.

"_It's not like you to do nothing."_

In a mere instant the darkness, the weirdness, the colors, and the fog in her mind evaporated like droplets on a hot stove.

She let out a slightly pained 'oof' as she felt her back suddenly collide with something. As her eyes fluttered open, she caught a glimpse of an orange, evening sky. Particles of dust floated in the wind, irritating her blurry vision.

'_Where... where am I?'_

She could feel she was leaning against something hard, possibly stone or brick. She tilted her head slightly, her muddy vision scanning the surroundings.

And as soon as she laid her gaze upon a familiar ruined arch, her eyes shot open.

There was no way she could forget this scenery. The aftermath of the massacre, so deeply ingrained in her mind, had replayed itself in her head many times before. Even though her memory of it remained fragmented, the few bits she remembered were forever burned into her brain.

It was, after all, the day she died, and was reborn.

The stage, filled with the anguish of the dead, was unchanged from the last time she saw it. The building itself had remained as a monument, never having been torn down in a kind gesture towards the lives lost.

With a bit of a struggled effort, Hibiki pushed herself to her feet. She briefly looked back, somewhat recognizing the piece of broken stone that she had leaned against. The events of that day repeated in her head, slightly overlapping with her current vision. She turned back, looking at a place she thought she'd never see again. She could see that she was alone, with not a single soul alive in her vicinity.

That was to be expected though, after what had happened. She was, after all, the only survivor of that tragedy. The one person whose life was spared in exchange for another's.

Everything began in this place. It was bizarre, how serene it was now. No Noise and no people, together with the red tint of the horizon created an atmosphere of melancholic reminiscence.

Still confused as to how she had arrived in this place, she decided to take an experimental walk through the ruins. Each step she took released a soft crunching sound as the debris beneath her feet gave way.

It felt like her eyes were automatically superimposing what she remembered upon the scenery. So much so, that once she looked at a relatively empty spot in the center of the ruins, another memory took hold. She could hear the gallant figure singing with all her heart, along with her solemn passing in the hands of another. How she had crumbled to dust and left the world behind.

A light breeze wafted through the ruins, forcing Hibiki to close one eye. Thinking of it, didn't she hear a voice before the scenery transformed? How strange, she was sure that—

"It's a nostalgic view, isn't it?"

As if on cue, she heard someone speak up behind her. Hibiki froze, realizing that the voice sounded familiar. It was a memory she had nearly forgotten over time, slowly diminished by the years that passed since then.

She turned around to face the source of the voice, and her eyes widened.

The figure raised a hand in a casual greeting and smiled. "Yo."

"K-Kanade-san?!"

-!-

Two hours. That was the timeframe they were given to finish the operation.

For a reason beyond Miku's understanding, Hibiki had been classified as a type 2 Supernatural Disaster. Miku had no idea what that meant, but she could definitely understand what the Kazanari patriarch meant by unlimited use of armed force, and the probably inevitable use of weapons of mass destruction.

Miku shuddered just from thinking about it. The world would gladly sacrifice tens of thousands of civilians if it meant getting rid of the newly perceived danger. She couldn't stomach it. She couldn't believe that they would so quickly designate Hibiki as a threat and barely give S.O.N.G enough time to rescue her first. They would rather kill everyone right now than wait. She tried to talk back to him, but he ignored her as if she was a mere bug in his presence. Thankfully, Tsubasa stood up for her and let the man have a piece of her mind.

That was until Tomosato informed them that assault forces were converging on the cocoon, which meant that they had even less time than originally calculated.

Miku bit her lip. This whole situation was absurd. They were in a race against time, and yet outsiders were planning to interfere with their rescue operation. However, she did not allow that fact to bring her down. They had a plan after all. A plan involving trucks loaded full with Anti-LiNKER, but a plan nonetheless. Her role in it was simple, yet undeniably important.

Call out to Hibiki when the time comes, that's all. She was surprised by the simple request Genjuro made to her, and she wasn't sure why her voice alone would work, but she decided to nod and do it regardless. She had reliable allies to get Hibiki back, that's all that mattered. Every single one of them cared about her, in their own way. If the time they have is two hours, then they will get her back in one.

She was shaken from her thoughts when the sounds of explosions filled the air. Raising her head, Miku stared in shock at the screen in front of her. She could see a line of tanks, their barrels aimed at the cocoon Hibiki was encased in, smoke rising from their muzzles.

They were... trying to destroy the cocoon?! With Hibiki still inside?!

"No!" Miku yelled to the comm, shooting up in her seat, "Genjuro-san! You have to stop them!"

"_I'm on it!" _He answered, _"All wielders, head out! Stop those tanks from firing more!"_

Over the comms, Miku heard the various wielders acknowledge his order. However, in the meantime, the tanks fired another volley.

When the shells impacted the outer layer this time, it seemed to be doing some damage. Parts of the cocoon's blackened carapace crumbled, and glowing golden fractures began to line it all over, causing Miku's heart clenched. Should the UN forces be allowed to continue, they might hit Hibiki as collateral!

"Please! Stop them!" She screamed once again in despair.

The wielders were on their way, but they wouldn't make it in time for the third volley!

Yet just as the tanks were about to fire the finishing blow, a massive amount of light erupted from the fractures on the cocoon, startling the operators. The cracks grew, encompassing the entire structure. The tendrils that connected it to the buildings shattered and the entire thing fell to the ground with a loud thud and a cloud of dust. The golden light enveloped the entire cocoon, vanishing within the blinding glow.

All those watching were rendered sightless, Miku included. She grimaced as she attempted to check on the situation on the screen.

Something was finally happening.

And Miku could not help but feel that something was terribly wrong.

-!-

"Kanade-san?!" Hibiki exclaimed, staring at the former Gungnir Adaptor with wide eyes. "How?! What—!"

Kanade's response was to laugh boisterously. "Oh man, you should see the look on your face! It's so precious! You look like you've seen a ghost!"

The irony of that statement passed over Hibiki's head, who fell silent, utterly bewildered by the sight in front of her. It's as if not a single day had passed for the idol. Between the two of them, Hibiki was the one who had changed, having been tempered by the wish Kanade had left behind all that time ago. But still, her sudden appearance raised alarms in Hibiki's head.

"Kanade-san... how..." she murmured. "Wait, if you're here, does that mean... does that mean I'm dead?!"

That caused Kanade to laugh even louder, barely able to hold herself together. "No no, you're not dead, I can promise you that."

"Oh, that's great," Hibiki responded, letting out a relieved sigh. "Wait, but if I'm not dead, how are you here, Kanade-san? And where is well... here, exactly?"

Kanade calmed herself down, meeting her gaze and scratching her cheek in thought, "Hmmm, well I think I can answer your questions," she said, lowering her hand, "Well, the first thing I can tell you is that I'm not exactly this Kanade you speak of."

Hibiki tilted her head in confusion, "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Hmm, how can I explain it..." Kanade said, "Think of me as a... form I took in order for you to be able to communicate with me. Seeing as using any of your still-living friends as a template would confuse you too much, I decided to go for the safer route."

Hibiki scratched her head, "I'm still really confused, so I don't know how much that helped really."

Kanade put a hand on her hip, "Hehehehe, well had I taken my real form you would be way more confused than that, I can assure you."

"I don't really get it, but okay," Hibiki answered, "So wait, if you are not Kanade-san, then who are you?"

Kanade lowered her hand from her hip and looked straight down at the girl, "I am… the divine power, so to say."

Hibiki narrowed her eyes, "What? You mean the same thing that Adam guy tried to—"

"Yes, the very same one," Kanade interrupted her. "I am the representation of the divine power, and you, Tachibana Hibiki, have been chosen. This space you have been taken to is separate from the outside world. I chose to bring you to this place in order for us to talk."

Hibiki was immediately on guard. She remembered what Adam did with the divine power, and it put her on edge. While she understood now how she had arrived at this place, she wasn't about to let her guard down. She had no idea what this imposter was capable of, but with enough time, she could figure something out. Why would she bring her here, of all places? What was she trying to accomplish?

But Kanade was quick to defuse the hostility, "I do not wish to fight, Hibiki, only to talk," she said calmly, ignoring the rising fighting spirit from the girl in front of her. "You always say that you wish to talk first, do you not? Is that invitation not extended to me as well?"

Hibiki grimaced. No matter who she was, she was right. She needed to see what she had to say first before anything else. If she could talk to her, then they could understand each other. If they could understand each other, then they could possibly work together, one way or another.

She relaxed her posture and looked up at the taller girl.

"Alright," she said. "You said I was... chosen? What do you mean by that?"

Kanade smiled, and gestured forward, "Walk with me."

Hibiki narrowed her eyes but fell into step next to the imposter, and the two began stepping through the ruined stage.

As they walked, Hibiki looked around her, taking in the sights. No matter where she looked, the wreckage remained deathly still, as if frozen in time. Yet, despite that, a slight breeze wafted through the area, ruffling Kanade's lion's mane of hair. Clouds of dust rose in the air, somewhat dimming the evening sun in the horizon. It was such a mystical sight, one that reminded her of fairy tales. However, she had never heard or read a fairy tale that had such a tragic conclusion. The two of them took a leisurely stroll within the ruins, passing by every piece of broken stone that once made up the concert hall.

"Now, where do I even begin?" Kanade said aloud, "Ah yes, that Adam Weishaupt. For a puppet he sure is tenacious, I'll give him that. The fact he managed to bring divine power down to Earth is astounding all on its own. To bind it to a vessel even more so. But alas, it didn't quite work out for him as he had intended, did it?"

Hibiki tilted her head and looked up at Kanade, "What do you mean?"

The representation merely looked forward at the orange-tinted clouds in the sky and continued her explanation, "He thought he could control such power just by binding it to a vessel. But that's not how divine power works you know? It has to accept you and be accepted in return. Only then can it truly be used to its full potential. Unfortunately, no one on Earth is capable of harnessing it."

The imposter stopped walking and looked Hibiki straight in the eye, "No one... except you."

"Eh?" Hibiki let out. "Me? I don't understand."

Kanade chuckled, "Of course you don't, so I'll explain it. This is what I meant by you being chosen, Hibiki. You, out of all the people of Earth, have the ability to truly harness the divine power, and use it as you see fit. And I want to give it to you."

Hibiki froze in place and stared at the figure in front of her incredulously, "You want me to... have the divine power? What are you talking about?!"

It was insane. The divine power, that had been laying waste to the city just moments before, and the same one that so many people were sacrificed for. She wants her to use such a thing?!

"Yes, that very same one—"

"I refuse."

A sudden silence fell due to Hibiki's firm declaration. The imposter's eyes widened at the abrupt rejection. "There is no way I'm accepting something like that. Absolutely no way," Hibiki continued, eyes narrowed.

"Hibiki, you don't understand—" Kanade tried to add but was cut off.

"No, I understand. I may not be the smartest person, but I definitely know when something is good or not. And this divine power... thing, is not good. Too many people died for this. Too many people suffered for this. I won't accept something that was made by trampling on others," Hibiki said, "You can forget it. Take me back, I need to help everyone."

Kanade fell quiet, looking at the spirited girl before her.

"I see... In that case, may I explain something?" She asked.

"What is it?"

In response to Hibiki's question, Kanade turned around and raised her hand above her head. Hibiki watched as a ball of golden light suddenly appeared in the idol's hand.

And as the light expanded, the breeze became a gale. The dust gathered in its wake blotted out the sky and her vision, and Hibiki was forced to bring her arms up to protect her eyes from the gathering storm. The stage vanished, consumed behind the vale that imposter had conjured up. Hibiki struggled, yet Kanade remained unmoving.

Moments later, everything abruptly stabilized. The dust settled down, vanishing into nothingness. In place of the ruins, Hibiki found herself on an open grass field. A light breeze blew through the plain, causing Hibiki to shiver, rubbing her arms at the sudden drop in temperature. Kanade kept on standing before her, her arm still raised to the sky.

"What are you doing?!" Hibiki screamed.

"This is... a demonstration," was the imposter's response.

"Wha—"

Before Hibiki could finish, another typhoon suddenly blew through the area. The leaves were torn from their places on the trees in the plain, obscuring her vision and forming a twister around the duo once more. Just like before, it took a few short yet eternal seconds until the storm finally settled, and the leaves were blown away, disintegrating like so much ash.

Now, they were no longer in a vast open plain, but rather in a barren wasteland. Rain fell on the world, crashing amidst the ruins of the city Hibiki once called home. Wherever she looked, she could see familiar landmarks, all of them crumbled and destroyed from whatever great conflict had taken place. The pier in which S.O.N.G's headquarters resided, to Lydian Academy. It was a scene she'd only ever seen in her worst nightmares.

Hibiki fell to her knees, unable to stomach the sight. "What... is happening?" She asked desperately.

"This is what the divine power can do."

And then the world shifted again. Again, and again, and again. Before her eyes, Hibiki found herself transported between several locations, both real and unreal, in a matter of seconds. From the barren wasteland to a field filled with nothing but swords, basking in a distant twilight. To a futuristic landscape, a place where human civilization reached unprecedented heights. To a hospital, watching those who died and were born. She was transported from place to place, and she could only stay on her knees, fully immobilized and paralyzed by what she was seeing.

After what felt like a thousand repetitions, finally, it all ended. As the final horrific scene transformed, Hibiki found herself back in the ruined concert hall, having remained completely unchanged after their nauseating detour. Hibiki heaved, struggling to keep her composure after what she had seen.

She put her hands on the grounds and panted. Sweat dribbled down her brow and fell onto the dirt. Kanade stared down at her silently with an even expression and brought down her hand.

"Do you understand now?" The imposter asked, turning to face her. "What it is capable of?"

Swallowing, Hibiki tilted her head upwards, "Why... why did you show me this?"

"Is this not what you wished for, Hibiki?" Kanade asked her.

"W-what are you talking about?"

"The power to change the world," the imposter answered. "You have seen what it can do. Can you not grasp onto the justice you so cherish with it? Can you not create the world of understanding you so seek with it?"

Hibiki clenched her fists. Recomposing herself, she rose to her feet, staring down the imposter in front of her.

"I—"

Before she could reply, however, Kanade resumed. "Adam Weishaupt attempted to use this power to his own ends... yet he could not. There was no way he could. No one on this blue planet could ever harness the divine power to its full potential. Do you know why that is?"

Hibiki merely looked at her, not giving her a response. Clueless as to what she was getting at, she let her continue her new divulgence.

"It was because he was sinful. As they say, the heavens do not respond to those who harbor sins. That is why Fine could never remove the Curse of Balal. It is why John Wayne Vercingetorix could not become a hero. It is why Carol Malus Dienheim could never achieve her vengeance. Their delusional plans to control the world were destined to fail from the very beginning. They were sinful, and so they were rejected by the divine, by the gods. By destiny itself," she said.

The current Gungnir Adaptor looked to her incredulously.

The fake then turned to Hibiki, her form illuminated by the evening sun. "But you are not, Tachibana Hibiki. You are a human free of sin. Your body, your mind, and your soul do not bear even a tinge of sin within them. It is peculiar, it is an anomaly, but it is reality nonetheless. And that is why, out of all the beings in the universe, you alone deserve to hold this power."

Kanade held her hand out to Hibiki as if beckoning her forward. "Take it, and reshape the world as you will. Only you will be able to do so."

But it was simply too much. Far too heavy for someone like her. She was just a simple human, caught time and time again in circumstances beyond her control. Would it be right for her to accept this? Could she even handle it? What would it mean for herself, for the others, and the world?

"I can't..." she murmured, tearing her eyes away from the imposter. She turned away, looking back at the ruined arch in the distance. The sun shone smack dab through its middle, the arch forming a crown over the distant star. "Such a thing... is not something I can take. It's like I've already told St. Germain-san; people have to change as people. It wouldn't be right to use this power to force them."

"Even if that is your heartfelt wish?"

Hibiki froze when Kanade hit her with those words. "Yes, I have read your heart, Hibiki. I am aware of what hides behind that wall you've built for yourself. I know of your troubles, of the hellish years you've endured. Used as a scapegoat, you were the target for their grief and were cursed by their words. Such a terrible experience was one that should've made you ineligible, and yet here you stand, as the epitome of true, pure strength. You who have overcome that hell are the one who deserves to be the one to extinguish it. To make certain that it does not repeat. To make sure none will suffer through it."

The air around the imposter seemed to twist and bend at her words. Only then did Hibiki realize just how different she was from the real one. "I know you've already reached that heartbreaking conclusion on your own, Hibiki. That no matter how much you wish for justice, there is none to be found. That no matter how much you reach out to others, not all will take your hand."

"You're wrong!" Hibiki yelled. "I never thought that even once!"

"Did you?" Kanade questioned. As Hibiki stood still, the imposter began to circle her, the shadows on her face changing and twisting as she moved. "What exactly went through your mind, when Carol Malus Dienheim rejected you? What did you think to yourself when you saw Dr. Ver's heinous actions?"

"That it was a shame... that they didn't. But I don't blame them! Each person is different, but I want to believe that even they can be helped!"

Kanade chuckled, "What optimism you hold... and so so arrogant."

Hibiki's blood grew cold at the statement, leaving her unable to respond. Taking the chance, Kanade continued, "How long will you continue to believe this lie you've crafted for yourself? You already know better than anyone else that people will not change on their own. No amount of divine power can accomplish that. They must be forced to change, to see their flaws laid bare before them, and only then they can change. Those who resist this are consumed and are cast aside."

"That's not true! I—" Hibiki tried to argue.

"The justice you seek does not exist in this world! Your world of understanding is nothing but an illusion!" Kanade shouted, clenching her fist. "However, that is good, for as long as the world remains as twisted as it is now, it will fall into decay. Only by forcing your justice upon others will it advance to the next age! For you, it will be absurdly easy, for you have already begun doing so ever since you have obtained Gungnir."

"I never did that! I never tried to force my justice on others!"

"Then what are your fists for?!" The imposter bellowed. "You claim they are to hold hands with others, yet your clenched fists have brought nothing but calamity upon them! Do you even know what this justice that you seek is, Hibiki?!"

There was no answer from her successor.

"When have you ever seen justice served, and when have you ever truly served it? You have held out your hand to those unworthy of it, and by that action, brought suffering upon many others! You have abandoned the path of justice in pursuit of your own selfish ideals, forcing them upon others! You chose only the few you could see, never thinking once about those you could not!"

The entire time, the imposter continued her walk around Hibiki, slowly but surely closing the circle with each pass she made. "But that is alright, because once you understand it, and take the divine power onto yourself, there is no one in this world who could mete out justice better than you! You, who has taken in people's hatreds, are the only one who can deliver it upon them! It is your duty to do so, as penance for the lives who were lost!"

Her words dug into Hibiki deeply, leaving her completely speechless under her verbal assault. Seeing the girl's distress, Kanade approached her, putting her hands on her shoulders from behind. Her tone softened as she continued.

"You must understand Hibiki, that if you do not do this, many will suffer. Through the actions of a vile few, scores of innocents will be met with a cruel fate. You must bring those few to justice, and bring an end to the cycle of torment. If you choose to do nothing, what you have experienced will repeat eternally. That cannot possibly be the world that you wish for."

"B-but I... that's not... that's not something I can do to others. I can't... I can't use my songs to hurt them!"

Kanade sighed at the response. "It seems you have completely forgotten, Hibiki. This was never about songs. They matter little in the long run. How about I remind you?"

"Eh?"

And then Kanade pushed her. It was a half-hearted push, one that Hibiki would easily balance herself from.

Except, what she saw in front of her as she fell wasn't the concert hall's dirt-covered floor, but rather an all too familiar flight of stairs. With her footing lost, Hibiki could do nothing as she tumbled down the many steps. Pain wracked her body as she fell, each twist and turn filling her with physical and mental anguish. After what felt like an eternity, she finally reached the bottom. She squirmed, feeling tears bubble up from the pain. As she tried to recompose herself, she suddenly began to hear whispering from all around her. Her head whipped from side to side, catching sight of figures she had not seen in years looking down at her.

And then her gaze wandered to the top of the stairwell she had been pushed down. At the top, she saw a girl with shoulder-length brown hair stare down at her, her lips upturned into a vicious smile. Her eyes were masked by the shadows of her hair, and from behind her, a group of her friends chuckled at Hibiki's misfortune.

It was a face she had kept close, a reminder hidden away where none could find it. A face among the many that was scratched out and scribbled over. A name that was lost to time, as the owner who it belonged to no longer existed in the world.

"Do you remember now, Hibiki?" She heard Kanade's voice say from the crowd. "How you felt? How your heart filled with pain and anger at those who tormented you? Who dared to curse you for surviving that hell? Their derisive, poisonous stares, and the masses who did nothing but relish in your agony?"

How could she possibly forget? She had hidden in her room for days on end, just attempting to purge those memories from her mind. Yet, not once was she able to. She always remembered those cruel, shameless smiles, and those who were amused by that torture.

"Do you believe they do not deserve to be brought to justice? That their actions were justified?" Kanade asked her. "What about your father? Do you believe he deserves to get away with what he did?"

"E-eh?"

Something hit her across the face. She once again fell to the ground, and hurriedly cradled her struck cheek with her hand. Her eyes widened as soon as she heard familiar screaming and hesitantly turned her head. No longer was she in the school's hallway but was now back in her home in Chiba. The man angrily flipped over the kitchen table, causing the dishes upon it to fall to the ground and shatter.

"_Why did you have to survive?!" _Tachibana Akira screeched, tossing the wine bottle he held at her, missing its mark and shattering against the wall behind her. Her mother and grandmother screamed, but they sounded so distant, their voices dim before the man's rage. "_If it wasn't for you... if it wasn't for you! I wouldn't have to go through this! This is all your fault!"_

This painful memory... why? Why was she seeing it again like this? She didn't... she never wanted to see this again! She thought that if she gave him another chance, then maybe she could forget it!

"But you can't forget it, can you?" Kanade said, leaning against the wall. "This injustice committed against you. How a single man's cowardice tore everything you loved apart. Do you believe there was justice to be found in his rage? Do you believe his anguish and his anger at you to be justified?"

Hibiki simply could not speak. Her mind in turmoil, the only answer that stirred up in her stormy heart was very simple. An answer that Kanade proceeded to read perfectly.

"No, you never believed so. After all, you hated him. You resented him for what he did to you and your family. Even now, you still harbor that mistrust towards him. After all, years of abandonment cannot be so easily forgotten and forgiven. But it only ever got worse from here."

Suddenly, something forced her down. Finding herself helpless on the ground, she was pinned down under a heavy weight she could not escape from. Her eyeballs convulsed as she gazed at the glimmering knife raised at her, and the strange man's blood-red glare met her own. Now alone in a dimly lit midnight street, she could do nothing as the man cursed her.

"_Because of you, I lost everything! How do you dare live, knowing you killed my daughter! I will never forgive you for taking her away!"_

She remembered him. She could never forget his face twisted in grief and fury. She had simply gone on a lonesome nighttime visit to the nearest convenience store, hiding as much as she could from the stares. But, this man had recognized her. He knew who she was, and he had decided to act upon his anguish.

Flies crowded the only streetlight, desperately reaching for the one source of warmth and light in the darkness. Oblivious were they to what was taking place just beneath them, focusing only on their own needs.

He screamed. "_DIE!"_

He brought the knife down, and she drew in a breath. She blinked and saw that the man and the street had completely vanished. Now, she lay alone in a world of complete blackness, her eyes wide open and staring. Her breaths came abnormally quick, and she felt tears dribble down her cheeks.

Appearing from out of nowhere, Kanade kneeled, have face right above Hibiki's, obscuring the darkness above. Her hair was like a waterfall, basking in a twilight glow.

"Did that jog your memory?" Kanade asked her. "Do you believe that you deserved this treatment, both from strangers and colleagues, despite being innocent?"

As if on cue, something began to rain from above. It wasn't rain, but rather, many sheets of paper fluttered down, falling and piling up on the formless ground. Kanade tilted her head up to watch the down, and swiftly snatched one of the papers from the air. She briefly glanced at it, and then looked to Hibiki again. "Tell me, Hibiki. Is this justice?"

And presented the paper to her.

'**DIE YOU MURDERER'**

Hibiki once again froze. These... these papers... they were... they were—! No! She never wanted to see them again!

"All of these are the same. All of them filled with the same putrid, sickening words, letting out their frustrations on the person who did not deserve them," Kanade said, tossing the one she held aside. The papers continued to rain down endlessly, somehow not falling on Hibiki and Kanade. The imposter then let out a chuckle. "And you remembered them. You kept them as a memory, remember? You tried to hide your resentment towards their words, but instead, you kept it close to heart. Who'd have thought that you'd become the very thing they believed you were?"

That jolted Hibiki awake. She instantly shot to her feet, uneasily standing before the imposter while tears continued to stream down her face. "I'm not—I'm not a murderer! I didn't—!"

"That's right, you aren't... or at least, you weren't," Kanade said, rising back to her feet. "Yet you held your hand out to killers, foolishly believing they would grasp the same justice as you do. Fine, Ver, Carol, Saint-Germain, they're all the same. Even your fellow Symphogear wielders and acquaintances in S.O.N.G are not exempt from this. They are all sinners who were never punished for their wrongdoings, and you held your hand out to them, abandoning those who truly needed help. _Those _lives are on your shoulders. Hibiki, the hero of justice who has abandoned it. Tell me, how long will you let that go on? Where will you draw the line?"

With a wave of her hand, Kanade once again changed the scenery. The world shifted, and they were brought back to Tokyo, except...

Everything was burning. The screaming of the innocent blared out in the distance as Noise filled the streets, carbonizing every single human they could come across.

Hibiki could only watch in horror. A little girl ran towards her, and she attempted to catch her, to protect her. But just as the girl was about to reach her arms, an Alca-Noise stinger embedded itself in her back. She fell to the floor and disintegrated, leaving Hibiki to stare in shock at the pile of dust at her feet.

It just went on and on. There was no end to the death, to the screaming, to the pain. It was truly nothing but hell. "This is the result of that justice, Hibiki," Kanade informed her. "This is where that path leads. So long as sinners do not face justice, this is the fate of the world. But you have seen this sight many times before, so if this is not enough to open your eyes..."

The scenery shifted once again. The city was restored to normal, and the evening sun shone through the cracks between the buildings of the bustling metropolis. However, this particular street was dead quiet, and the only person walking upon it was...

"Miku..."

Miku walked alone, humming to herself. She did not notice Hibiki as she walked past her, oblivious to everything around her. It was a fairly normal sight, one that wouldn't have caused Hibiki any worry.

If it wasn't for the shadows lurking within one of the dark alleyways, eyeing their prey with savage smiles on their faces. Miku did not notice their gazes upon her as she passed by.

That's when they struck. As one, a group of five men leaped out of the shadows. Miku didn't even have time to turn around as she was grabbed, one of the men covering her mouth with his hand so she wouldn't scream. The men dragged her back into the alley as she attempted to struggle, but they overpowered her with their larger statures and buffer physiques.

"MIKU!"

Hibiki moved, unable to stomach the sight. She ran after them, passing by Kanade who watched expressionlessly. Hibiki dashed into the alley, catching sight of the men forcing Miku to the ground. "LET HER GO!"

She attempted to tackle one of them, but to her shock, her hand phased through him, as if he—_or she—_were a ghost.

"_LET ME GO!"_ She heard Miku scream. "_NO! HIBIKI! HELP ME!"_

It was far too much. Hibiki's heart shattered as she attempted again and again to save her best friend—her other half—but to no avail. She couldn't touch the men. She couldn't reach them. She couldn't reach Miku. She couldn't stop them. She couldn't...

She couldn't save Miku.

She fell to her knees as Kanade appeared beside her. All sound had been drained from the world, with only Hibiki's sorrowful cries ringing out in the darkened back alley. "Stop it..." Hibiki begged, trying in vain to stop the tears from falling.

"Do you understand now, Hibiki? This is a possible path your justice could lead to. For as long as you pursue that twisted ideal, people like this will continue to exist in the world. Would you show them compassion? Would you show them mercy? Would you extend your hand out to them, knowing what they had done?"

"Stop... it... please..."

"No," was Kanade's reply. Violently, she grabbed onto Hibiki's arm, pulling her to her feet. She tightened her grip on her wrist and looked her square in the eyes. Her vision blurry from the tears, and her heart in shambles, Hibiki could only quake in fear from the crazed stare Kanade held. "You must realize your folly, your foolishness, your ignorance! Your world of understanding is an impossibility! To wish for it is to be a tyrant, to arrogantly believe that every human will follow your example! Human hearts are not as graceful as you believe!"

"S-stop it... you're hurting me—!"

"Human nature has not changed a single bit since the Stone Age! You are a fool if you believe you alone can change it, the powerless human that you are! You could not even save yourself, so who are you to say that you can save others! Stop believing in a lie and open your eyes, Tachibana Hibiki, for as long as you remain blind, you will continue to bring disaster!"

"STOP IT!"

"Realize what it is that you must do! Abandon that twisted path of yours, and pursue the true justice! The one that will once and for all fix this wretched hell of a world! The world that gave birth to the Noise and sinners like Fine! Remember what you have experienced, the torture and suffering that you went through, and turn that into strength! Punish the sinful with your hatred! Turn your resentment into power! Only then, and _only_ then, will you be able to bring salvation!"

"STOP!"

"DO IT HIBIKI! DO IT! ACCEPT IT! BECOME WHO YOU WERE MEANT TO BE!"

"NOOOOOO!"

Unable to hear more of her crazed ramblings, Hibiki pushed her away with her free hand. Surprisingly, Kanade's grip loosened, and she fell back.

But when Hibiki opened her eyes again, finally calming down, she looked forward. She was back in the school hallway, standing at the top of the flight of stairs.

And at the bottom, the brown-haired girl she remembered squirmed on the ground in pain. Hibiki's eyes widened, and something stirred in her heart upon hearing the girl's pained cries. Many others surrounded her, looking down on her, their savage smiles directed at the girl who was pushed down the stairs... the girl that Hibiki... pushed down the stairs.

Kanade appeared behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "That felt good, didn't it? To finally deliver justice on someone who tormented you? This right here, Hibiki, is justice. That weight in your heart? That was your justice being delivered. _This_ is what you should've done. This is the path you should've followed. You must not forget, and you must _never_ forgive."

She blinked. She was back at home, where her father was. He was on the ground, cowering in fear and quivering before her. She blinked again, and she was in that dimly lit street, straddling the man with a knife in hand, and took in his terrified expression. Again and again, the scenery shifted, and with each shift, she felt more and more of those weights within her lift one by one.

No, she couldn't... she couldn't... she... she...

"You see it now, don't you?" Kanade whispered in her ear. Her arms wrapped around Hibiki, holding her in a tight, intimate, and sensual embrace. Her words, previously poisonous and corrosive, began to feel like honey in her ears. "Yes, that is the justice that you should hold tight. This is the justice that your song should carry. The justice that brings down punishment upon sinners, regardless of who they are. Equal and fair justice. That is how your world will be born. That is how paradise will be created. All you have to do... is accept it."

They were back in that blackened space. This time, something stirred within it, writhing and moving in the darkness. Hibiki, however, was unable to perceive it. Her strength had fled her, her face stained with tears. Both her mind and her heart had broken from the many horrible sights, each and every one tightening the hold on her consciousness.

She could barely bring herself to speak. Her mouth moved, and her mind swam as she mumbled. "I... I don't... I don't... know... how..."

She wasn't even sure what she meant by those words. All she could do was fall into the tight embrace she was held in, holding onto it like a lifeline. It felt comfortable, strong, _right._ Her entire world had shattered, and yet there was something to keep her afloat. Something to hold onto. Something... something...

Kanade smiled, "Oh, it's easy. Very very easy. All you have to do... is hold out your hand. Reach out to it."

A soft, metallic tingle filled the air as Kanade held something aloft before Hibiki's eyes. She had a hard time focusing on it, but she could see it was... it was...

"Gung...nir?"

"Yes. This is the shape of your justice, Hibiki. It is contained right in here. All you have to do is take it, this tiny gem that you had entrusted your whole being to. Reach out to it, and accept it once again. Vow to uphold the justice you desire and create a beautiful world with your own two hands. One where nobody will have to suffer as you did and those that have sinned will face the consequences. Take it, Hibiki. That is my last will and testament, dedicated to you."

It was as if her body moved by itself. Her hand slowly rose, and her palm opened wide. The crimson—_crimson?—_gem fell into her hold, its radiance serving as the only source of light in the darkness. As soon as the gem was in Hibiki's hand, Kanade released her hold on her. She took steps back, standing a short distance away from Hibiki, who remained alone in the center. Her gaze was locked onto the pendant in a trance as if she was holding the most beautiful and brilliant object in existence.

There was only one step left.

"Now, sing, Hibiki. Allow those holy words that embody your justice to flow from your heart. Let them take you, and bring you the strength you need to change the world. Accept them, and become who you were truly meant to be!"

Incandescent colors filled Hibiki's heart and mind, contrasting the blackened world around her. Those words Kanade told her... they felt right like that was the way things should be. To grasp justice... to change the world... to bring about a utopia of understanding... such a beautiful dream.

And if she sang... if she sang... it could end up a reality.

She held the pendant to her heart and closed her eyes. The holy chant, which she had thought she had forgotten, rose up from within her as she sang her song of justice.

'_Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron'_

Kanade smiled.

The gem glowed in Hibiki's hand, and she was engulfed in an orb of bright light.

And it all came to a close.

The world collapsed, the cover of darkness that surrounded them flaking away to ash around them. The imposter threw her hands to the side as the truth of the illusionary expanse was unveiled. A blood-red tapestry of vaguely human faces writhed, grasping and reaching for their new source of strength. One by one they were unveiled, tearing away the false, mesmerizing canopy with a demented cacophony.

Shadowy, black hands grasped at the light, surrounding it in their maddened, stiff hold. As if the orb of light was a physical object, they latched onto it. One by one, they began to cover it in its entirety, replacing its brilliance with their vileness and wretchedness.

The imposter laughed as Hibiki was consumed. Took the bait hook, line, and sinker. As the illusionary hell intensified and broke down around her, she laughed maniacally, throwing her head back.

"**NOW RAGE! ADVANCE! TEAR IT ALL DOWN! DEVOUR THE WORLD IN ALL YOUR FURY, AND UNLEASH IT UPON THE SINNERS! BECOME WHO YOU WERE MEANT TO BE, THE VESSEL OF TOTAL DESTRUCTION—"**

Her body crumbled, disappearing into the void of hatred and curses. Before her head vanished, she screamed out loud in unshackled mirth.

The orb of light, now a sphere of crawling darkness, expanded to take the place of the illusionary world, as it was always meant to. The new owner had accepted it, along with the awesome power that it was provided. From here on out, only true justice will be pursued!

"—**AND THE HARBINGER OF ALL THE EVILS OF THIS WORLD!"**

-!-

When the light finally died down, the Symphogear wielders found themselves perplexed at the sight.

The massive cocoon had crumbled to dust, and all that remained in its place was a small crater at the location towards which it had plunged. Which was strange, considering that Elfnein's calculations had expected a completely different result. There was no massive beast on the scale of the Divine Weapon that had been previously destroyed. Only...

Only a human-sized form that looked very familiar.

"Tachibana..." Tsubasa let out. This was... far too odd. Something felt off. Red flags rose in Tsubasa's mind, but for the life of her she could not figure out why.

"Commander," Maria said over the comm. "We're going in to investigate."

Genjuro took a moment to reply, and the wielders waited nervously for his response. They could not simply go blindly. As much as they wished to simply dash to their friend and check on her status, something... something was holding them back. A nasty gut feeling they could not dispel. By the time that Genjuro replied, his voice was low and alert.

"_Copy that, Maria-kun. Proceed with caution. We have no way of knowing what exactly is going on now that our predictions proved to be wrong."_

"Roger."

Maria looked towards her allies, and they all nodded in acknowledgment at the okay.

So he was telling them to advance anyway. Well, they figured they'd have to do so. Only with their own eyes would they be able to ascertain Hibiki's wellbeing.

But God, did they feel on edge. The unknown was the greatest terror one could face.

As a unit, all five walked forward. Only Saint-Germain remained behind, rooted to the spot, her eyes narrowed at the human-shaped form at the center of the rubble. She had deliberately allied herself with the Symphogears in order to combat Adam and the divine power, and with Adam having retreated following the cocoon's formation, she now had a focus.

But her centuries-old intuition told her that something was awfully wrong and that she must watch closely to see how things will proceed. Her mind raced with endless possibilities, each one more absurd than the last.

Tsubasa led the way up the small incline, the others following behind her. She was wracked with nerves, not sure what to expect.

When the five finally reached the top, they caught sight of the human-sized form and instantly their faces lit with recognition.

"Tachibana!" Tsubasa let out, running towards her wayward teammate in the center of the crater.

From her position inside one of the trucks, Miku shouted in delight, "Hibiki!"

Without missing a beat, Miku exited the truck, and ran at full speed towards her friend, passing by Saint-Germain on the way. Just as she passed her, however, the alchemist's hand suddenly locked around her shoulder, nearly throwing Miku off balance.

"Eh?" She said, looking back towards the one who had arrested her movements, finding herself looking Saint-Germain dead in the eye.

"I would stay back if I were you," The alchemist clad in her Faust Robe warned, "We do not know her true state just yet. Let your friends bring her here first."

"St. Germain-san, what are you—"

"There is something terribly wrong here," The alchemist merely said, still staring ahead at the group crowded in the crater, releasing her hold on Miku's shoulder. Miku's eyes widened, but she said nothing in response. The pit in her stomach that had grown over the last few days became unbearable, and she grasped her shirt with an iron grip as she stared ahead.

Inside of the crater, the Symphogear wielders hurried to their friend's side. They quickly found her down on one knee, facing away from them, and her head cast downwards towards the ground, unmoving.

"Tachibana, are you alright?" Tsubasa asked the kneeling Symphogear user. She did notice that she was clad in Gungnir, albeit looking a little bit... different than what she remembered. It was a bit darker in color than she recalled. And did she always have these small wings protruding from her back? And were these purple glowing lines always running across the armor's form?

In response to Tsubasa's question, Hibiki suddenly rose to her feet, standing to her full, yet familiar short height. She still faced away from them, not turning around.

The group heard her whisper, yet her words were lost to the air.

Chris trudged towards her, "Oi, dumbass! We were worried sick about you!"

"Yukine, please calm down," Tsubasa commanded. They still had to be cautious, but seeing as Hibiki seemed to be physically fine, they could relax a bit more now. The Ame-no-Habakiri user raised her hand to the device in her ear, "Commander, we have confirmed Tachibana's wellbeing. We're bringing her back now."

"_Copy that, Tsubasa. Please escort her to the medical room so we can have them take a look at her," _he ordered.

"Roger."

-!-

Genjuro leaned forward, clasping his hands over his console. His brows furrowed as he stared at the screen, watching the ongoings of the wielders outside. His instincts were on high alert, feeling as though they were not out of the woods just yet. While all signs pointed towards a false alarm, he simply couldn't ignore his subconscious.

"Fujitaka, run diagnostics again," he ordered. "Triple and quadruple check everything. I want to make sure we're not missing critical."

"Roger."

It was a wasted effort, but Genjuro simply could not sit still.

"Tomosato, have you had any success with forcing back the JSDF forces?"

"Negative sir, they simply won't budge," she answered. "They're not willing to leave until they get the all-clear on their side. We can't make them retreat."

Genjuro grimaced, "They're a liability. They're not required here anymore. Continue as you've been doing. You have my permission to use any means necessary."

"Yes sir, but I must ask... why are we in such a hurry?" Tomosato inquired. She could feel the tension in the bridge, which was raising hairs on the back of her neck as well. As the only one lucid enough to speak, she felt she must ascertain the reason.

Genjuro couldn't bring himself to elaborate further, except with three words.

"Something is wrong."

His answer only put them all further on edge. Clacking and clicking echoed as consoles updated on the fly, and each one displayed different numbers that shed some analytical light on the situation. Yet, despite it all, nothing seemed to be out of place.

_'Am I simply being paranoid?' _Genjuro thought to himself, _'No... this can't be all there is to it. This was almost—'_

His eyes drifted to Elfnein, and he studied the young alchemist's expressions. She too was looking intently at her console, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she did what she could on her end.

_'—too easy.'_

He noticed too late that he had done the one thing he shouldn't have.

At that moment, Elfnein gasped in shock, and hurriedly slammed her hand on the button to set off the alarm.

He didn't even have time to ask what was going on before he was already on his feet, "Elfnein-kun, status report!"

"A foreign energy signature has been detected! It's rising from Hibiki-san at a rapid rate!"

The frantic typing continued, and commandeering the bridge's largest display, she presented all of her data.

Including the one of the Aufwachen signal of Gungnir.

There was a collective gasp of horror as they saw what had changed. The abnormality, the sheer _wrongness_ that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere within the signal itself.

"That's," Genjuro mumbled in horror. "THAT'S GUNGNIR?!"

Elfnein forced the comm open and screamed.

"EVERYONE! GET OUT OF THERE RIGHT NOW!"

-!-

The sudden panic and the background noise of the alarm from the comm caused the wielders to flinch, barely hearing the scream over the comm. They all turned in the direction of headquarters and attempted to make out some sort of sign over the static.

"Elfnein?!" Tsubasa called out but was met with only more blaring uproars. She clicked her tongue, forcing her attention away from her wayward comrade.

Not a single member of the Symphogear wielders noticed Hibiki turn to them slowly, her eyes locked on their backs.

From among the group gathered by the crater, only one recognized the danger the moment it had reared itself. Not having bothered to even listen in to the transmission, Saint-Germain yelled at the top of her lungs.

"GET AWAY FROM HER RIGHT NOW!"

Tsubasa faced the alchemist, having barely caught her scream. "What are you—"

The only warning Tsubasa received was the small burst of light in the corner of her eye.

_Squelch!_

Her step faltered. Her eyes widened as agonizing pain rose from her midsection, locking her legs in place. Her mind seized, having barely registered the fact that she had been attacked.

The others swiftly turned around and were left gasping in horror at the sight. They were paralyzed, and their gazes were locked onto Tsubasa's injured abdomen. The blue-haired idol struggled to tilt her head down to observe the damage.

And what met her sight left her both shocked and confused.

A lance—no, a _spear_—protruded from her stomach. She could see the lines of blood and guts that stained its surface, having pierced through her in one breath.

Her mind raced to find out what had taken place. The many unknowns and surprises overwhelmed her, and now that she had registered the extent of the hit, her brain finally caught up. Weakness gripped at her, and she spit out blood.

"What—"

_Shing!_

And the spear was withdrawn from her with a nasty sound of flesh being cut. Her mind, already in overdrive, faltered. Tsubasa collapsed to the ground, leaving the others screaming her name as she landed with a thud. Her consciousness began to darken, but unwilling to die without finding out what had downed her, she forced all the strength she could muster to turn around.

Two horrible sights met her eyes.

The spear was all too familiar. Its shape was unique, for only one person had ever wielded it in her life. Yet, before her was that very same spear, the one she had not seen in years since that day her heart had died for the first time. However, everything else was starkly different. Instead of the bright yellow, its sharpened edges were dark orange, and ferocious, purple vein-like formations ran over its form in an uneven jagged pattern. The core, once a dazzling red, had been replaced with a gut-wrenching green, pulsing and glowing dimly every second.

But above all that, her eyes met the pair of the one who had stabbed her in the back.

And she froze.

"Yes... it is my time now."

The blood dripped down to the charred ground.

And the last thing Tsubasa saw before her mind fell to darkness—

"I will change the world."

—was the eerie emerald glow of Tachibana Hibiki's eyes.


	2. Chapter 2: Bring to Justice

The world slowed to a crawl.

Not having expected this sudden attack, the four wielders could only look on with muted horror as Tsubasa fell, her stomach having been gouged out by the spear that the assailant now held in her hand.

They froze, their eyes darting to Tsubasa as she landed, her blood leaking profusely from the massive wound.

There was a moment of simple disbelief as their minds finally caught up, and their reaction was unified as it was distressed.

"TSUBASA!"

Maria's high pitched scream echoed in the ruined city. The four together dashed to their fallen comrade, kneeling by her side as they attempted to rouse her.

"TSUBASA! HANG IN THERE!" Maria yelled once again in anguish, holding onto her partner idol with dear life. Tsubasa, now unconscious from the wound, barely responded to their yells, squirming slightly. Her face contorted in pain, and her limbs fell limply by her side.

"Tsubasa-san!" Kirika called out, terrified at the prospect of losing a friend and a teammate. Feeling powerless to help, she gripped her scythe tightly, and tears threatened to fall from her eyes at the horrifying sight.

Chris could only stare with wide eyes. Far too dazed to even properly call her upperclassman's name, her eyes slowly drifted from Tsubasa's fallen form and locked her gaze on the culprit, who stood silently with the spear in her hand. Screaming blared out over the comms as headquarters devolved into barely comprehensible chaos.

Only Tomosato's booming voice managed to make it to the wielders, who were still too stunned to properly respond, "_Shirabe-chan, bring her back here right now! Hurry!"_

Her words were a much-needed lull in the turmoil that befell the members of S.O.N.G. Maria looked to her younger black-haired charge, who, despite her own distressed state, nodded in acknowledgment. She quickly summoned her wheel, and Maria spared no second as she quickly handed the injured Tsubasa to her.

"Hurry!"

Holding the idol in a messy bridal carry, Shirabe hit the gas and rode off, her wheel leaving dust in her wake as she slid down the small hill. She passed by Miku and Saint-Germain, with the former holding her hands over her mouth in a state of total disbelief.

The whole exchange didn't even take a single minute. With Tsubasa now en route back to headquarters for life-saving treatment, the remaining wielders forced their attention back to the assailant, who had remained standing motionless in the center of the crater.

"So I missed," she said in a tone that exuded disappointment. With a flick of her wrist, she swiped the spear aside, cleaning off the blood that had caked it, "As expected of Tsubasa-san."

Chris was the first of the group to finally speak up.

"You... You—! What... what the hell did you do?!" she screeched, her arms balled up into fists by her side. Maria and Kirika rose to their feet, equally incredulous that Hibiki would do such a thing.

It was immediately apparent to them that something was terribly wrong. It was not only her actions that threw them into disarray but her appearance too.

Everything about Hibiki seemed to have radically changed in the days she had been trapped inside that cocoon of divine power. She was still clad in her Symphogear, yet the bright orange and white colors of the armor had darkened considerably, the previous brightness having been hungrily consumed by an almost blood-like rusty shade. A pair of matching wings lazily drooped behind her, their function unknown to the group. A network of magenta, vein-like lines ran over the armor and her skin, as if they were wrathfully carved onto them with a jagged blade. The lines congregated by the darkened pendant on her collarbone, drawn to it like a magnet and greedily reaching for it.

The armor itself had transformed, and instead of the form-fitting modest suit she had previously worn, it now took on a revealing, provocative appearance, a far cry from anything Hibiki would ever adorn. Her once amber eyes glowed with a green-eyed hue, and both her pupils and sclera were tainted by it in differing shades. In contrast to Hibiki normal laid back pose, her stance was now high and prideful, almost arrogant in a display of power.

It felt like they were looking at a demon, a succubus, or a fallen angel. As if Hibiki herself had been replaced by a darker identical looking copy, who now stood before them with a piercing gaze.

None of Hibiki's usual warm aura was to be found. No, all they felt radiating from the girl before them was pure evil, hatred, and resentment.

It made their blood run cold.

"I did what had to be done," Hibiki answered coldly, "What I should have done a long time ago."

"What are you talking about?!"

"I made her pay for her sins. Nothing more, nothing less. She had it coming for a long time."

Not a single one of the wielders could wrap their head around what Hibiki was saying. They couldn't even believe that she could sound this hostile.

She clenched her free hand into a fist, her fingertips now akin to claws.

"That... was justice."

"Wha—"

Chris had no response to articulate. She was left to stunned by Hibiki's words that she could not form a single word. It sounded so bizarre, so alien to hear with her voice, that it left the white-haired wielder stunned and wide-eyed.

Maria, who was equally as bewildered as her comrade, turned to her slightly, "Chris, something is wrong with her. This... this can't be Hibiki-san."

"No shit Sherlock!" Chris bellowed. She glared at Hibiki as she confronted her with a question, "Explain what you're going on about right now!"

Hibiki ran her hand through her hair as she glared in return, "You see, Chris-chan, I've had my eyes opened," she affirmed, "All that talk about trying to create a world of understanding—"

Her gaze sharpened.

"—was just a bunch of lies."

The three wielders narrowed their eyes, with Kirika letting out a confused 'huh' in the background. Not giving them even a chance to cut in, she continued.

"Time and time again I thought mankind could change, whether on its own or just with a little push. But I see now that it is an impossibility. You see, I saw humanity's true nature... and it's ugly. It's disgusting, and such a thing doesn't deserve to exist. All it takes is for them to lose the ability to communicate, and they become beasts. They aim for each others' throats for the stupidest of reasons, and they put on airs of understanding when in reality all they do is curse each other behind their backs."

A disdainful smile rose to her lips.

"I can hear them, you know. Those curses, those voices of humanity. As if people like that could ever be made to understand anything. I'm done trying to play by their rules—no, this time, everyone will play by _my _rules. Judgment will be cast, and justice will be delivered. For all the crimes they have committed, I will make people see their own ugliness—"

Her emerald eyes glowed ominously as she delivered her final line.

"—and they will die for it."

"..."

The wielders were left speechless. If beforehand Hibiki's words were shocking, now they were utterly incomprehensible. Only a glitch in the fabric of reality could explain what they heard. Such final, genocidal threats coming from _Hibiki_ of _all _people, was simply too much to bear.

Perhaps they didn't want to believe it or understand it in the first place.

The materialization of the firearm in Chris's hand was almost inaudible in the tense silence. Her eyes glued to the Gungnir wielder across from her, she raised the pistol and aimed it straight at her, her teeth gritted.

"Yeah, no," Was the only thing she could bring herself to say, "And by no, I mean _hell no_. I dunno what happened in there, but you clearly hit your head _way_ too hard. No, I'm not hearing any more of this bullshit. I'm heard shit like that way too much to let that slide. You're an idiot, so I bet you don't even understand what it is you're saying. Yeah, something clearly messed with your head, and I'm going to _fix that _right now."

"...Is that so? In that case..."

They didn't even see her move. One second she was standing in the middle of the crater, the next she was in front of Chris, her spear upraised to strike at the Ichaival wielder. Chris already began to move back to gain some distance, but her reaction was far too slow. Luckily for her, Maria was faster, and she hurriedly materialized her sword to block the incoming swing.

The two older wielders, together with Kirika, watched in shock as the sword was destroyed with a single blow. The spear barely lost enough momentum for Chris to complete her retreat, jumping back a small distance away from Hibiki. Maria followed suit, and so did Kirika, who was at a loss as to what to do.

Now standing much closer to the trio than before, Hibiki did not even bother looking at them, "Nothing needs _fixing,_ Chris-chan. No, _this_ is the fix. It's about time I pay you back for your injustice against me—and I will return it a _hundredfold!_"

The threat was clear. The evil aura she had been radiating subtly beforehand now grew to palpable proportions, her anger increasing by the second.

Kirika was divided as to how to respond, hardly being able to keep up with the progression of the events taking place before her. She glanced to Maria, who brandished her sword in preparation, and she spied Chris similarly preparing her pistols. With Hibiki on the offensive, they had no choice but to respond in kind and hopefully beat her back to her senses.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, a different group, seemingly forgotten in the tense exchanges that took place, acted first.

-!-

Battalion Commander Takamura Shigeo of the JSDF watched in both confusion and wonder as the girls designated as the Symphogears talked. The audio range of his tank could not catch their words, but he still noticed that their exchange was not going in favor of the more brightly colored trio. Ever since he had been ordered to bombard the cocoon from before, he had found himself lost as to the proceedings. He had too many questions he wanted to be answered, but he knew he would not receive any from his higherups. All he knew was that the Symphogears were a part of the U.N's special forces, and that was it.

His unit, together with the rest of the battalion, waited for further orders. Time and time again the Special Forces higherups attempted to force them to withdraw, but because he had not received any orders from his superiors, he had to deny them again and again. He had wished to do so, not wanting to get involved with powers that were clearly beyond him, but orders were orders.

And so he waited. All he could do now was attempt to ascertain what was going down between that group of girls, who seemed to be turning on each other. The one dressed in dark orange with a spear in hand looked to be the most hostile, and for a reason he could not explain, a foreboding sense of dread welled up within him just from looking at her.

Shigeo shook it off as best he could, focusing on the task at hand. As if on cue, his radio blared to life, with the voice of his commander coming through.

"_All units, aim for the orange Symphogear user and prepare to fire, over."_

He quickly grasped the receiver and asked a hasty question, "Fire, sir?! On the UN Special Forces?!"

"_That is what we've been told. The orange one has retained the previous Type 2 Supernatural Disaster designation. Use of deadly force has been authorized. Take her down."_

"...Copy that."

The line fell silent. Placing the receiver back into its place, Shigeo sighed. He didn't like it, but orders were orders. He had no idea why a girl like her had the same designation as that horrid chrysalis from before, but he didn't question it. If that's the plan they came up with, he'd go along with it. This would be better than allowing the Americans to drop a nuke on the place and kill them all.

Few lives for the many. That's the code they lived by.

He clutched the small silver locket around his neck tightly, a picture of his wife and daughter clasped within it. He took a deep breath and seized the receiver again, "All units, take aim and prepare to fire."

All of the tank operators did as he ordered. One by one, the barrels lined up, and the shells were loaded within by their crew.

Once all of the units were ready, he took another deep breath.

And gave the command.

"FIRE!"

-!-

It was Kirika who noticed the tanks first.

"Maria! Chris-senpai!"

Her shout turned their attention away from Hibiki and to the military unit at the distance. Now realizing that the tank had their barrels aimed straight at Hibiki, Chris understood that they had been given the orders to attack. '_Shit! We completely forgot about them!'_

And that was the worst thing they could possibly do. Chris screamed to them as loud as she could, hoping they had heard her desperate plea.

"YOU IDIOTS! RUN AWAY!"

Her shout fell on deaf ears. As if on cue, all of the tanks fired simultaneously. The air shook as the shells flew at supersonic speeds in a large volley, each and every one expertly aimed at their target. As the three wielders hurriedly tried to gain more distance, Hibiki stood completely still, watching the shells come at her with a disdainful glare. With superhuman speed and force, she swung her spear.

Not a single one of the shells made it to her position. The JSDF forces, together with S.O.N.G's, watched in shock and awe as Hibiki destroyed the projectiles mid-flight with a single swing that created a crescent-shaped shockwave that sliced through the air. As the remains of the shells fell to the ground uselessly, Hibiki locked her gaze on the tank battalion.

"Allow me to prove what I said to you, Chris-chan."

There was no stopping her charge. The wielders couldn't even begin to give chase as Hibiki closed the distance to the tank battalion in the blink of an eye. Her unparalleled speed caused the operators within off guard as she simply appeared on top of the leading unit, staring down at the occupants. Her gaze met the main commander's, who clutched the locket around his neck with his hand.

"For your sins, I will deliver judgment!"

And what the wielders watched next...

Could be called nothing short of a massacre.

The pure destructive power she demonstrated was unlike anything they could have ever imagined. She lifted the tank effortlessly by the barrel with just one hand and proceeded to slam it into another from above, crushing both with a single hit. Unable to retreat in time due to her assault, the other units were powerless to stop her from slicing up their tanks with her spear, cutting through the reinforced metal like a knife through butter. One by one the tanks exploded into shards of molten steel, raining down their fragments over the battlefield.

And by the time she was done, not a single one remained. Like an angel of death, Hibiki stood among the ruins of the tank battalion. Having enacted her twisted justice upon them, she turned around and marched towards the wielders once more, crushing a silver locket underneath her heel along the way.

There were no words that could describe the sheer horror of what had just taken place. Miku, who had been silently watching from the side, fell to her knees in a dazed shock. Saint-Germain eyed the altered wielder carefully, her calculating mind going into overdrive as to what possibly could have caused that change in her.

"Was that enough, Chris-chan?" Hibiki asked with a sardonic sneer as she stood before them.

"..."

Once again, the wielders were silent. Only the sound of the burning wreckage of the tank unit could be heard in the distance, smoke and fire rising from the remains. The flames illuminated Hibiki's back, truly presenting a scene that Chris could only describe as coming from hell itself.

"...Chris, Kirika... we have to stop her."

The Ichaival wielder had no witty response to give. She was dead silent as the sheer gravity of the situation dawned on them.

As Hibiki had just done something irreversible.

Inwardly, Chris made herself a promise; when they beat her back to her senses, she'll _never_ tell her what happened here. That Hibiki must _never_ discover that she had killed people willingly.

It would be too much for the fragile Gungnir wielder to bear.

"It's about time I paid you back for what you did to me," Hibiki said, "You think I forgot? Oh no. No, I didn't forget. I _couldn't_ forget. But maybe, _you_ did. So I'll remind you exactly what it was."

Once again her aura grew, making the three flinch momentarily. Noticing their struggle, Hibiki smirked, "Think you can beat me?"

Grasping the handle of her sword tightly, Maria roared.

"WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL WE TRY!"

And together, the three charged towards their once savior, hellbent on saving her this time.

-!-

Just like the Symphogear users had noticed, S.O.N.G headquarters had descended into pure chaos.

Genjuro barked out orders to his distressed subordinates, who worked tirelessly on trying to figure out what the hell happened out there. From the formation of the cocoon to its disappearance and Hibiki's reappearance, and the disturbing change she had undergone.

Everything following that was nothing short of a nightmare incarnate, as Hibiki had proceeded to nearly kill Tsubasa and then openly threaten her own comrades.

But worst of all, she killed the soldiers of the JSDF.

That will be difficult to justify to the government.

Having arrived moments earlier, Shirabe stood by him, still panting heavily from the high-speed dash she made back to headquarters. Luckily enough, she managed to bring Tsubasa in for treatment just in time, and the medical team immediately began to work on saving her life. That was the one moment of relief they had in this whole ordeal.

But everything else went to hell. Out of everyone on the bridge, however, Elfnein was by far the most distraught. How could anyone blame her? Her calculations had been proven completely wrong.

But they couldn't have foreseen this outcome, that Genjuro was convinced of. Not even Saint-Germain, who was far more familiar with the divine power, had seen this coming. Whatever happened inside the cocoon would forever remain a mystery to them unless Hibiki decides to tell them.

And in her current state, he doubted she would.

At the very least, they managed to ascertain a crucial fact: that Hibiki had, for one reason or another, taken in the divine power she was engulfed in. Not like Tiki, who had sort of worn the divine power outside as a shell. No, Hibiki had taken it within herself, using it as a power source. That, they reckoned, was the reason for her monstrous strength.

It did not, however, explain why she had become so hostile, threaten her comrades, and then proceed to annihilate the tank battalion. No matter the way he approached it, none of these actions were characteristic of Hibiki in any way.

It didn't help that she held an all too familiar spear, using it to wreak havoc.

Possession was the only possibility he could come up with at the spur of the moment. Regardless of the cause though, they had to act fast, to do _something. _He glanced from the corner of his eye at Elfnein again, who was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She was typing away rapidly at the keyboard, her eyes wide and glued to the terminal in front of her as she attempted to break down the science and magic of what took place.

Memories of Ryoko welled up in Genjuro's mind, and he bit his lip in frustration. If such a thing were to happen again, then he'd—

Before he could finish the ominous thought, a display opened on the large screen before them tearing them away from their maddened information gathering.

"Gen," Yatsuhiro called somberly, catching Genjuro's attention.

"Aniki...what is it?"

"The UN council has decided to take action."

That was the one piece of news the members of S.O.N.G needed to hear the least. Horrified gasps echoed in the bridge as Yatsuhiro continued.

"They have determined that Tachibana Hibiki has become enough of a threat that they'll employ weapons of mass destruction. It is only a matter of time before America takes this matter into their own hands."

"So they won't even give us time to try and resolve this ourselves?!" Genjuro said through gritted teeth.

"No, they will not," his brother answered plainly, "Not after they had seen her massacre the JSDF troops without a glance. The divine power terrifies them, and so they have decided to erase it from the world."

"So they'd kill innocents just to eliminate her?!"

"Yes, they will. It is what they call a 'necessary sacrifice'. They have determined we don't have the means to stop it ourselves. All they needed was an excuse to interfere, and unfortunately, they have it now. There will be no convincing them otherwise. It would be prudent of you to pull your forces away from there now."

Genjuro clenched his fist. '_Shit, what are we supposed to do?'_

He glanced at the screen displaying the battle between the wielders, and he quickly realized that the trio was on the defensive. Hibiki had become so strong that they were having a hard time even blocking her attacks, opting to let their weapons be destroyed repeatedly than to let her land a hit. But there were only so many times they could pull off such a thing before she cornered them.

"Commander," Shirabe spoke up beside him, "I'm going back out to help them!"

"No you won't," he replied, stopping her in her tracks. Her eyes widened at his blatant disapproval, "I need you to stay here, just in case. Besides... I don't think your assistance will help turn the tables."

Shirabe looked to the ground powerlessly, and she too gritted her teeth in frustration. She clenched her fists hard, nearly drawing blood.

"We were not prepared for the worst-case scenario, and now we're paying for it. All we can do now is try and minimize the damage."

-!-

_(Play: Ambushed - Stella Glow OST)_

Chris had only one way to describe their situation at this exact moment:

They were getting absolutely wrecked.

She figured she should have seen it coming when Hibiki destroyed the tank battalion so easily. Her casual murder of the soldiers should have been a much bigger warning sign than it was. Yet, now that she was actively using that ridiculous strength against them...

It was way too much to handle.

Hibiki was like a raging beast, swinging the spear with such mighty force that Chris could hear the air being sliced apart as it passed through. Any attempts to attack were immediately cut off as they were forced to defend themselves from her strikes, losing their weapons in the process. While they could call them up again at any time, the Symphogear's energy wasn't infinite. Eventually, their Gears will deactivate with the loss of their phonic gain, and leave them all vulnerable to Hibiki's terrifying attacks.

Not that they weren't already. There were three of them and one of her, and she was handling them all without a sweat. As Kirika came in with another swipe with her scythe, Hibiki planted her feet and swung the spear to match it. The scythe, for the third time already, shattered to pieces upon impact, leaving the Ig-Alima wielder once again deprived of her weapon. Hibiki immediately turned on her, aiming to cut her down while she was unarmed. Once again, Maria intervened just in time, sacrificing her knife to deflect the swing at the last second.

Chris once again called upon her pistols and ran around Hibiki in a circle, pelting her with gunfire from behind in an attempt to flank her and draw her attention away from the two former FIS wielders. With barely a turn, Hibiki swiped with the spear across the air, launching a crescent shockwave in Chris' direction. The Ichaival wielder hurriedly jumped, letting it pass by under her safely.

But she was forced to bring her guns up to defend herself as Hibiki came down on her from above in a wide overhead swing. The spear crashed into the guns, destroying them on impact and launching Chris back across the dirt.

"Kuh—!"

As soon as Hibiki landed, Maria and Kirika went on the offensive. Trapping her in a pincer between the two of them, they launched their assault. Yet, to their shock, Hibiki stood her ground, successfully deflecting their attacks with frightening precision.

Kirika attempted to go for a wider swing, but Hibiki proceeded to catch her scythe by the handle. Caught off-guard by the surprising move, Kirika yelped as she was lifted off the ground. Hibiki turned on her heel, swiftly slamming the Ig-Alima wielder into her elder, causing both to fall to the ground in a heap. With barely enough time to dodge, the two avoided her following strike from taking them both out at once.

The two landed on their feet, taking a moment to catch their breaths. Chris ran up to join them, standing a fair distance away from Hibiki. The rogue wielder simply stood in the middle, eyeing each of them with a piercing glare.

"H-how is she so strong?!" Kirika asked between fits of panting.

"And that spear... since when does she know how to use one?!" Maria followed up, equally shocked.

"She doesn't!" Chris gritted her teeth, "This is completely insane. Is this all because of that divine power thing?!"

The answer, surprisingly, came from Hibiki herself, who once again smirked, "You finally understand, don't you Chris-chan? That's right, this is the divine power. You don't stand a chance against me."

"Tch, we've dealt with much worse!"

"No, you haven't, Chris-chan. I can guarantee that," Hibiki bit back, "Are we done playing around? Because I'm losing my patience here. The more I look at your faces, the more I recall what you did to me—"

Her free hand visibly shook as her aura strengthened.

"—and that is making me very angry."

"Talking her down isn't going to work," Maria said, briefly turning to her comrades, "She's not going to listen to us."

"Oh, I have a lot more than just words for you, Maria-san," Hibiki said, turning to face her directly, "You're delusional if you think I ever forgave you for what you did."

Maria huffed, "I never once imagined that you have. I did, however, believe we managed to work it out even without the need to talk about it, but it looks like you had other ideas."

"Managed to work things out, you say?" Hibiki repeated mockingly. She proceeded to laugh, causing Maria to frown and grit her teeth in frustration, "Maria-san, you're an idiot. Your sins and your crimes against me are things that I will _never_ forgive you for. And don't you think you're the only one; everybody who has ever hurt me will know exactly what happens when you push someone too far."

Once again Hibiki's anger became palpable as the mere memory of her hellish two years surfaced violently from the recesses of her mind, "All of those sinners who thought they could judge me... I will judge them in return. After that, all that'll be left is for me to remake the world from scratch. Make the world into one that people will _want _to change, _want _to understand each other. Make the world into one where people will accept you for surviving and won't declare you a killer just for living."

"Just for living..." Chris murmured, "So that's what it's all about, huh? Revenge? Are you even listening to yourself?!"

"This _is _the first time that I am listening to myself, Chris-chan. This is the only way anyone will understand. All those who looked down on me and hurt me will be the first I will cleanse. The world doesn't need people like them."

Oh, how she vividly recalled every single moment of those hellish two years. The bullying, the bleeding, and the outright torture she was subjected to. The hateful glares, the painful blows, the sneers, and the curses that were spat at her daily. Her home, which was supposed to be a sanctuary away from that pain, became a cage. She could still hear the shards of the glass breaking as rocks were tossed into windows and the all too familiar shouting that accompanied her father's descent into verbal and physical abuse.

Just the memory of those days made her blood boil. Made her rage seethe and burn with the heat of a thousand suns. This fury that she had hidden in her heart for so long felt exquisite, like the sweetest nectar. The voices whispering and screaming in her ears felt like the most harmonic melody, greater than any song she had ever heard or sung.

"And who else would be a better fit to get rid of them than me? Now that would be—"

Her words simply continued to devolve, spiraling down into a depth of madness the wielders didn't think was possible. It was like seeing Fine and Ver combined into one package and had its insanity turned up to eleven.

"—_liberating."_

Kirika's hands tightened on the handle of her scythe, "I won't... I won't allow that to happen!"

And she charged in with a battle cry, surprising her two elders.

"Kirika!"

Her weapon came down on Hibiki's head, who easily sidestepped the blow with barely a glance.

"Oh, Kirika-chan, always the wild one. You never learn, do you? No, I suppose you don't. You still haven't learned from back then."

Almost instantly, she planted her spear into the ground and lashed out, grabbing Kirika by the throat. The Ig-Alima wielder was caught by surprise as she was lifted off the ground, losing the grip on her scythe.

"G-guh—!"

"_Idiot._"

Kirika didn't even get the chance to struggle.

A harrowing scream escaped her throat as she was slammed down onto the ground with full force. The earth below her fractured and cratered, and immense pain shot up her spine as she coughed up blood.

"You wanted to leave behind a reminder of your existence? Good, then I'll make sure to remember you as the idiot who bit off more than she could chew."

She released her hold on Kirika's neck, exchanging it in favor of violently planting her foot in her stomach. The Ig-Alima wielder struggled as much as she could, but Hibiki was far too strong.

"KIRIKA!"

Maria's desperate yell was followed by her rushing forward in an attempt to save her. Hibiki merely withdrew her spear from its place beside her and slightly turned, keeping Kirika underneath her heel the entire time.

"Idiot! Don't just rush in!" Chris yelled to the Airgetlam wielder, but to no avail.

As Maria approached, she picked up Kirika's discarded scythe, dual-wielding it together with her own knife. With a battle cry, she went on the offensive.

"Let her go!"

With two weapons in hand, Maria managed to somewhat keep Hibiki on the defensive. She may not be proficient with the scythe as Kirika is, but she had watched the girl enough to get an idea as to how to use it.

She alternated her attacks, switching between using her knife offensively and defensively. Once again, she was awestruck by the speed with which Hibiki handled the spear. Maria's attacks were being equally met every time, not letting her slip in a surprise strike that'd get Hibiki off of her junior.

"Shit—!" Chris swore, realizing there was no way out of their current conundrum. Once again she materialized her pistols and ran around to Hibiki's other side, aiming at her exposed back while she was preoccupied with Maria.

Hibiki noticed Chris going around to flank her, and so shoved Maria back with a powerful swing, putting distance between them. Immediately after, she planted the spear behind her as soon as Chris opened fire, causing the bullets to bounce off of the slanted sides uselessly.

With her opponent unarmed, Maria rushed in to take her down while her guard was wide open.

Unfortunately, that proved to be a mistake.

They seemed to have forgotten that the spear was not Hibiki's main weapon of choice. No, it was simply a byproduct of wielding the divine power, and so she used it as a show of force, proving to them that she was superior. But her true strength was—

"WATCH OUT!"

—the ungodly power that lay behind her fists.

It was Kirika's warning that allowed Maria to escape with her life. Instinctively, she brought up both the spear and the knife to protect herself, just in time to see Hibiki's fist strike forward. Both weapons were instantly destroyed, and Maria was launched back from the force of the blow.

"None of you ever learn, do you?"

She looked down at her captive, who still struggled to lift her foot off of her, "I'm done with you."

With a strong heave, she punted Kirika away. The Ig-Alima wielder was sent flying through the air and proceeded to collide with her back against one of the ruined buildings, caving in the already crumbling wall. She fell to the ground like a ragdoll, knocked out cold from the pain she had experienced.

With two wielders temporarily out of the way, she turned towards the remaining one.

It all happened so fast Chris wasn't even able to complete her runaround before Hibiki pounced on her like a hungry predator. She swiftly dislodged the spear and dashed forward, slamming into Chris with the force of a cannonball. The Ichaival wielder was knocked to the ground, her guns clattering to the floor beside her. Slightly dazed, it took her a second to realize Hibiki was looming over her with the spear pointed at her face, leaving her helpless.

Just like that, the three wielders were summarily defeated, with Hibiki remaining unscathed from the exchange. With Kirika knocked out, Maria too far away, and Chris having her life threatened, there was no one left to stop Hibiki from finishing them off. Neither Ignite nor X-Drive felt like they'd be enough to match her. The others could only stare in horror, terrified of the unstoppable juggernaut Hibiki had become, and now felt the sheer weight of the divine power leaking off of her.

"Looks like I'm starting with you, Chris-chan."

She raised the spear above her head like an executioner's ax, prepared to cut down the Ichaival wielder. And all those watching knew that this would be where her path of vengeance would begin. All spectators were left powerless to stop her, as not even their lives would be enough to make a dent on her.

"This is judgment!"

All spectators...

Except one.

"Hibiki!"

Her actions were halted as soon as she heard the voice, not having expected to hear it now. Bringing down the spear, she turned to look at the source as it came closer.

"Hibiki, please... you have to stop!" Miku begged as she approached, her eyes glistening from tears she barely held back, "Please! Don't do this!"

"Miku?" Hibiki murmured, almost startled by her presence, "What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here."

The sudden change in attitude took the others by surprise, but they stayed their hands and listened. The rogue wielder stepped away from Chris, allowing the Ichaival wielder to grab her guns and aim them at her back. However, Hibiki ignored her in favor of walking towards Miku, who flinched as she approached. The malevolent aura Hibiki exuded sent shivers down her spine, causing her to take an instinctive step back.

That act did not go unnoticed from Hibiki, whose face fell as she stopped in front of her.

"Are you scared of me, Miku?" Hibiki asked almost innocently, her emerald eyes boring into Miku's own green ones. They almost seemed to match, the only distinction being the shade. Standing by each other, Miku noticed that Hibiki was taller than she remembered.

"No..." she answered hesitantly.

"That's good," Hibiki said with a smile. For a moment, Miku's heart skipped a beat, the smile reminding her of the many warm ones Hibiki usually had. It almost made her believe that Hibiki would put a stop to everything, "I'm glad. You don't have anything to be scared of, Miku. You can leave everything to me."

The pit in Miku's stomach grew even deeper at her words, "But Hibiki, this isn't right. You can't... you can't hurt everyone like this. I don't want you to hurt our friends for this! Please, come back. You don't have to do this anymore."

"I have to," Hibiki answered, her smile dropping. "I will make things right. No one will have to suffer or be sad any longer. They are a part of the problem. They caused us to suffer again and again, and even used you against me. But you don't have to worry anymore Miku, I can do anything now."

Hibiki fell silent for a short moment, letting out a low sigh. She then raised her hand and very gently caressed Miku's cheek.

"Miku, you are my sunshine. Sinless and pure. I will never do anything to hurt you. I'll make us a world where no one will ever bother us, and you could shine brightly like you always do. I only want to see you smile."

'_This is surreal,' _Chris thought to herself as she watched them, '_This change in demeanor... it's unsettling.'_

As the two so-called lovebirds conversed, Chris glanced to Maria, who had risen back to her feet in the meantime. Their eyes met, and Chris gestured with her head towards the building Kirika was slumped against. Maria nodded, hoping to retrieve her junior while Hibiki was preoccupied. She made her way over while Chris watched the proceedings unfold.

Miku touched the hand caressing her cheek. The armor on it felt strange and cold. It wasn't the gentle hand she cherished oh so much. The comforting warmth was missing, replaced by rigid steel that bent for no others. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

"Hibiki..." Miku whispered softly, her body finally betraying her and causing the tears to fall, "Happy birthday. Did you remember that it was today? I want to celebrate it with you, just like we always did. So please, come home with me. I... I can't smile if you aren't there."

In response, Hibiki raised a finger to wipe the tears away. Miku momentarily hoped that her words had gotten through to her.

"I'm sorry Miku. I can't come back just yet. When I am done, I will come back and we can celebrate as much as we want. But today," Hibiki said, "Today is the day I am reborn. Today I will fix everything."

Only to have that hope crushed in an instant. Hibiki removed her hand and took a step back, ready to turn around to face the other wielders again.

"You should leave, Miku. It's not safe here. I'll fix everything, you just wait."

"I believe I can agree with that line of thought," a new voice from behind Miku said. An armored hand fell onto her shoulder, lightly forcing her back, "You certainly should not be here. This is no place for a civilian, and especially no place for you."

The kind stare that had taken over Hibiki's features promptly vanished, replaced with the deep, piercing stare from before.

"Saint-Germain..."

The alchemist placed herself in front of Miku, facing the rogue wielder.

"I have heard quite enough from you."

-!-

"Elfnein-kun, what do you have for us?"

"It's—I'm not sure. These new additions to the Aufwachen signal... I only know that the divine power has imbued itself into Gungnir! But the other one is—"

The homunculus had no answer. Hoping for some sort of explanation, she had begun to study the altered signal, trying to identify the mutations that had appeared on it following Hibiki's reappearance. The flower-like wavelength used to be a unified glowing orange, vividly alight like its brethren from the other Gears. Each and every wavelength was unique, even if two different wielders had used the same relic. It was a combination of both user and Gear, a sort of classification that allowed them to pinpoint what was being used and who was using it.

However, they have never seen changes like this. The first and perhaps the most noticeable additions were the glowing cerulean veins wrapping themselves around the flower pattern, rotating along with it on the screen. This, Elfnein confirmed, was the divine power as distinguished by the Aufwachen detector. It vaguely reminded Genjuro of Hibiki's MRI scans back when she first joined the Section; specifically, how the fragment's growth had wrapped around her bones and organs. It wasn't a good sign then, and so it wasn't a good sign now.

However, they could not ignore the _other,_ more subtle addition, and the one that unsettled them the most. Sitting right in the middle of the flower, and unperturbed by the signal's rotation, was a black hole. Despite it being just a wavelength, simply looking at it disturbed the bridge of S.O.N.G, as it felt far more unnatural than the veins of blue light of the divine power. The black hole had replaced the core of the signal, ruining the fractal uniformity of the original.

With both of these changes, the flower looked twisted and mutilated. As if it was being held hostage by two powers it wasn't originally supposed to host.

Hibiki's hostility made sense now, to an extent. A lot could be told from just the Aufwachen signal, and this was all they really needed to confirm that indeed, _something _had happened to both Gungnir and Hibiki inside the cocoon.

But since they could not identify what the black hole was, they couldn't identify its effects. The only assumption they could make was that it was somehow responsible for that hostility. Other than that, nothing. Absolutely zero certainties. Their calculations were wrong, their methods were wrong; _everything_ went off-kilter and strayed off the plan they had meticulously crafted.

"Tomosato, call back the trucks. There's no point in keeping them there," Genjuro ordered. The three trucks, all filled with Anti-LiNKER payload, were supposed to be used in their original plan. However, now they were useless, as it would be nothing short of impossible to inject Hibiki with the serum.

Assuming it worked at all. With so little information, and trapped in a dangerous situation, a gut feeling would only hasten their deaths.

"Yes, sir."

As Tomosato got to work, Genjuro glanced back to the screen displaying his brother, who had remained on the line as he continued making calls, hoping to avoid a disaster. Yatsuhiro placed down the receiver and sighed.

"Father is going to be livid," he said.

"We'll deal with him when the time comes. In the meantime—"

The automatic alarms blared once again. Shooting up in his seat, Genjuro yelled, "Status report!"

"Sir! We have detected a nuclear launch in the Pacific! We have a missile inbound in 330 seconds!"

The entirety of the bridge once again devolved into chaos at the news, horrified at the ridiculously short timeframe they had to evacuate.

"Prepare to intercept! We cannot allow it to hit!"

"It's impossible!" Fujitaka informed, "We can't at this distance!"

Genjuro gritted his teeth in frustration. He swiftly turned to Shirabe, who had been standing beside him and waiting for orders, "Shirabe-kun! Go out and cut it down!"

"You can't! The fallout will be unprecedented if it detonates in midair!" Tomosato warned.

"Damn it!" The commander swore as he faced forward again, his hands gripping the console tightly, "Alert the wielders! They have to leave _now!"_

"So they finally did it," Yatsuhiro said in resignation, "Gen, I trust you to minimize the damage. Do what needs to be done to protect the people."

"Assuming we make it out alive," Was the only thing S.O.N.G's commander could say in response.

'_And assuming someone will have to be sacrificed.'_

-!-

The key was withdrawn. The launch had been confirmed. In a condo far away from the conflict raging in the land of the rising sun, the President of the United States of America spoke solemnly as he lifted his finger from the button.

"Our country is built on freedoms originating from an age of true divinity. May this strike open the path to a new world for mankind, built by mankind for mankind."

-!-

_(Play: Confrontation - Fate Stay Night OST)_

"Tachibana Hibiki," Saint-Germain said, confronting the rogue wielder. She stood between her and Miku, attempting to make sure the critical bystander was not caught up in the fighting. Considering how Hibiki was acting, and considering who Miku was, Saint-Germain could not guarantee a fight would not break out, "I cannot believe one such as you would stray from her path so easily."

Hibiki narrowed her eyes, and her pupils briefly darted to Miku. Her scowl deepened as she looked back to the alchemist, "You are one to talk, St. Germain-san. I thought you of all people would understand what it is I'm trying to do."

The alchemist smirked. "I indeed do. I very much understand it," she said. Then her expression turned into a frown, "However, in the end, my objective was to rid the world of oppression. You cannot achieve that goal by becoming the oppressor yourself. You should also understand that, Tachibana Hibiki. You told me that yourself."

"That's rich coming from you, the woman who murdered tens of thousands for the sake of that goal. You have no right to judge me," Hibiki bit back harshly.

Saint-Germain huffed, once again that accursed number rising to the forefront of her thoughts, "Indeed, I have claimed over seventy thousand lives over the centuries I have lived, and I regret every single one of them. But I lived until this moment to see a better world be created. I will not allow my ideal to be shattered by the selfish ramblings of a brat drunk on her own power!" She answered back defiantly.

"And yet you arrogantly continued using others for that justice you hold so tightly," Hibiki said. She stepped closer, not at all intimidated by the taller woman's words. Their eyes met, and the alchemist swore the rogue wielder was trying to drill into her head with just her stare. Hibiki's emerald eyes glowed as she spoke, her voice coming out in a low whisper, "I can hear them, you know. The voices of humanity. The voices of the past, the present, and the future. And they are quite angry. Furious, even. Some of which are directed at you."

Saint-Germain's furrow deepened, puzzled by her words.

"They curse your name, St. Germain-san. All seventy-three thousand, eight hundred and eight voices. Not a single one of them can forget your despicable face, you who pretends to be a warrior for justice. How ironic that all your sacrifices ended up being for nothing."

So she was hitting her where it hurt, huh? Saint-Germain couldn't refute her statements. In the end, Adam had deceived her, rendering her centuries-old pursuit meaningless. The divine power, which was supposed to be used to restart the Lunar Ruins, was now out of reach. Her plans, which she had shaped so thoroughly for so long, now lay in shambles.

Her only response was to shrug in resignation, "That is true. My ambition has cannot be fulfilled. These past few days have proven that quite clearly," she said. Then, in an act of aggression, raised her gun and pointed it at Hibiki. "However, that does not mean I will simply stand aside. That power you now wield is dangerous. You have been tainted by it. If I cannot use it to save humanity, then I will at the very least ensure it does not destroy it."

"Do you really think you can match me, St. Germain-san?" Hibiki asked, already knowing the answer.

"I'm not so foolish as to run into my death so pointlessly," the alchemist responded. A smirk rose up to her lips as she continued, "_Even so_, there are some things that must be done for the sake of the world. One for ten, ten for a hundred, and a hundred for a thousand. The scales must be tipped for the majority. If my life must be given for that to be realized, then so be it. Now tell me, Tachibana Hibiki... what would _you_ put on those scales?"

Hibiki fell completely silent. Saint-Germain dug deeper.

"I think I know. For your desires to be realized, and for your vengeance to be sated, you must overthrow the current world order. You must first destroy everything to be able to build anew. Your will must be unbending, and you must turn your fist against everything... even the things that brought you the most joy," she said. Her eyes briefly glanced to the schoolgirl behind her, who watched their exchange nervously, "And even the people you hold very dear. Can you bring yourself to bare your fangs against her, Tachibana Hibiki?"

Hibiki was deathly quiet. Through her eyes, Saint-Germain could tell that she had touched a nerve. That Miku was a sensitive subject to raise in front of her. That was good. If she could use the girl in order to have the rogue wielder stand down, then she'd continue doing so.

"Your ambition demands her death. Can you bring yourself to—"

"SHUT UP!"

She didn't even have the chance to defend herself.

It happened so fast, Saint-Germain didn't even see her move. A fist impacted her stomach with the force of a cannonball, instantly overwhelming her Faust Robe's defenses. The armor shattered, and the alchemist was catapulted across the battlefield, leaving a sonic boom in her wake that caused Miku to lose her footing.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND A DAMN THING, SAINT-GERMAIN!" Hibiki bellowed, her fist extended and smoking from the blow. Her teeth clenched and her eyes narrowed in anger, "Not only you touch her, but you have the gall to try and use her against me! I will _never_ forgive you for that, Saint-Germain! Nobody turns Miku against me! NO ONE!"

The alchemist groaned as she struggled to lift herself off the ground. Pain rocked her entire body, her mind still processing the sheer power behind the strike that broke through her defenses at blinding speeds. She did not, however, miss what Hibiki screamed towards her. Muttering to herself, she spoke softly.

"You fool... You are bound to do that yourself..."

It didn't matter whether or not Hibiki had heard her. The rogue wielder glared towards the downed alchemist one more time before turning back, catching sight of the retreating duo who had just managed to grab Kirika. With Maria carrying the Ig-Alima wielder on her shoulder, only Chris was able to defend them from Hibiki's quickly approaching onslaught. Hibiki's furious steps cracked the ground upon which she walked, and the two still conscious wielders prepared themselves for the continuation of the ugly fight.

That is until someone else came into the picture.

Disregarding her own safety and the danger involved, Miku raised herself and quickly ran after Hibiki, arresting her movements by grabbing onto her arm, "No! Hibiki, you have to stop!"

"Miku, I already told you, you need to leave—"

"NO! You listen to me! This isn't right! Your fists are meant to help others, not hurt them! The Hibiki I know would never even consider it!"

Hibiki looked at her, their eyes meeting momentarily. Then, with a small application of strength, she yanked her arm away from Miku's grip. She turned away and began to walk off, leaving behind a single sentence that left Miku stunned.

"Then maybe you don't know me well enough."

It was the sort of statement that Miku knew Hibiki would _never_ say to her. Yet, it shook her to the core, leaving her staring at Hibiki's back as she approached the others. Her words had failed to pull her back, to remind her of her true self.

It tore Miku apart from within, who was left nearly catatonic, and she collapsed to her knees in shock.

Hibiki ignored her as she continued her unrelenting forward march. However, Halfway to the wielders, she once again stopped in her tracks and twisted her head to look at the distant sky, her eyes narrowing at something hidden behind the clouds. Chris and Maria looked at each other in confusion, puzzled as to why Hibiki wasn't coming forward to kill them on the spot. Suddenly, the comms crackled to life, and Genjuro's voice rang in their ears.

"_Everyone, you must leave now! A nuclear missile is inbound to strike in less than five minutes!"_

That was enough to make the two gasp, "WHAT?!"

"So they're trying to kill me," Hibiki said, her enhanced eyesight seeing the missile soar through the air, aimed right at her location, "I'll make them understand their stupidity."

She grasped the handle of her spear tighter. The air around her frame twisted and blew, tossing clouds of dust in all directions. Gradually, and to the wielders' shock, her feet left the ground, and Hibiki slowly rose into the air, higher and her right before their eyes.

Chris shook off her shock and gestured to Maria, who followed after her. The Ichaival wielder dematerialized her guns and ran to the paralyzed Miku, who remained on the ground unmoving, "Come on! We gotta move!"

But Miku was unresponsive. Chris, already frustrated at their circumstances, roughly grabbed at her arms and lifted her off the ground, and ran to join Maria, "We grab the woman and get out of here!"

"Right!"

Meanwhile, Hibiki floated in midair, high above the ground. She was calm, disturbingly so. The missile continued its rapid approach, screeching as it tore through the air. The trail of smoke it left in its flight arced through the skies, leading all the way back to its launch site. Should she wish it, Hibiki knew she could easily find the source and show them exactly what happens when they mess with her.

However, she had a different way to prove her point.

She brought her spear forward, putting it straight in the missile's path. Powered gathered at its tip, and a golden orb of light expanded slowly before it. The missile approached even closer, and Hibiki pulled the spear back, ready to act.

Yes, this would be the most efficient manner. This would be the best way to show them all what she was capable of. After all, the only way to hurt their pride...

"THIS—"

The missile entered her range, and she thrust the spear forward.

"—IS _MY _JUSTICE!"

The missile touched the golden orb of light.

And was immediately stopped in its tracks.

Saint-Germain, who had angled her head to see what she was up to, gaped at the sight, "What...?"

The missile hung in the air, its path interrupted and encased in the golden bubble of divine power that Hibiki had created. The rogue wielder glared at it, her teeth clenched in anger. Willing her power into the bubble, the orb shrunk around the missile.

Despite being suspended in the air, the projectile was still armed and dangerous. Its inner mechanisms activated, and the uranium atoms within its core rapidly fissioned, creating the desired chain reaction for which it was deployed.

The world filled with light as the nuclear bomb exploded within the bubble, and all those gathered at the battlefield were blinded by the radiance, shining like a second sun in the night. Chris groaned and covered her eyes, unable to look directly at it.

Briefly, panicking, she awaited the inevitable shockwave that would follow. It didn't take a genius to know that a nuclear bomb was more than just its destructive power; it was also the radioactive fallout that scarred the land that was terrifying. Even if, by some crazy happenstance Hibiki managed to stop it completely, Chris doubted she would be able to prevent that second, fearful outcome. No regular Symphogear could do so.

But the one who had stopped the missile was not a regular Symphogear. No, she was a god-slayer imbued with divine power, and when the bright light died down slightly and she could finally lower her arm, Chris could only stare in shock.

The golden bubble remained completely unchanged, and within it, the storms of nuclear reactions raged. The force of the blast tried to break through the barrier, but the power of the gods trumped humanity's technology, and Hibiki willed it to shrink even further. The sphere closed around the blast more, and more, and more until it was only as big as a ping pong ball.

And finally, with a final burst of will, Hibiki crushed the bubble on itself, and the blast within fizzled out into nothingness, and both its destructive power and radioactive fallout were completely negated. Golden light fell on the earth, and they could only look up at her in awe.

-!-

If S.O.N.G's headquarters were in chaos before, now they were deathly quiet.

The members of the organization stopped every single one of their activities to simply stare at the screen before them. They knew that stopping the missile would be nothing short of impossible, considering its proximity to the ground and the speed with which it approached. The only remaining action they could take was evacuating the area, and then deal with the fallout when it happened. Genjuro had already dug up the relevant protocols to start the process. It broke his heart, as he had believed that Hibiki would not survive the aftermath.

But what he saw left him staring with his mouth agape.

She stopped it completely and utterly. Not a single speck of the missile remained. A nuclear explosion that should have leveled the city and everyone in it was snuffed out as if it was merely a candle. Flickered out of existence with a single move.

It was, to put it lightly, ridiculous.

The only sound that broke the silence was the ringing Yatsuhiro's phone ringing over the comm. However, the man ignored it, opting to meet his brother's gaze through the screen.

"Gen."

"Aniki."

"...They won't be happy about this," Yatsuhiro sighed, "I will attempt to delay them as long as possible. Now that their plan was prevented, they are bound to point their fingers at us for their failure. If you do not hurry, there will be chaos."

"You say that as if it isn't chaotic already," Genjuro responded, clenching his fists, "What do you think, Aniki? Do you believe they'll send ground forces? Because if they do, they will—"

"Die. Yes, I know. Leave the political maneuvering to me."

"I can't help but feel that you got the easier job," Genjuro said with half a smirk.

"Call it an older brother's intuition," Yatsuhiro replied, "What do you think, Gen? How will you proceed from here?"

It was a question that his brother usually did not ask of him. He wasn't ever interested in knowing the specifics of what Genjuro would do, only that he knew to trust him with them. However, in this case, it was necessary. Yatsuhiro needed to know how Genjuro would approach this rapidly evolving incident concerning one of his own subordinates.

It could make or break several important international relations. Not only that, but an existence that can shrug off the strongest bombs was a terrifying prospect that could lead to mass panics. If there was no faith that it could be stopped, then it would devolve into a free-for-all.

That was the last thing they needed.

Genjuro had to inwardly sigh. Even while acting against them, Hibiki still managed to come off as absurd. Unpredictable as always; a person who pulled off feats nobody even imagined were possible.

However, that did not change his stance. His subordinates on the bridge looked to him in concern and wonder. Steeling his heart, Genjuro made his declaration.

"I am afraid we can't allow her to continue. As much as it hurts me to say this, Hibiki-kun still has to be treated as a threat. This is my decision as the commander of S.O.N.G, first and foremost. We will oppose her until we find a way to get her back, I swear."

-!-

As the golden specks of light floated down to the ground, Hibiki followed suit. Having accomplished her objective and having proved her point, she knew that now they would not be looking down on her.

They wouldn't be underestimating her anymore. They would _never_ dare try and threaten her again.

However, her work was still not done. She slowly turned, facing the wielders once again. Had she been on their side, the sight of her advancing while being escorted by a shower of light would've been an inspiring one.

But right now, all they could feel was terror. With Saint-Germain injured as she was, Kirika unconscious, and Miku catatonic, the two remaining wielders knew that they stood no chance against her.

But then, something once again stopped her in her tracks. Her head twisted to look to her left, her eyes narrowing at something the wielders could not see.

And then, right at the spot Hibiki was staring at, space warped. The air itself shattered like a windowpane, the fragments vanishing upon breaking off. From within the darkened hole left in reality, an angered Adam Weishaupt stepped out, his remaining arm clutching his severed one tightly. Having retreated upon the formation of the cocoon, Adam had waited for the opportune moment to take control of the divine power once more. However, he had failed to foresee this turn of events.

And now, he was determined to reclaim what was rightfully his.

"I will be taking that power back from you, GOD-SLAYER!"


	3. Chapter 3: Value

"Commander! Adam Weishaupt has reappeared on the battlefield!"

Genjuro narrowed his eyes at the display in front of him. So the mastermind behind the incident has finally decided to show himself. The bastard who called down the divine power in the first place. Of course, they couldn't have known things would turn out this way, but Genjuro felt that they needed a target to vent their frustrations on. And who would be better than the leader of the Pavarian Illuminati?

However, he had to question his timing. What was the point of showing himself now? The battle had already ended, and now they could finally plan on how they would retrieve Hibiki. They were aware of the fact that Adam coveted the divine power she now wields, as it had been his original objective all along. It wasn't hard to imagine that he was furious over the fact that she had it now.

Thereby lay the critical question: Would Adam be able to defeat her? His real power was unknown to them, and even Saint-Germain herself was not aware of his true capabilities. After all, he had managed to deceive her for centuries; it wouldn't be unexpected that he had kept a few more secrets from her.

What should they do, then? Regardless of who would emerge victoriously, they would have to deal with the aftermath. There was no correct answer nor any certain outcome they could hope for. A difficult battle awaited them whether or not they did anything.

Therefore, Genjuro went for the only course of action he could take.

"Tomosato," he announced, rising from his seat and pushed back his chair. "I leave bridge operations to you."

The declaration prompted the bridge crew to stop everything, and turn to their commander in shock. Tomosato rose from her seat in alarm. "Commander, are you going out there too?!"

"Yes, I am. It is obvious that the wielders are not prepared to deal with this type of threat. We can't have them fight any longer in their state, nor can I simply stand aside and watch them lose their lives against their own comrade. In that case, I will head out myself. I will bring back Hibiki-kun even if it kills me," Genjuro clarified. Without waiting for their reply, he left his console behind and headed to the door. "Shirabe-kun, you're with me."

"Ah! Yes!"

The twin-tailed girl followed after him as he exited the bridge, leaving the crew to stare at their disappearing forms.

-!-

_(Play: Fake red shoes - Umineko OST)_

It was difficult to truly express just how furious Adam Weishaupt was at that very moment. His eyes reflected the sight of the rogue Adaptor, which filled him with barely shackled rage. All he could see was the _revolting_ god-slayer, who had thrown all of his plans into disorder with that power of hers.

Oh, how he wanted to tear her apart for her treachery.

Adam did not waste a single breath. He charged towards the rogue wielder with all of his fury, insulted by the fact that she had taken the divine power from him.

It was far, _far _too unforgivable.

Hibiki stood her ground, raising the spear with a single hand to block the blow from the severed arm he wielded. The two clashed in a shower of sparks, and Adam pushed forward, causing her to skid back slightly. She clicked her tongue and met his furious gaze.

"You have taken from me what was _mine, _god-slayer!" He bellowed as he struck repeatedly, forcing her on the defensive. While he failed to land a blow on her body, she was still astounded by the fact she was being pushed back. "That power does not belong to you!"

Tired of his ranting, she planted her feet and deflected the following strike, veering the arm off course. She thrust the spear forward, forcing Adam to disengage and jump back to avoid being skewered.

"And you think it belongs to _you?! _No, you are far too sinful for that, Adam Weishaupt!"

This time, she took the chance to close the gap. Forcing her way forward at blinding speeds, the air shook as she moved through it, gouging the ground with the shockwaves she left in her wake.

A normal human, or even a Symphogear wielder, would not be able to survive such a monstrous charge. However, Adam was far beyond above the likes of them; he was the perfect existence, the ultimate lifeform that stood above the mortals in the world.

He was the original. A being whose name signifies the First Man, and the predecessor to all of humanity. So for him, her attack was easily met, as his remaining arm streaked through the air to parry aside her thrust.

"You seem to believe that you are almighty, Tachibana Hibiki," he said. The mad clash continued, and the two left standing in their wake as they focused on eliminating the other. Filled with unbridled anger, the two combatants gave no quarter, each blow made to be a killing one that'd vaporize the other.

Hibiki went for an overhead swing, which forced Adam to once again dodge to the side. The spear struck the ground, instantly cratering it from the sheer power behind the blow. He narrowed his eyes at the strength she wielded, and he eyed the divine power greedily. He jumped back once again to create distance, opting for a different strategy. Hibiki immediately followed after him, not allowing him to get away.

He did not move, and taking a stance, threw the arm at her with all of his strength. It swirled in the air as it made its way to her, and the air shrilled with its passage. Taking no chances, Hibiki swung and deflected the unconventional projectile, steering it off course and sending it off into the distance.

In that millisecond of lack of focus, Adam has already made his second move. Taking his hat off his head, he poured his power into it and threw, hoping to catch her off guard. Moving even faster through the air than the arm, Hibiki was able to register it before it was already upon her, its sharpened edges threatening to behead her instantly. With no time to block it with the spear, she stopped her charge and thrust her free arm forward, clenching her hand into a fist. She punched the hat just as it arrived, veering off Adam's second projectile off course as well.

But he wasn't done just yet. Closing the distance to her while she was preoccupied, Adam reached with his arm to the side, calling back the severed one back to his grip. The arm seemed to almost teleport back, moving faster than the naked eye could see. As soon as he was within striking distance, he went for the killing blow, catching Hibiki off guard in an awkward stance.

Forced to stand her ground once again, she barely made it in time to block it with the handle of her spear, and her feet crashed the earth beneath her as she held her ground.

"Your god-slaying power is cursed," he stated darkly. "And you have been tainted by it. Before long, it will destroy both you and the world."

Hibiki had no intention to entertain his whims. Clenching her teeth, she forced power into her arms and forced him off of her. She spun, swinging the spear in a wide arc to cut the man in two. He maneuvered the arm into the path of her weapon, stopping her strike short. He narrowed his eyes as he heard the reinforced material in the arm slowly be chipped away.

"Why should I listen to someone as corrupt as you? You talk as if you wouldn't. That's all you've ever wanted, wasn't it?"

"No. I desired to rule humanity. To prepare it for the coming of the Custodians. Should they make their appearance, mankind is doomed to be destroyed. I was offering salvation, and yet you _dared_ to take that power away from me!"

His anger could not be extinguished. His eyes opened wide, and the corners of his mouth upturned into a slight smirk. Hibiki was confused by his sudden change in expression, before realizing what he was up to.

If it wasn't for her currently empowered senses, she'd have never heard it coming. The hat, which she had believed to have been deflected, came up behind her in a powerful spin, returning to its owner like a boomerang. Once again being threatened with decapitation, she disengaged from Adam and hurriedly placed the spear behind her, once again stopping the hat from reaching its goal.

And the Lodgemaster went on the offensive once again. Starting a frightening dance of swirling death, she was trapped between the blows of his severed arm and the hat, neither letting her create some distance.

"You will return the divine power to me! You have no right to hold it! I will not let my millennia of ambition to be thwarted by a child like you!"

Hibiki had enough. As the hat came upon behind her once again, it was her turn to change her tactics. She planted the spear in the ground just as the hat struck, once again veering it off course. As Adam once again decided to capitalize on the opportunity, she met him head-on, this time unarmed.

Or at least, that's what Adam had believed. He remembered in the last second where her true strength lay, and he had to stop his attack midswing to defend himself as she punched forward. Her fist struck the severed arm, and Adam was forced back, skidding across the ground for dozens of meters before coming to a stop.

Hibiki then dislodged the spear just as the hat came back for another run. Holding the handle with two hands, she swung upwards just in time to slice the annoying projectile in two. The two halves of the hat fluttered down to the ground, and taking no further chances with it, she tore the thing to ribbons, finally getting rid of its mosquito-like persistence.

She turned to the Lodgemaster, who gritted his teeth in frustration at the loss of one of his weapons, "No, it's _you_ who has no right to hold it. You will _never_ be able to use it to its full potential. You are far too sinful to be chosen by it," Hibiki said.

"Tch—!"

His teeth ground against each other with a loud, unpleasant noise. Every single one of her words was disgusting beyond belief. The very fact that she thought she was superior to him, the very _fact_ that she was using _his _divine power against him like this, was far too infuriating to be acceptable. He hated to admit it, but her power was incredible, and it made him covet it all the more. In her hands, it would be used for a purpose other than what it was meant for.

He could already see what it could cause. The god-slaying power contained _that_ after all. Left unchecked, there was no telling what sort of destruction it could wreak.

And no telling how fast the Custodians would come down to squash it before it could become uncontrollable.

As of right now, Adam crowned himself the defender of mankind. No matter what, he'd nip this in the bud. This was one flower that could never be allowed to bloom.

"Drop dead, god-slayer! Perish for the sake of my domination!"

Without a second thought, he charged once again. Hibiki was more than ready to meet him, this time hellbent on making him pay.

-!-

"T-this is insane."

Having pulled out of the fight due to Adam's arrival, Maria and Chris stood a fair distance away from the battle, making sure their charges were alive and well.

Of course, there was only so much they could do with them. Kirika still did not regain consciousness, and Miku was as catatonic as ever. What's more, now Saint-Germain joined them with her injuries, having been brought down with a single punch from Hibiki. Opting to stick together, the two wielders put the injured together. Maria placed Kirika down and immediately scuttled over to Saint-Germain, checking on her injuries.

Chris in the meantime released her hold on Miku, who simply fell to the ground, unresponsive. She clicked her tongue at her friend and then turned back to watch the battlefield.

"Are you alright?" Maria asked the downed alchemist.

"I'll be fine," she answered, groaning. "I... did not quite expect... such explosive power from her. This is... debilitating."

"We didn't either," Maria said. "What... what is even happening? I don't understand what's going on."

"I am... not quite sure of that... myself," Saint-Germain grimaced, trying to rise off the ground. Her eyes narrowed and her teeth clenched at the pain that followed. It shocked her that just a single punch managed to wound her this badly, "I must—"

"Stay down," Maria told her. "Don't try to move. We'll get you out of here too, I promise."

Relenting, Saint-Germain lay her back down on the ground. She met Maria's gaze, confused by her actions. "Why... are you helping me?"

Maria tilted her head in question, "What do you mean?"

"Why would you help... someone like me?" the alchemist inquired. "I... stood against you. I helped... Adam Weishaupt bring down the divine power... I... opposed you to the very end. So why... why would you show me mercy?"

Despite the circumstances, Maria smiled, "It's because, in the end, you chose to help us. You took Hibiki's offering and decided to stand against Adam. You cooperated with us even though you had nothing to gain. I think it's only fair to help you in return. That benefits all of us after all. And besides... your knowledge is irreplaceable. If we want to discover what happened here, we'll need your help more than ever."

"I... see..."

What could she say to that? Maria was acting both out of kindness and necessity. There wasn't anything more to it than that. She could live with it.

"Very... well."

The battle raged on, the explosions of power ringing out throughout the area. No matter which way she looked at it, Chris could barely believe just how ridiculous the exchanges were. With every impact, craters were carved into the ground, leaving behind nothing standing and reducing buildings to rubble.

She hadn't seen such pure power since the Kadingir incident—no, since _every_ incident she had partaken in. She could not help but feel that this time, they were biting off more than they could chew.

"What the hell are we supposed to do?" She asked no one in particular. She glanced to Miku once again, not even able to imagine the turmoil her heart was going through.

Chris felt helpless. Truly and unequivocally helpless. She was far too weak to try and stop Hibiki herself, and now she could only stand on the side and gape at forces she had no business interfering with.

It was maddening. The confusion, the suddenness, the power. Everything was simply too much to handle at once.

As she continued watching the battle, and Maria made sure to give Saint-Germain some quick medical aid, their comms blared to life, and Genjuro's voice echoed from within them.

"_You've done well, everyone," _he said. "_Just hang tight. I'm on my way there with Shirabe-kun right now. Once we arrive, all of you must withdraw. Understood?"_

The two remaining wielders looked at each other with wide eyes, his voice serving as a cold comfort in the chaos. They nodded to each other, and Maria responded for them both.

"Copy that. We've placed ourselves far away from the fight so we won't get hit by accident. The extra hand is greatly appreciated."

With that, the comms fell silent. The exchange was short but somewhat comforting. Genjuro might be able to do something.

They just hoped that it'd be enough.

At the corner of her eye, Chris noticed something. Something moved, no, _crawled_ across the battlefield slowly, dragging itself in the direction of the two combatants. She couldn't ascertain exactly what it was, but from the direction it was facing, it was...

Moving towards Adam?

"Wait, is that—?"

-!-

_(Play: Roar of the Universe - Fate Stay Night OST)_

The sound of clashing steel echoed, giving the impression of outright war. With every blow, the two combatants disengaged, only to rapidly re-engage with added vigor. Their forms blurred, leaving the spectators blind as to their movements.

"Damnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyoudamnyou—you're just a human! You should not even be able to hold the divine power! That should not even be possible!"

He lunged with the arm, and once again it clanged against the handle of her spear. Widening his eyes in concentration, he willed the arm to life, and it latched onto the shaft with all of its strength, its grip tight as iron. Adam pulled, causing Hibiki to stumble slightly as he attempted to deprive her of her weapon. He forced the arm to stiffen once again, releasing its hold on the spear and swinging down at Hibiki's head.

However, she instead pivoted, avoiding the fatal blow just in time and grabbing onto her spear before it could fall to the ground. She swung down with all her strength, forcing Adam to drop the arm in a hurry to slam his palm against the flat of the spear, causing it to miss its mark. Just as the arm was about to drop, he used his foot to bounce it back into his grip. He thrust forward, and she twisted again, swinging her spear in a wide arc that forced him back.

Landing back on his feet, Adam seethed. "You brat. You dare use the divine power for your petty backyard squabbles as well. Your entire existence is an outrage that I will have to correct!"

Hibiki rose back to her feet and dusted her shoulder. She exhaled, releasing the air she had been holding in her lungs the entire time. It was just like how Genjuro had taught her.

She met Adam's gaze and swiped her spear to the side. "You're one to talk, throwing a temper tantrum just because things aren't going your way," she said and narrowed her eyes. "Get out of my way, Adam Weishaupt. I won't have someone as you stop me from doing what I have to do!"

His eyes widened for a moment. Then, his face scrunched up in barely held back anger. "You dare... you dare call me weak, you damned **MONGREL!**"

And he charged, closing the distance in an instant and slamming the arm against her spear with all his might. The blow was so powerful it caused the ground under Hibiki's feet to crack and crater. She placed her free hand against the spear's flat side, and with a mighty yell pushed against his blow, throwing him away. She charged towards him, but he responded by taking flight, causing her blow to miss. She landed on the ground under him and looked up.

"You, who became twisted because of those curses and grudges you carry knows absolutely nothing! You are the weakling, Tachibana Hibiki! The pitiable girl who was swallowed up by the Symphogear's tainted power! Don't dare speak as if you are above me!"

His scream echoed in the plain, and he placed his severed arm under the remaining stump. Now with his still functional arm free, he raised it to the sky, and Hibiki watched as power gathered in his palm. Adam's chrysopoeia returned with a mighty vengeance, the sunlike ball of energy lighting up the sky. Now that materializing the divine power was no longer draining his strength, he could allow himself to once again use that destructive power.

Gold transmutation. A powerful and volatile process that Adam had used to annihilate the Matsushiro base in one of his earlier skirmishes with S.O.N.G. It was his greatest power, one that no other in the world could use as well as him.

And now, he would use it to erase the cursed being that threatened his supremacy. His face twisted into a savage smile, and he roared as he swung his arm down.

"Cower before me like the rat you are, TACHIBANA HIBIKI!"

The gigantic sphere of nuclear energy, surpassing the missile from earlier, descended upon Hibiki like a meteor. Its very approach created shockwaves that flung rubble away from its target point, and Hibiki braced herself as much as she could. Heat spread in all directions, cooking the asphalt and dirt beneath their feet.

However, she had already decided on how to deal with this problem.

She lodged her spear in the ground next to her and planted her feet. With her left hand, she pulled back the pile bunker on her right arm, all the way to her shoulder. She pulled her fist back, and it roared as the divine power was channeled through it.

She gritted her teeth as the ball descended upon her, nearly engulfing her in its radiance. But then, her voice tore through the battlefield as she made her move.

"NO! _You _cower before _ME!"_

And threw her fist forward.

Her punch struck the golden sphere head-on, stopping it in its tracks. Adam could only stare in shock as it failed to detonate, struggling against her overwhelming force. Hibiki let out a bestial roar as the pile bunker was released, slamming into the ball at full power.

The effect was instantaneous.

"What?!"

Adam had to move out of the way as his greatest attack was launched back at him, tearing through the air faster than even he had thrown it. It rose up to the sky, and upon reaching the clouds the sphere exploded harmlessly, unveiling the night sky.

"Tch, to think the divine power would defeat my chrysopoeia so easily—!"

The sound of air shrieking tore him from his moment of distraction. He swiftly turned around and saw Hibiki soar through the air towards him at blinding speeds. Like an arrow fired by a master archer, Hibiki's ascent was marked by the air booming around her with every second. Her spear was thrust forward, intent on piercing through the Lodgemaster in a single blow.

He had to react quickly. Left with no other choice, he wielded his severed arm again and placed it before him as a makeshift shield. He blocked her lunge, but now with her increased power, the spear's tip penetrated through the arm, stabbing him lightly in the chest.

He released his hold on it, allowing Hibiki to slice through it completely. Having lost his final weapon, Adam clenched his teeth in frustration and dove back to the ground. And just as he landed, Hibiki appeared right in front of him, delivering a roundhouse kick to his midsection.

Caught off guard, the leg slammed into his chest. Adam was thrown backward, and he groaned as he bounced off the ground painfully. He quickly pulled himself to his feet, but Hibiki was already upon him, relentless in her pursuit. She brought down her spear, and now deprived of a weapon, Adam was forced to dodge her extremely mighty blows.

But even that felt like a fruitless effort. He hurriedly evaded one of her thrusts and felt as the mere force of her lunge cut deeply into his skin. The spear hadn't even touched him, yet it still managed to inflict damage.

It was a total disaster. She had grown so powerful since absorbing the divine power that even glancing blows injured him so badly. He couldn't afford to fight her head-on like this any longer, not in his current form. If he dragged this out too long, she'd only increase in power further. He had to crush her before that happened!

To think a mere human would force him to abandon his perfect form and return to his original one. Just the thought was infuriating. It was not part of the plan at all, yet despite his arrogance, Adam knew that desperate times called for desperate measures.

He had to take a risk in order to create some distance between them. As she sent another lightning speed attack at him, rather than dodge to the side, he stayed in place and channeled power into his outfit. The cloth shone for less than a moment before exploding with a flash of light in all directions.

Hibiki was momentarily blinded by the sudden glow, causing her attack to miss its target. Or rather, the target itself disappeared while she could not see him.

Adam reappeared a large distance behind her, now completely naked. He had to do this promptly, otherwise, she'll regain her bearings before he could finish shedding his human form.

Hibiki's vision returned a moment later, and she quickly surveyed her surroundings, looking for her opponent. She found him behind her, a fair distance away, but she was not fazed in the slightest.

"Don't you think you can get away!" She yelled, and charged at him, bringing up her spear to slice him apart in one blow. She closed the distance in less than a second and brought her spear down upon him.

Only for the strike to be repulsed violently by a monstrous left arm and for the spear to be launched from her grip.

"What?!"

She looked at him in shock, realizing that something grew out of the stump of his mechanical arm. His entire body trembled as his form was being shed, and Adam smiled gleefully. His eyes glowed red as the tendrils from his arm grew and writhed.

"You've pushed me this far, god-slayer. I never believed I'd have to unveil my true form to the likes of you. But in order to take you down, I will do what is necessary to—!"

"Adam you are so mean!"

Only for his speech to be cut off as something closed around his leg and he tripped.

"Wha—"

He had only a moment to look down to see Tiki, or at least what remained of her, lock around his shin with her everlasting annoying smile plastered on her face.

"You said you would give me a hug, so I came to have my hug, Adam!" She chirped happily.

"You damn lovesick freak—!"

His eyes hurriedly went back to his opponent. Caught completely off guard by Tiki's abrupt distraction, Adam was utterly helpless in the face of the god-slayer's mighty blow. Hibiki, having taken the opportunity to strike while he was preoccupied, pulled back the pile bunker on her gauntlet as far as it could go. In one swift motion, she punched the still transforming Adam right in the chest. A second later, the pile bunker was released and slammed into him full force.

The battle was brought to a close in an instant.

Struck as if he had been hit by a cannonball, everything below his neck violently exploded. Electrical circuits and mechanical parts were blasted away in all directions, some still connected by their wiring. His body was instantly destroyed by the punch enhanced by divine power, leaving only his head to fly through the air, an expression of total shock etched onto it.

"Im... possible..."

-!-

"Holy... shit..."

Those two words uttered by Chris perfectly encapsulated the feelings of the spectators. Having borne witness to the two superhuman combatants, they had struggled to keep up with their movements.

Yet, it ended in the most unexpected manner possible. Saint-Germain had to admit that it was ironic that his downfall came from the very doll that hung around him incessantly. She had never liked the Autoscorer, as her fascination with Adam and her annoyingly squeaky voice got on her nerves extremely quickly. But she forced it all down, knowing that that Tiki was important for their goals.

She was only mildly half-surprised that Adam held no actual love for the girlish doll, and discarded her as soon as she proved to be useless. Not that Adam had anything resembling human emotions in the first place. In the end, he was defeated by the very power he had sought.

However, that did not satisfy her in any manner. In fact, it only made her much more concerned about their future prospects.

Maria seemed to pick up on that matter as she was the first to speak. "This isn't good... I thought that he'd do enough for us to bank on, but to think even he was defeated so easily. What are we supposed to do now? We're out of options."

Chris turned to her in protest. "But we can't just leave! We have to do something about the idiot! We have to bring her back!"

Maria gritted her teeth in response. "As much as I'd like to do that, there's absolutely nothing we can do. You heard the Commander's orders. He knows as well as we do that we don't stand a chance against her like this. We don't even know what caused that change in her either. We have too little information, so we have to regroup and discuss what we know."

Chris clicked her tongue. "You say that like we know anything at all!"

She once again glanced at Miku, who remained unresponsive. She wanted to figure out what was going on not just for their own sakes, but for hers too. Any sort of explanation would help, no matter how small. It could also bring them closer to a solution.

But how the hell would they do that?

And just then, Saint-Germain spoke up with a surprising piece. "Wait... there might be... someone... who knows..."

The girls quickly turned to look at her, listening. Saint-Germain swallowed, feeling bile rising up her throat just from thinking about it. "Adam... Weishaupt. He... he knows. He knows something about what happened to her... if... if we can stop her from killing him we might... we might be able to get some... answers."

She noticed it as the two were fighting. Even though she was injured, the alchemist's senses were keen enough to be able to listen in to what they were saying. And there was something he said, something very specific, that caused her to raise an eyebrow. If they could capitalize on that, then perhaps...perhaps they will be able to find an answer.

"Oi, what are you even suggesting? That we save the guy who tried to kill us all?" Chris asked incredulously.

"It's better than having Hibiki-kun do that instead," a gruff voice answered in Saint-Germain's stead.

They all turned at the sound of the voice and watched Genjuro approach with Shirabe in tow. She took one look at Kirika, immediately racing over to her to check on her well-being, and Maria gave her some soothing words to calm her down. Genjuro continued walking past them, only stopping once he had a full view of the battlefield.

"So what's the plan old man? What do you have up your sleeve?" Chris asked him.

He grumbled for a moment before answering. "I'm here to try and minimize the damage. However, Saint-Germain made a very valid point that we should most definitely take into consideration. We cannot allow this chance at answers to slip by us. We have to make the most of what we got."

"But you're not really suggesting we actually help that guy?!" Chris reminded him loudly.

"I know, Chris-kun, but that is our only option," he answered. "I will go and extract what remains of Adam Weishaupt. Once he is in our possession, all of you go back to base and regroup, understood?"

Chris wanted to stop him but swallowed down her complaints. "Alright. Do what you want old man, but promise us one thing."

Genjuro sighed. "What is it?"

Chris took a large breath and stared at his broad back. "Don't die."

She could not see the expression on his face, but she was sure he was smiling. "Never planned to."

And he headed off into the battlefield.

-!-

Adam's head rolled on the ground after having been blown back by the mighty force of Hibiki's punch.

One second. That was all it took for him to lose his advantage and find himself on the losing side of the battle. His entire body was obliterated by the blow and with it his chance at regaining his true form and turning the tables on the god-slayer. If that cursed sex-doll hadn't interfered, he would have been victorious!

"This can't be," he said. "I can't possibly lose like this. Not to someone like you. I will never admit defeat to a thief like you!"

Hibiki ignored his maddened prattling. She looked down on the ground, spotting Tiki still holding on to whatever was left of Adam's leg. "So, in the end, he was defeated by the very thing he threw away. How sadly ironic," she said and approached the broken Autoscorer.

"aDaM I LOve YoU HuG me please AdAmm I love You HuG me pleaseeeee-"

Hibiki could only gaze at the broken lovesick doll pitifully. Such a tiny thing was meant to be the vessel of divine power, and upon her failure was tossed away like common trash. In the back of her mind, Hibiki thought about sparing her. She really did, however, the doll had sinned, having been Adam's accomplice willingly and causing so much unimaginable destruction.

And such a thing does not deserve her pity.

Tiki did not even notice the leg coming down on her in her trance. Continuously repeating Adam's name like a broken record, she was oblivious to her end as Hibiki crushed her underfoot, destroying the relic that powered her mechanisms. One moment the doll was active and moving about, and the next she fell silent, as dead as she could be.

Broken circuits and clockwork mechanisms flew about, signifying the end of the Autoscorer's artificial life. With her out of the equation, Hibiki continued her march towards the defeated leader of the Pavarian Illuminati. She did not even bother retrieving her spear, and simply glared at the decapitated automaton.

She looked down on him from above, and a smirk lit up her face. "What do you have to say for yourself, Adam Weishaupt? Not so great now that someone is standing above you is it?"

His face was turned to the sky, and the puppet moved his eyes to glare hatefully back at the rogue wielder. "You... You think you've won, haven't you?! But you haven't! Nothing will stop those curses now! You, who lost her sanity to the grudges contained within that spear, will only know suffering from now on! That is what will happen! And when the Custodians come down to claim the world, they will purge this world, leaving you with absolutely nothing! That is what will happen to you, TACHIBANA HIBIKI!"

She silently listened to his rant, barely fazed by his words. "I have no reason to listen to someone as sinful as you. And regardless, no matter what comes down to stand in my way, I will destroy them with my fists. The fists that enact justice."

He gnashed his teeth together, and Hibiki raised her leg above his head, intending to finish him off with one final blow.

"Return to dust, Adam Weishaupt."

And in one swift motion, she brought her leg down.

That is, until something slammed into her side, something she did not see coming and sent her flying through the air. She twisted mid-flight, landing back on her feet a moment later. Regaining her bearings, she looked up to behold the one who had gotten in her way.

And froze.

"That is far enough, Hibiki-kun," Genjuro said with his fist extended, still smoking from the strike.

Adam stared at him with wide eyes, shocked that the human had saved his life. "What are you—" he mumbled before Genjuro promptly cut him off.

"Save your breath, Adam Weishaupt," Genjuro said. He went over to the fallen leader of the Pavarian Illuminati and picked the severed head off the ground, holding him by his hair and looking him straight in the eyes. "You are the one that got us into this mess. Now you will get us out of it."

He turned slightly and threw the head towards the girls' direction. Adam crashed into the ground by their feet, and they looked at him with disgust on their faces. However, they knew the purpose of this plan, and as a result, had to hold down their hatred.

With everything in place, and knowing what to do, the three active wielders nodded to each other. Wordlessly deciding on their charges, Shirabe lifted Kirika off the ground in a bridal carry, and once again summoned her wheel. Chris assisted Maria in placing Saint-Germain on her back, while she herself carried Miku. Her friend gave no response as she was raised, and Chris bit her lip once again.

Maria took the chance to grab Adam in her free hand while Saint-Germain secured herself. With everyone accounted for, the wielders sent one last glance to their commander before taking their leave, with only Genjuro and Hibiki remaining on the battlefield.

He watched as the girls disappeared from his vision into the horizon. With everything they needed now in their possession, there was one last thing he had to take care of.

He turned back to Hibiki, who thundered towards him, an expression of fury etched on her face. "So you will also turn on me, Master? You would rather save the enemy than allow me to destroy him?"

He turned to face her fully, his face calm. "I am afraid that is indeed the case, Hibiki-kun. You have indeed gone too far, and this is the result of your actions. I do not know what caused this change in you, but I can assure you that nobody here approves of it, especially not Miku-kun."

Her face scrunched up in anger. "Don't talk like you understand anything. You haven't been through hell like I did."

"I admit, I don't understand how it feels to be through the hell you have suffered," he said. "But I have been through hells of my own, and I do understand more than you believe about other things. And I know for a fact that what you are planning to do will not bring happiness to anyone, not even to yourself."

"You have no clue what brings me happiness. You only ever used me as a replacement for Kanade-san," she bit back to him.

He raised an eyebrow at her thoughtless response. "You know that is not true, Hibiki-kun. If I considered you a replacement, I would never have bothered to train you as you asked. I may not know everything that brings you happiness, but I know you shine the brightest when you are helping others, taking their hand in your own and telling them everything will be alright. That is the true you that I have learned about since the day you were brought into our headquarters over a year ago."

He cracked his knuckles and took his stance, his fighting spirit rising. "And that is the Hibiki-kun I will be taking back with me. The one that changed our lives."

She stopped in her tracks, finding herself shocked at his desire to fight her. "You really think you can match me, Master?"

He smiled. "Of course. No matter how ridiculous your Symphogear became, not once have you ever managed to take me down. Or have you fallen so deep you have forgotten even that?"

Her only response was to bare her teeth at him hatefully, and he kept his smile on his face. "In that case, I shall remind you of the bitter taste of defeat, Hibiki-kun."

There was a ten-meter distance between them. Hibiki entered her own stance, the very same one she learned from him. There was no need to use her spear here. No, she will take him down with the very style he taught her, and make sure he will never get in her way again. This insufferable, unbeatable man will once and for all feel what it's like to bite the dirt.

There was a tingling in the back of her mind, something that made this whole situation feel disturbingly wrong, but she bit it down and cast it away. She cannot allow herself to be distracted by old attachments. Her mission surpassed everything else, and she had to make sure it came to fruition.

No matter the cost.

A calm breeze wafted through the area, a stark difference from the destructive chaos that took place earlier. It was a warm breeze, one that you would feel when you sat under a large oak tree on a glistening meadow, enjoying the clean air and the sunny weather.

It was a breeze signifying peace.

And it passed over them, disappearing into nothingness.

The two combatants charged towards each other, their fists slamming.

-!-

The way back was excruciating in more ways than one. Leaving the battle behind, the three wielders and their charges made the grueling way back to headquarters. Shirabe felt Kirika stir slightly in her hold, but she remained unconscious, making the Shul-Shagana wielder far more concerned. Luckily, she wasn't too heavily injured, so a check-up in the medical bay would probably be enough.

However, it seemed Kirika got off the easiest out of all of them. Saint-Germain cursed herself once again for having been defeated with a single blow, angered at the fact that she couldn't help more.

"Maria," Shirabe yelled over the sound of the wind, catching her elder's attention. "Are you sure we should just leave him all by himself?"

The Airgetlam user bit her lip. "As much as I don't want to, we don't have a choice. There is nothing we can do there to help him."

"You are indeed correct, Symphogear," Adam interjected. "She is far too powerful for any of you to face, and I doubt your commander is strong enough for that as well."

"You should just shut your mouth, you asshole," Chris said to him. "You are the one who caused this problem in the first place! So now, you will tell us how to fix it! We are getting answers out of you whether you like it or not."

But Adam merely huffed in response. "Be my guest. In my condition, it is not like I am very useful for anything other than that. As a result, my last resort would be to cooperate with you."

Chris was taken aback by his sudden agreement. "Wait, you'll actually help us? Are you serious?"

"Don't get the wrong idea, Symphogear. Everything I do is for my own sake. However, as long as Tachibana Hibiki holds the divine power, my own ambitions cannot be realized. At the moment, your goal is the same as mine: to remove the divine power from her. As a result, it would be counterproductive for us to oppose each other in this situation," he answered.

"And once again let you stab someone in the back?" Saint-Germain reminded him. "I don't think so. I'll be keeping a close eye on you, Lodgemaster. As soon as you make any move that will jeopardize our efforts, I'll erase you until there is nothing left."

"Feel free to do so, Saint-Germain, and let your comrades' deaths be in vain."

The alchemist bit her lip and fell silent. There wasn't anything else for the group to discuss, knowing that answers would only be provided once they made it back to base and assessed their situation.

The rest of their trek would have remained a quiet affair if it wasn't for the sound of crying emanating from Chris' back. The Ichaival wielder bit her lip in frustration as Miku's tears fell upon her shoulders. Just the drops felt like a massive weight for her to bear, both in mind and body. The anger, bitterness, helplessness, and despair were a shared feeling for them all.

It was unbearable to witness.

And even more unbearable to experience. Anguish filling her heart, Miku could only mumble sorrowfully.

"Hibiki... why...?"

-!-

_(Play: Power Worship - Hokuto Musou OST)_

Shockwaves of massive magnitudes blew in all directions, further scarring the land. This area, which had been destroyed by the detonation of Carol's power, was once more reduced to ashes by the clash of two superhumans. Craters littered the warzone, rendering it completely inhospitable. A hell upon which none could walk save for those mighty enough to test it.

And for the two combatants, now alone upon it, it couldn't be a better battlefield.

Genjuro was a mountain of a man. Following the fateful Zwei Wing tragedy, he had lost himself in training due to his grief. Vowing to never lose anyone again, he strengthened his body and his mind, reaching a new pinnacle of strength that no other human before him had achieved. He had faced enemies that could've destroyed the world and defeated armies on his own.

But now, he had to admit that he had met his match. Hibiki had never been able to match him, even with her Symphogear equipped and her explosive power taken into account. He had taught her everything she knows, and yet—

"Guh..."

—she was putting up a much better fight than he had expected. He had underestimated her.

He planted his feet and launched a powerful straight jab at her face which she had dodged. He went on the offensive, throwing a barrage of fists in her direction and keeping her on her guard. Hibiki clenched her teeth, feeling the sheer force that lay behind every strike. He continuously closed the distance as she attempted to retreat, not giving her even a moment to regain her bearings.

Tired of being forced back, Hibiki yelled and counterattacked, throwing Genjuro's rhythm off. He grumbled as he narrowly avoided her punch, but not without feeling the power behind it cut into his skin. It was as if her strikes were imbued with razor winds.

_'This divine power... such a thing should not be allowed to exist,'_ He thought to himself. But there was no use dwelling on such a what-if. Their predictions were wrong, things went to hell, and now they had to deal with it as best they could.

Every blow was swift as lightning and roared with the intensity of thunder. Luckily for him, however, he had no problem deflecting them away. Blocking them was out of the question right now considering her power, so he had to make do with the next best course of action.

Steeling himself, he let her come in for another attack. Just as she was about to strike, he parried her arm downwards with his open palm, causing her to stumble. Before she could regain her footing, he launched his attack. Unable to evade it in time, her face was struck by his fist dead on. With a mighty yell, Genjuro batted her away, launching her towards the sky.

Hibiki swiftly twisted in midair, grimacing. Using the pile bunkers on her arms and the pistons on her legs, she reversed her momentum, using her superior force to launch herself towards him like a meteor. Genjuro, knowing he wouldn't be able to tank that sort of hit, hurriedly leaped out of the way. Hibiki crashed into the ground with unchained ferocity, smashing her fists down and carving another deep crater into the face of the battlefield.

As soon as he landed back on his feet, Hibiki was already upon him. Momentarily shocked by her speed, he was forced on the defensive as she attacked him relentlessly. Each glancing blow cut into his clothes and his skin, riddling him with tiny scars.

His response was to go for a surprise back kick, aiming for her head. She stopped her barrage mid-swing in order to cartwheel away from his powerful blow. As he went for another high kick, she met his blow with one of her own, and their legs crashed high in the air. Genjuro then slammed his foot into the ground, shaking the earth and causing Hibiki to stumble once again.

He rushed in, delivering a strong blow to the side of her head. However, it did not have the intended effect of batting her away, as she held her ground and gritted her teeth. She forced his hand away and counterattacked, this time nailing him right in the face. Genjuro was sent flying back, and he forced himself to a stop by skidding across the ground.

He wiped his nose as blood trickled down. '_I'm lucky I kept my head.'_

Estimating her new battle strength was difficult. It was way above what he had expected, but he was still unsure as to how high it could go. It was just another mystery of the divine power, along with whatever had twisted her mind. He had an inkling of a feeling that the two were connected, but he couldn't quite put his finger as to how.

Adam would have the answer to that. First, though, he had to make sure he survived here.

Hibiki came in for another assault, closing the distance at the blink of an eye. Genjuro held his ground, not moving an inch. Another exchange began between the two combatants, moving faster than the eye could see.

However, Hibiki was shocked. It was as if Genjuro's stance had changed completely, and his hands, previously as steadfast as a mountain, now flowed with the grace of water. His arms blurred as he expertly deflected and parried all of her strikes, not letting even a single one hit.

She stopped her offensive short and went for a heavy straight jab right at his midsection.

And then Genjuro abruptly yelled, channeling an aura of power that caught her off guard. His shirt exploded into a thousand pieces, and she staggered back in shock.

"W-what—?!"

That's when he struck. Suddenly, Hibiki felt a sharp pain in her chest, and her confusion increased as she saw that rather than strike her with a punch, he instead used merely two fingers. Now more akin to a stab, the pain reached far deeper than she expected.

With his opponent now completely defenseless, Genjuro launched another blow at her. Again sharp pain akin to being pierced with a knife raced through her, throwing off her focus.

Taking the opportunity, he went on the assault.

"ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA—!"

A rapid-fire of blows, each using solely two fingers, struck her faster than she could respond. Her entire body was assaulted a hundred times, striking her with pinpoint accuracy at all of her vitals. And with each blow, she was raised into the air, leaving her without an even footing.

After what felt like forever, he finally ended his barrage. Dazed from the unexpected pain, she could only stare with wide eyes as he delivered his final blow, this time with his fist clenched.

"**HWATA!**"

And she was sent flying. She bounced over the ground several times, coughing up blood as she finally came to a stop. She jumped back to her feet, snarling all the while. Her face twisted into a maddened visage, one Genjuro knew Hibiki would never usually wear. Only her times as a mindless berserk monster even came close.

But this was nothing like those times. No, here Hibiki was, at least at first glance, completely in control of her actions.

Meaning she was deliberately, and with full intention, choosing to turn against them. He could no longer see or feel or happy-go-lucky attitude, nor her comforting presence that eased the mind. No, the only thing he could feel from her was malice, rage, and bloodthirstiness.

It was heartbreaking. It was infuriating. It was outright maddening.

But above all, it was a crime against nature itself. To see Hibiki like this roiled Genjuro's blood, as he felt an almost fatherly attachment to her. He had received her with open arms that day she walked into HQ for the first time, and he taught her everything he knows, sharing many action movies and fun times together.

As if he'd let this divine power take that away. He would never let that happen. He swore to take her back or die trying.

"How is it that you can stand up to me?" Hibiki asked with an incredulous look.

Genjuro rubbed the dust off his shoulder. "It's simple, Hibiki-kun. You may have overwhelming power, but don't forget that I am the one who taught you how to fight. I know the way you move and the way you think, and that is something that will not change no matter what form you take."

She glared at him with teeth bared. "You dare look down on me!"

"It's quite the opposite, Hibiki-kun. I have never once looked down on you. Your resolve and relentless fighting spirit are something to be admired. It has been a long time since I was forced into an intense fight. Had we been in any other situation, I would have regarded you as a worthy opponent."

Suddenly, an aura of power built up around him, and he retook his fighting stance.

"Unfortunately, I am a man on a mission. And you, of all people, should know what happens when a man is on a mission. Endless hours of action movies should give you the answer to that."

Hibiki blinked, the memories resurfacing in her mind from his words. "I see," she answered.

Taking a deep breath, she reentered her own stance, facing him head-on. "In that case, I will also go all out then. Once I take you down, there will be no one left to stop me."

Just as she finished saying those words, Genjuro charged at her, and she expertly blocked his powerful strike. "That is where you are wrong, Hibiki-kun!"

His fists roared as he intensified his offensive. "Even if I fall here, those girls will not stop for even a second! They will give their own lives to bring you back, I can promise you that! That is the extent of their feelings for you! So no matter what you believe or do, there will always be someone to stand in your way!"

"Tch—!"

His blows were annoyingly powerful, she had to give him that. But she was hardly surprised. There was no one stronger in the world than him, that much she knew.

But right now she was stronger, and there is no way she'll let a regular human surpass her!

She dodged to the side, escaping his assault just in time and entered his range, forcing him to bring back his arms to defend himself. She planted her feet and launched a powerful punch forward which he blocked with his forearms.

Gritting her teeth, she launched another. And another. And another. And another. Her arms blurred as she attacked him with her own flurry of strikes which he was forced to block.

"ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA—!"

With each punch, she forced him further and further back. His feet dug into the ground, yet he held himself in place, blocking or deflecting her attacks off course. Frustrated at her lack of progress, she transformed the gauntlet on her arm and threw it forward with all the force she could muster.

"**ORA!"**

That one made a dent. As the pile bunker crashed, Genjuro spat out blood as the sheer force behind it broke through his defenses and rattled his organs. He was thrown back, losing his footing in the process. He hurriedly stabilized himself just in time to duck under a roundhouse kick that'd have sent his head flying.

As she landed back on the ground she attacked once more. However, this time he deflected her punch to the side and grabbed onto her wrist with an iron grip. Seeing what he was planning to do, Hibiki once again clenched her teeth and shifted her weight to her legs.

"As if I'd let you throw me again!"

The ground beneath her feet shattered from the amount of power she was pouring into her stance, and Genjuro found that indeed she wouldn't budge. With her free hand, she delivered an uppercut to his chin, and caught in his position, he had no choice but to let go of her so it wouldn't hit.

Simultaneously, they both went for a knockout blow. Their fists roared as they tore through the air, with Genjuro's coming down like a meteor and Hibiki's rising up like a jet plane.

It was the rogue Adaptor's that met its mark. Taking advantage of their difference in height and size, Hibiki swiftly moved her head out of the way just as Genjuro's fist was about to smash into her face. Her punch landing onto his exposed abdomen, Genjuro once again spat out blood, in bigger quantity this time, and was thrown through the air. Just like Hibiki before him, he bounced off the ground once and quickly rose back to his feet, panting heavily.

He wasn't the only one though. Hibiki too was heaving, not having expected to be faced with such strong opposition from a mortal man. Adam failed in even ruffling her, yet Genjuro kept her on her toes the entire time.

Not that she hadn't responded in kind. Finally able to match this mountain of a man, her fists were able to damage him like they never have before. No, that'd be implying that she had ever managed to injure him in any manner. Genjuro had always been an unbreakable iron wall, never bending against any non-Noise opponent.

The corner of her mouth rose a little bit as a tinge of pride rose up in her chest. '_As expected of Master.'_

She shook the thought aside. No, no matter what she thought of him, she couldn't allow him to get in the way of her mission. Her calling. Her revenge. Once he was out of the way, nobody would be able to stop her.

So why did it feel like her heart was crumbling with every blow they exchanged?

Was this what delivering justice felt like?

Genjuro swiftly jumped back to his feet, wiping away the blood on his face with his forearm. He kind of regretted losing his shirt now, but he had to make due. He was sweating profusely, and each breath he took reminded him that his ribs were bruised. He had no clue what sort of damage Hibiki took, but he had been pushed farther than ever before. Only Fine had ever managed to breach his defenses, but she had played dirty, playing with his emotions at the critical moment.

He hated every second of this fight. It felt wrong, pushing himself so hard against Hibiki. It felt wrong trying to beat her down seriously, after everything they had been through. But he had to do it.

That was how it had always been. Steeling his heart in the face of the world's cruelty and unfairness, and doing what has to be done so others would not suffer. One for ten, ten for a hundred, and a hundred for a thousand. Even if he was a part of that equation, he had no problem going forward and acting for the sake of that peace. Now was a trial of a similar magnitude, with the stakes being as great as they have always been.

He cracked his neck and his knuckles again, entering his stance. Hibiki entered her own to mirror him, and at once the two surged towards each other, ready to renew the clash.

But then, a sound not unlike an engine powering down echoed through the area, and all at once Hibiki stumbled.

"Wha—?!"

Genjuro too was nearly thrown off his rhythm by the sudden change, but his fist continued forward, striking Hibiki's head-on.

He was shocked to find that there was nearly no resistance. His punch threw hers off course, and his fist slammed into her face, throwing her back a significant distance.

He narrowed his eyes and followed her gaze when she looked down at the relic pendant hanging below her neck. His eyes may be playing tricks on him, but he was sure that its color was dulled somewhat, no longer seeming as vibrant as before. Hibiki quickly grasped at it, apparently trying to get it to respond.

"_Genjuro-san!" _Elfnein's voice rang in his ears in alarm. "_That was the aftereffects of the barrier! Her relic still hasn't been cleaned from the taint!"_

His eyes widened briefly, and he immediately made his move. From what he remembered of her explanations, the use of the Fool's Stone to counter the alchemists' Philosopher Stone came at the risk of locking up a Symphogear's functions. It would, after some time, render them powerless until they could be cleaned off. And from what he could see, not even the divine power enhanced Gungnir was an exception.

It seems that the heavens were still on his side. '_Now's my chance!'_

This would be the opportune moment to take her down. Now weaker than before, Hibiki's ability to retaliate would be severely downgraded. He only had to make sure to keep up the assault until he knocked her out, forcibly remove the relic, and then destroy it. Even if that action deprived them of an Adaptor, it was a better alternative to now.

He roared as he threw his fist forward, intending on striking her face once again.

But to his shock, Hibiki raised her hand and took the hit into her open palm. She gritted her teeth at the pain, her feet driven into the ground from the force of the strike.

"I... will not lose! I... will never give up! I... will make my new world a reality!"

Her free hand clutched the dim pendant tightly.

All of a sudden, the pendant began to shine, briefly blinding Genjuro. Hibiki released his hand, and he smartly decided to jump back to avoid being caught off guard at close range. He kept his defensive stance ready, prepared to meet her once again.

But when the light faded, she was gone.

"What?"

All at once his instincts screamed, and he ducked just as Hibiki's leg swept above him. He quickly turned to face her once again, swinging his fist in a downward arc at her head.

And then she vanished once again. He immediately spun on his heel and deliver a roundhouse kick behind him, only for her to disappear once again. His eyes widened further as she appeared in front of him before he could even finish bringing his leg down, and she struck with both fists at his chest.

It was unlike any punch she had thrown before. Genjuro felt some of his ribs shatter from the force of the blow, and he was tossed back like a ragdoll through the air. He groaned as he fell to the ground, and hastily picked himself up again.

What met his gaze was the bizarre sigh of Hibiki practically vanishing from her previous location and reappearing in front of him in the blink of an eye, already poised to strike. He hurriedly blocked her block, gritting his teeth as he forced down the pain. The bones in his arm rattled wildly, throwing off his focus.

He clenched his teeth hard and counterattacked. This wasn't the first time someone broke his ribs; he wasn't about to give up just from that.

"**UWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"**

Hibiki roared as she went on a mad offensive that Genjuro struggled to keep up with. As he defended himself, he called out to Elfnein. "Elfnein-kun, report!"

"_I-I-I don't know what happened! All of a sudden, the indicator for the aftereffects went out! It's like she fixed it all by herself! And what's more, that black hole in Gungnir's Aufwachen signal... it grew bigger! I don't know what's happening!"_

The girl had no answers to give him. All he could do was assume what had actually transpired.

'_It must be the divine power. It is so powerful it can even undo the aftereffects? And this speed... teleportation?! No, but I can barely follow it!'_

This wasn't good. With his state, he wouldn't be able to keep it up much longer. He had to settle this fight right here, and right now!

Finally finding a weak spot in Hibiki's assault, Genjuro went all out. He planted his feet, and his fist flew forward with all of his strength behind it. At full power, his punches had the ability to topple an entire building with a single strike.

And all that power surged forward and smashed Hibiki in the face head-on. The force of the strike sent a mighty shockwave behind her, carving up the ground and creating a veritable storm that scattered debris in all directions. Even if it didn't send her flying, it was bound to rattle her brain and knock her out on the spot!

Or at least, that's what he thought.

His shock could not be described as he felt her hand wrap around his wrist. He looked her dead in the eyes as the dust settled, unable to comprehend how she was still standing.

"I won't let you beat me," she said, tightening her grip on his wrist. "Today is the day I surpass you, Master!"

There was nothing he could do in response. Her fist crashed into his stomach, and Genjuro felt the last of his ribs crack. He spat out blood, and nearly toppled over from the pain. With his hand still in her grip, she lifted Genjuro over her head and slammed him into the ground, further injuring the mountain of a man. He could do nothing as he was tossed around uselessly, every avenue of escape completely cut off for him.

Finally, she tossed him into the air. He rose up high, his vision blurry from the pain. Hibiki leaped into the air after him, passing above his helpless form. She put her hands together above her head, and with a yell brought them down on Genjuro in a double axe handle.

"IT'S OVER!"

Her blow landed perfectly. He streaked through the air towards the ground, with sonic booms being left in his wake. A moment later, Genjuro crashed onto the ground, a gigantic crater forming from the impact point, and he lay unmoving at its center.

Within a single moment, the battle was decided. Genjuro had lost.

"_Genjuro-san!" "Commander!"_

His subordinates screamed for him over the comm, but he did not have the strength to answer them. Hibiki descended towards him, staring at her commander's battered body. To her surprise, he was still alive and conscious despite the blows he received. However, he will not be getting back up any time soon, which gave her the perfect opportunity to finish him off.

"I see... so I lost," Genjuro murmured.

"Yes, you have," she answered him.

His only response was to laugh weakly as pain wracked every corner of his body. "I knew... that day would come eventually but I... never expected it... to be so soon."

He lay there on his back, unable to move. Defeated by his own student, using the very techniques and abilities he taught her.

Truly ironic.

"Do you have any last words, Master?" She asked him quietly. She held out her hand to the side, and the spear that had been staked into the ground returned to her a moment later. She stood near his head and held the spear by the shaft with both hands, its tip aimed at his face.

There wasn't much left for him to say. "Just... remember, Hibiki-kun... Those girls... will not stop... until they get you back... Think about... this world you want to create and... think... if it will be worth... losing everything for it..."

"I have thought about it every day since I received Gungnir, Master," she answered. "And I'm done thinking."

"Is that... you speaking... or the divine power?" He asked. "Because I will not... be able to pass on quietly... if it's the latter..."

"It's my own will, Master. A will that I held back for years ever since I survived that hell. Since the day I received Gungnir. Since the day I destroyed the moon fragment. Since the day Fine spoke to me and told me to believe in the song in my heart," she answered him. "I did not listen. I merely went on with my foolish justice, believing that I could help people understand each other. But you of all people know that can't happen. You know how in all of the battlefields you have been through that there are far too many people who simply refuse to listen. Who refuse to grab your hand when you offer it to them. I cannot allow such a thing to continue any longer."

Her brows furrowed deeply. "And that is why, with this spear, I will disperse humanity's darkness. Whether they like it or not."

She raised the spear high above. "Goodbye, Master."

And just as she began to lower the spear onto his head...

"Is that... really what you believe?"

Her thrust stopped an inch from his nose. She did not want to listen to him any longer. She had absolutely no reason to. She was the victor, and as the victor, she would now claim her prize.

But something in the back of her head tingled, hammering into her skull, telling her to wait.

"All the friends that you have made... thanks to you holding your hand out to them... all the lives you have saved... because you truly believed in that simple... yet unfettered justice. It... was what gave you strength... it was what helped you save the world... and it was what... shaped you to become who you are today," he said weakly, staring up into her eyes.

The spear shook in her grip. Why was this happening now? Why was he saying such things now? And why was she listening?!

"I saw that... in your eyes that day... when you came into headquarters... all confused and lost yet... a fire burned in you that could not be extinguished. That was the moment I knew... you would be able to do great things... and you strove to make it work as much as you could... that boundless optimism that held great depth to it... was the reason I brought you in... not because I thought of you as a replacement to Kanade-kun but... a true, real and great person that could do... what she could not... what I could not," he continued, still staring into her emerald eyes.

Her teeth ground against each other. "Shut... up..."

"Your heart has... infinite place in it... for strangers... and for those you hold dear... everyone... is an irreplaceable friend for you... and as a result... you are irreplaceable for them... that is why... don't allow those regrets... to blind you from what you truly are..."

"Shut...up...!"

"And that is why... they will never stop trying... even if they fail... again... and again... those girls will do whatever it takes... to help you remember... that fire..."

"Shut... UP!"

"I want you to think about that... Hibiki-kun... Ryouko-kun was right... listen to the song in your heart... and think of those whom you hold dear..."

"Shut up!"

"Think about that... Hibiki-kun..."

The face of a certain black haired girl flashed before her eyes.

"SHUTTTTTTTTTTTTT UPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!"

And she brought the spear down.


	4. Chapter 4: An Inconvenient Truth

It was far too quiet when the trio arrived with their passengers. Dispelling their Symphogears right outside the submarine, Maria, Chris, and Shirabe all ran as fast as they could into the sub proper, with Miku in tow. It all began when during their retreat, the deafening amount of noise coming from their headset instantly vanished, leaving nothing but an eerie silence that did not bode well.

They made their first stop in the medical room. The door slid open and they barged inside, the doctors within already prepared to receive their patients. They set Kirika and Saint-Germain down on the medical beds, careful as to not aggravate their injuries. Miku was promptly sat down on a chair by Chris, who chased after Shirabe and Maria soon after.

The trio sprinted through HQ's halls, having memorized them by heart the way back to the bridge a long time ago. It took them less than a minute to arrive, and the door slid open before them. They scurried inside and froze.

They immediately understood the cause of the silence. All members on the bridge, Elfnein included, had stopped all work they were doing to stare in horror at the gigantic display above them. Maria looked them over, not quite understanding what was happening.

That was until Tomosato let out an anguished gasp, and she looked up to the screen too.

It showed Genjuro, the same unbeatable mountain of a man who could take out Symphogears with his bare hands, sprawled out on the ground, lying defeated inside of a crater. His shirt was gone, and his pants were torn in various locations. His battered and wounded bloody bled from various open wounds, trickling down beneath him.

And standing above him was Hibiki, looking none the worse for wear, holding her spear above his head.

They could see their mouths move, but no words were coming out. When the sound suddenly gave out during the last stretches of the fight, one of the engineers hurriedly tried to fix it, only to realize that the fault came from the outside, meaning that all of the audio devices on the battlefield had malfunctioned, Genjuro's included.

But the lack of sound did not stop them from despairing. Because no matter what words were spoken, it did not hide the fact that the scene before them looked like an execution. The rogue Symphogear user was standing above him with her spear raised, yet his face remained calm, and he was speaking to her.

Whatever he was saying seemed to be slightly working. They could see the spear tremble, meaning that Hibiki's grip on it was loosening. For a moment they believed that perhaps he was successfully talking her out of it. It would be a miracle if he was, for it would instantly solve all of their problems. Hope blossomed up in their chests as they watched the scene.

Only for that hope to be summarily crushed when the cursed spear came down anyway.

And in that crucial, heart-wrenching moment in which the spear was about to pierce through his head...

That visual suddenly gave out and the screen filled with static.

It was the greatest jumpscare they had ever experienced in their lives. Several of the crew members yelped in surprise by the change. "Quickly! Someone get us back some visual!" Tomosato ordered, having been given temporary command of HQ, making the appropriate subordinates immediately work to fix the problem. Without sound and visual, S.O.N.G HQ was completely cut off from the battlefield, unaware of what was going on.

And completely unaware of the fate of their beloved commander, who had been defeated by his own pupil.

The engineers worked tirelessly, and all those gathered on the bridge were wracked with anxiety, just waiting for the screen to come back to show Genjuro's brain splattered on the ground. It was a natural conclusion to reach after seeing something so horrifying.

But no matter what they did, the visuals would not return. The engineers could only give the response they gave last time: the malfunction was on the outside.

It was beyond frustrating. They had absolutely no clue what was going on and did not even notice the wielders as they came in.

Shirabe looked to and fro, studied the situation, and came to a decision. "I'm going back to see what happened," she suddenly declared.

Maria turned to her with her eyes wide. "No! Shirabe, that's too dangerous! You don't know if Hibiki-san is still there or not!"

"The only thing I have done until now was to bring people to and away from the battlefield. I have no intention of fighting her. I know I would lose if I tried. But at least I have to give us some closure. We can't continue like this," she answered, meeting her elder's gaze.

Maria was slightly taken aback by Shirabe's stubbornness. She glanced back to the bridge, looking at the crew members. Some began to tap away at their consoles again, others were holding their heads in despair, leaning forward, and some slumped in their chairs backward limply.

It went to show how much the uncertain fate of their commander was getting to them. And as a result, relented to the younger wielder's demands. "Be careful out there. Your headset should still work so keep us updated on anything, alright?"

Shirabe nodded. She looked between her comrades, who nodded to her. With one last look at the static-filled screen, Shirabe bolted out the door, racing against time.

-!-

Around ten minutes later, Shirabe arrived back to the battlefield. Her eyes slightly widened as she took in the thorough destruction, shocked at just how bad things had gotten. The area had already been reduced to rubble before, but now it was nothing but a dust-filled warzone.

She gulped, and made her way forward, trying to locate the specific crater they had seen Genjuro lying inside of. It would have been quick work had there been only one crater, but their fight was so intense that there were virtually dozens of them scattered all over the place, a reminder of the huge power that was thrown around almost casually throughout the night.

It was the wee hours of the morning by now, around five A.M if she recalled, and the very first rays of the sun were peering out of the horizon. It would be less than an hour until they would be bathed in its light, the first light since the disastrous night they suffered.

She passed by each crater she saw, briefly looking within and seeing no sign of anything. She was almost hesitant to continue looking in fear of coming upon a gory scene.

Hibiki was also similarly gone, having left the battlefield at some unknown point in time. No one had a clue as to where she went, but frankly, Shirabe couldn't care less at the moment. Right now the priority was to find Genjuro. Whether she brought him home alive or as a headless corpse, she would give closure to S.O.N.G.

It was the one thing she could do for them.

And just as she thought that she finally found what she was looking for.

It was the deepest crater of the bunch, probably over ten meters deep. It was surprisingly clear of any rubble, which gave her a clear view of the inside.

And boy was she was glad she had a clear view.

He was just laying there, unmoving. However, the biggest surprise was the fact that despite all of their worries, his head was miraculously still in one piece. She slid down the sides of the crater as fast as she could and kneeled by him. She glanced to the spot next to his head and found a small part of the ground that had been pierced through in the shape of a diamond, indicating that something had been embedded there.

The only assumption she had was that somehow Hibiki had missed her target and left before help arrived. It was a strange train of thought, one she couldn't really rationalize.

But it didn't matter at all right now. Quickly she looked him over, utilizing the basic first aid knowledge she had learned in the past, and saw no other injuries on him that indicated something fatal. She put two fingers against his neck and checked his pulse.

She smiled brightly when she got her desired response. It was faint, but it was there.

Genjuro was alive, and he could still be saved.

She swiftly put her hand against her headset. "I found him," she said. "He's alive. His pulse is weak but he's alive!"

The relieved gasps she received warmed her heart. She turned back to him and began to slide her arms under him in order to carry him away.

Only to yelp as he suddenly opened his eyes. "Shirabe... kun..."

Her eyes widened. "Commander! Don't worry, I'll get you back as fast as possible-"

"She... spared me..." He began to say quietly, causing her to freeze. "She... spared... me... we can... still... bring her... back..."

The young wielder had a very hard time understanding what he was talking about. Perhaps he was delirious from blood loss, or perhaps he interpreted her leaving as sparing him, but that did not matter at all at the moment. He was alive, and she was determined to bring him back with her.

"Don't worry, I'll take you back," she said in response.

She slid her arms under him, and with one strong heave lifted him off the ground in her arms. He was heavy, despite her wearing a Symphogear. But she had experienced heavy before, and in comparison this was nothing.

She made it back to base in record time.

And the entire way, Genjuro continued to speak softly.

-!-

About three hours later, the main bridge crew of S.O.N.G along with the wielders gathered within the medical room. The sun had risen, and the light poured into the room, illuminating every corner of it. Several changes took place in the meantime, one of which was Kirika finally regaining consciousness. Shirabe fretted over her as soon as she saw her, making the blonde wielder blush in embarrassment.

"If there is a God up there, then he sure just blessed us." The doctor said upon giving them a rundown on Genjuro's condition. "He still has a few open wounds aside from the broken ribs, but he will most definitely make it. We gave him stitches where necessary and he should make a full recovery very soon. His constitution and vitality are simply through the roof. I knew commander Kazanari was a tough nut to crack, but this is just insane."

They shared a relieved sigh as he continued. "As for the other piece of good news, Tsubasa-san will also make a full recovery. Her Symphogear kept her alive for the majority of the time, giving us plenty of time to get her out of the critical phase. All in all, I must say we are quite fortunate, all things considered." He adjusted his glasses. "I do wish however we had full access to some hospital equipment at a time like this, although I did understand the need to evacuate the immediate area. It's a shame, as we could have given them a better treatment overall."

Tomosato gave out a reassured sigh. "Thank you, doctor. Your work is always appreciated."

The man smiled. "Only doing my job ma'am. Other than that, Kirika-san woke up a bit woozy when she was brought in, and Ms. Saint-Germain had received a couple of cuts and scratches that we have taken care of. All in all, the patients' conditions are phenomenal considering our circumstances."

"I agree doctor, and it's all thanks to you," Tomosato added gratefully.

His smile grew. "Don't mention it, Tomosato-san," he said. He threw a glance to the side, catching sight of Shirabe checking Kirika over, who simply laughed softly at her worry. "I'm going to go take care of a few things. I shall leave you to your devices."

"Very well. Thank you again, doctor."

He nodded and approached the door leading out of the medical room. Just as he was about to exit, it suddenly opened much earlier than expected, and he was greeted by the sight of Elfnein hurrying inside, carrying something in her hands and nearly bumping into him.

"Ah!" She let out. "I'm sorry!"

The doctor smiled again. "Don't worry about it," he said and moved to the side to allow her to pass. He threw a brief glance towards her direction, then left the room.

Elfnein ran to the others crowded around Genjuro's bed. "Sorry I took so long," she said. "I was just making some final adjustments."

Chris turned to her. "Final adjustments to wha—"

"To him!" She chirped and lifted Adam's head in her hands high for all to see. Thanks to Elfnein's work, the stump of his neck, previously dangling sparking wires freely, was now outfitted with a metal plate that would allow him to remain upright. However, in order to become more manageable, his long wavy hair was cut short messily, probably by Elfnein herself. He looked strange now with those changes, exacerbated further by the surreal sight of Elfnein holding a severed head in her hands.

"I have to admit I'm surprised by the talent of Carol's homunculus. Making adjustments so I can work cleanly without any problems in my condition is no easy task," Adam said.

Chris clicked her tongue. "Tch, you again."

"Yes, me again," he retorted. "We'll be working closely now, Symphogear. You should get used to it."

"I have a name you know," she said angrily. "Start using it."

His only response was to huff dismissively. Elfnein disconnected the lamp on the stand next to Genjuro's bed and replaced it with Adam's head, giving everyone a clear view of the former leader of the Pavarian Illuminati.

The happy mood that had taken the group slightly fell as they proceeded to focus on the important topics. "Now that everyone is here," Tomosato began. "Let's talk about the elephant in the room: the events of last night."

"I don't think there is much to say that we don't already know," Maria responded quickly. "We were easily and summarily defeated. All of our efforts were worthless and we only have more questions than answers at this point."

The group fell quiet at her blunt, yet accurate description of the night. It was true what Maria was saying; they were caught completely by surprise, and the shock of Hibiki turning on them and turning out to be stronger than any of them could handle only made things worse.

It also didn't help that the one person who could have possibly defeated her was lying in bed next to them, having been defeated himself.

"Not only that," Fujitaka added. "We don't even know where she is right now. She has completely vanished off the radar. Scans did not find even a speck of any sort of power or signal, whether divine or Aufwachen."

Kirika rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I guess I missed quite a lot last night huh? She really got me good."

"That she did," Saint-Germain said from the bed across from them, sitting up. "Her power was far beyond anything we could have imagined. I too believed that the calculations and predictions you have made were correct, within a tolerable margin of error. However, it seems that an unexpected element caught us off guard," Her eyes narrowed and she looked towards the stand next to the commander's bed. "And I believe that he has exactly the explanation as to what that is."

The members of S.O.N.G looked towards Adam, who remained calm under their gaze. "I indeed do. It is not something that is widely known after all. However, I am not willing to divulge that information freely."

Chris glared at him hatefully. "Do you really think you are in a position to bargain?!"

"Are you?" He asked back, silencing her. "As I see it, it is a matter of survival now. If we don't cooperate, then you'll never know how to eliminate the factor that made her turn out this way. With me as the only one in the world with that piece of information, I must say that without me you are helpless. As a result, I am indeed in the position to bargain. I will not divulge the information you want until you give me what _I _want."

Chris jumped out of her chair, ready to pounce on him. "Why you little—" she began, only for Maria to shove her back down into her seat.

"In that case," the man on the bed suddenly said, shocking everyone around him. "What is it that you want?"

"Commander!" "Old man!" Everyone sans Adam exclaimed.

Genjuro sat up, his eyes locked onto Adam's. "Under my authority, you'll be given whatever you desire for that information, I can assure you that."

"Ho, you would give in so quickly to my demands? I did not expect you to be so faint-hearted after that display you showed out there," Adam responded to him.

"I will do what I must in order to bring Hibiki-kun back. As a result, I am open to negotiations," Genjuro simply answered.

Adam let out a chuckle.

"Commander," Tomosato asked. "How are you feeling?"

He looked towards her with a soft expression. "I've been better, but at least I'm alive. How are all of you?" He asked instead.

She looked between those crowded around his bed. "For the most part fine, if a bit shaken up. Tsubasa is also recovering nicely from what the doctor said."

Genjuro grumbled. "I see," he said. However, there was one person on his mind that he did not see in the circle. "And how is Miku-kun?"

It was that question that caused them to fall silent. Tomosato's expression fell, and she sent a short glance to the far corner of the room. "She's... well..." she began to say, and Genjuro followed her gaze.

There, far away from the rest, Miku sat alone on a chair, slumped forward and her head downcast, her hands joined on her lap.

Her condition gave Genjuro all the answers he needed. The events of the night did not fully register in Miku's mind as they were happening, probably due to the shock. However, now that everything calmed down and she had the time to dwell on it, the brunt of the realization hit her full force. After the doctor checked her over, she had simply remained seated in the chair, dwelling on thoughts they could only assume.

"She hasn't moved from that spot for over two hours," Tomosato said. "I wish I could do something for her to make it a bit easier to handle."

"I don't think there is anything that can help her at the moment except an explanation for what happened. In fact, it is the only thing that can help any of us right now. Hibiki-kun's sudden betrayal is not something you can easily cope with," Genjuro added. "And that is why I am willing to bargain. Anything that can ease this sorrow will be welcome, both for our morale and our spirits."

His point held merit. Not a single one of them, Chris included, had a sound argument to give to that.

He turned back to Adam. "State your terms."

Adam smirked and opened his mouth to speak. However, just as he was about to make his demands, he was suddenly interrupted by a loud beeping coming from Fujitaka's laptop. The man opened it up and pressed a few buttons... and spoke up hesitantly. "Commander... It's from Kamakura."

Several eyes widened at once at the timing. Adam, who was rudely interrupted, raised an eyebrow.

"Now of all times..." Genjuro said with a sigh. Bracing himself, he continued. "Put him through. Connect him to the medical room's projector."

Fujitaka nodded and tapped a few buttons on his laptop. Above them, the medical room projector lit up, displaying the face of the one man they did not want to talk to on the wall behind them.

Kazanari Fudou's face greeted them with his usual judgmental look. "Do you have an explanation for this humiliation?" He charged immediately.

Still in his bed, the only action physical action Genjuro could do was to lower his head slightly to the Kazanari patriarch. "Not at the moment," he answered. "We are still in the stage of organizing what we know and figuring out what we don't."

The Symphogears in the group glared at the man on the screen, who ignored them. "And how exactly do you intend to do that?"

In response, Genjuro pointed to Adam. "With him."

Fudou narrowed his eyes at the disembodied head, and their gazes locked momentarily. Adam's serious expression betrayed nothing. "So you have captured the enemy leader?"

"We have indeed. Under less than ideal circumstances, but we did. And he has agreed to provide us with the necessary information to solve this crisis," Genjuro added.

"Make sure that he does," Fudou commanded. "I am expecting results, Genjuro. So far, you have done nothing but disappoint me. You have failed to protect the nation as your duty commands. Not only that, but your lack of foresight has allowed a monster to rampage freely as she wished. Do not make me regret granting you command of this division."

Chris had heard enough, her fuse already lit due to the situation. She shot up to her feet, her eyes still narrowed at the Kazanari head. "What the hell! We nearly died again, protecting the world and _you_, and this is all you have to say?!"

"Chris!" Maria yelled, trying to calm her down in vain.

Fudou barely regarded the girl. "Know your place. You are nothing but a soldier under our command. You should not be commended for coming back defeated and empty-handed."

His dismissive tone pissed her off even more. "The fuck did you just say?!" She shouted. "I dare you to come here and say that to my face you son of a—"

"CHRIS!"

CRASH!

It was so sudden even Chris immediately shut her mouth. At the moment Maria was about to stand up as well to force the rowdy wielder back down again, a glass beaker slammed against the wall displaying Fudou's face, exploding and shattering into a thousand pieces.

They looked towards the direction from which the beaker came, and froze.

Miku was standing, her stance betraying the fact that she had thrown it. Her eyes were glued to the man on the wall.

And an expression of fury was etched on her face. It was a look that they had never seen on the girl before.

"HOW DARE YOU!" She screamed, grabbing another beaker from behind her and chucked it at the wall as well. "HOW DARE YOU CALL HER A MONSTER!"

The crash caused Kirika to wince. "HIBIKI IS NOT A MONSTER!" Miku continued yelling, grabbing another random object from behind and tossing it at him with all her strength. "IT'S SO EASY FOR YOU TO JUST JUDGE FROM AFAR AS IF YOU UNDERSTAND ANYTHING! BUT YOU DON'T! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND A SINGLE THING! YOU THINK YOU ARE SO ABOVE US WHEN ALL YOU DO IS COMPLAIN AND BERATE EVERYONE! DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK IF YOU AREN'T EVEN HERE TO WITNESS IT!"

Her fiery outburst caught everyone off guard, and even Fudou himself went quiet. Genjuro looked at Miku sadly, understanding where she was coming from. His father had called her best friend a monster, and that was something she would never stand for. It roused her from her trance, and her mind, already reeling from the events of the night could not hold together under the combined stress.

Had he been in her position, he knew he would've reacted the same way.

"YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH!" She renewed, thundering towards the display. Hurriedly, Maria left Chris' side and grabbed Miku's arms from behind, stopping her from assaulting the wall in her blind rage. Miku struggled against her hold, still glaring at him hatefully. "IF YOU HAVE NOTHING GOOD TO SAY, THEN DON'T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL!"

"Miku-san..." Kirika said softly, her heart going out to her.

Miku's throat was becoming sore, unused to the elevated volume of her voice. "I WON'T LET YOU LOOK DOWN ON THEM! EVERYONE WHO WAS FIGHTING SO HARD TO SAVE OTHERS, SACRIFICING EVERYTHING JUST SO YOU CAN SIT THERE AND SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT! WITHOUT THEM, YOU WOULD BE NOTHING! SO DON'T THINK YOU CAN START ACTING ALMIGHTY AND DEMANDING WHATEVER YOU WANT THINKING YOU UNDERSTAND ANYTHING!"

Tears of combined rage and sorrow poured down her cheeks, staining her clothes. "IT'S JUST SO EASY FOR YOU TO CONTINUE USING THE EXCUSE OF PROTECTING THE COUNTRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR PAIN AND USE IT FOR YOUR OWN GAIN!" She kept on trying to escape Maria's hold, but her older friend was far stronger than she was. "IT'S PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR EVERYONE! IT'S PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT... THAT MAKE HIBIKI'S INTENTIONS ALL THE MORE LEGITIMATE!"

She began panting heavily, her whole body burning from the inside as if a long-dormant volcano had finally decided to erupt from within her. "THIS IS NOT WHAT EVERYONE FOUGHT FOR! THIS IS NOT WHAT THEY NEARLY DIED FOR!"

Her legs lost strength and began shaking. Seeing that she was not trying to attack the man behind the screen any longer, Maria released her hold on the tearful girl, letting her drop to her knees. "This is not what... Hibiki... nearly died for..." She cried softly, her energy expended. "So don't you dare... call her a monster... when you don't understand... anything..."

There were no words that could comfort the girl now. They merely looked at her sadly, and Chris bit her lip, desperate to say something to help out the friend that had saved her so long ago.

Miku could barely speak now, becoming more exhausted by the second. "If that is all you have to say... then you can just shut up... shut up and... and..."

She swallowed and screamed as loud as she could. "JUST SHUT UP AND FUCK OFF!"

Her abrupt cursing shocked the others, not expecting such words to come out of her mouth. Chris was surprised but inwardly smiled. Miku had pretty much vocalized what they were all thinking.

There was a quiet moment between all of them. Tomosato ran to the fallen girl and kneeled by her side. "Miku-chan," she said softly. "Come on, let's get you back to your seat."

The girl with tears still running down her face reluctantly complied, allowing Tomosato to pick her up by her arm and led her back to the chair she sat on. Miku crumpled on the chair, holding her face in her hands, moaning sorrowfully all the while. Tomosato stayed by her side, trying to comfort her.

Genjuro, whose eyes were glued to the girl during her outburst, turned back to his superior. "As you can see, morale is at an all-time low at the moment. Once we get a grasp of our condition and situation I'll inform you of what we found."

"See that you do," Fudou answered calmly. "Do not disappoint me again, Genjuro. Such a threat to our country and mankind cannot go unanswered."

Genjuro nodded. "I wholeheartedly agree. We'll do our best to minimize the damage it will cause, even if it costs us our lives."

"Very well then," Fudou replied. He took one final look at the gathered group, and then the display cut out, indicating the end of the call.

They all immediately released relieved sighs, and Genjuro grabbed his head. "This will never get any easier."

Chris sat back down, crossing her arms angrily. "How the hell can you handle working with him non-stop, old man? How come he doesn't get on your nerves?"

"At this point, I'm just telling him what he wants to hear," Genjuro replied. "Especially now. He was impatient and only caused us more problems. After what happened just now, I'd rather cut the conversation short so we can get back to the important matters."

"The nerve of that man!" Maria exclaimed. "Miku-san is completely right. He barges in on us, making demands when he doesn't even know the full story! And he doesn't even seem to give a single damn about our well-being! Does he think we're machines?! What impudence!"

"He's been this way his entire life, Maria-kun. There is no point in trying to change that now," Genjuro simply said. "As I said, we should get back to the important matters. Just leave dealing with him to me. Now, where were we?"

He turned back to Adam, who had watched the conversation with mild interest. "State your terms, Adam Weishaupt, in exchange for the information about what happened to Hibiki-kun."

Adam remained silent, merely looking over the gathered group. He stared at them, eyes narrowed, deliberately keeping his gaze leveled at each of them momentarily as if he was studying them. His silence caused Genjuro to raise an eyebrow.

Finally, his eyes settled on the commander. "I have changed my mind," he simply said.

"Excuse me?" Genjuro asked.

"I said," Adam repeated. "That I changed my mind."

Chris once again shot out of her chair, and Maria sighed at being forced to shove her back down again. "What the hell do you mean you changed your mind?! You were all going on about cooperating with us and now you're taking it all back?! Make up your damn mind!" She yelled.

"Chris, please calm down," Maria begged her. "We can't have you explode at every little thing that happens."

"Well excuse me for giving a damn!" She shouted. "Sorry for being hurt at the fact that one of my friends tried to kill me and everyone else! Sorry for being sad about that! That's just how I cope! Is there a problem with that?!"

"Nobody said there was a problem, Chris. We just want you to sit quietly for a bit. Every delay only takes away important time we could have used to try and find a solution. If you are unable to sit still for a few minutes, then please go take a walk outside and I'll tell you everything that we found out, I promise," Maria answered, not at all fazed by her outburst.

Chris bared at teeth at her, but eventually, her logical side won out. She shut her mouth and sat back down, grumbling quietly to herself.

Adam let out a chuckle at the exchange. "They sure are a lively bunch. How utterly repulsive."

"Well, that's just how they are. Get used to that. Now, what did you mean about changing your mind?" Genjuro asked him, getting back to the point.

"Hmph. Well, before your rowdy subordinate jumped to conclusions, I said I changed my mind. What did I mean you ask? Simply that for now, I'll drop my demands," he answered.

Several pairs of eyes narrowed at him at his change of heart. "There is absolutely no way you are simply going to give that information freely, Lodgemaster," Saint-Germain said.

"Be surprised, Saint-Germain, but I will. After hearing your conversation with that fool you call a superior, I have decided that for the sake of humiliating him further, I will assist you. After all, Saint-Germain, isn't he the sort of oppressor you desperately craved to overcome?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow.

Saint-Germain would have jumped her former leader had she been in any other situation, so instead, she chose to bite her lip and keep quiet. She did not know what his true intentions were, but one thing was certain: He was bound to stab them in the back when the time came.

But for now, she'll let him talk, and keep a close eye on him.

"As much as I would like to believe you, Adam Weishaupt, I do have to agree with her on that point. What do you hope to gain from this?" Genjuro asked him.

"Such lack of trust wounds me, but I assure you, right now I have no demands. If you insist I could bring them up again, but then again that's not something you personally want, is it?" Adam asked him.

Genjuro fell quiet. He was trying to play them, that was for sure. However, even if he was there was no point in not going along with it. They needed the information badly after all. He just hoped nothing he said would turn out to be false.

"Very well, then I will choose to believe you," Genjuro said.

"Oi—" Chris began to say but caught herself before she yelled again and kept quiet. Maria smiled at her self-control.

"Why thank you," Adam mockingly said. "Now, where were we? Ah yes, the reason the god-slayer became an unstoppable force of nature. Truly it is a peculiar event to take place. Now, you probably believe it was the divine power that made her turn out this way," he said. They all looked at him curiously, having hit the mark.

He chuckled, "See, that is where you are wrong. The source of her turning did not come from that. After all, the divine power is simply a tool. Its purpose only depends on its wielder. Had it been any of you that had been engulfed, you would simply become as strong as she was, but with no effect on your minds or sanity. No, the source of that came from something much more personal..."

His cryptic explanation passed over several heads, who failed to comprehend his meaning.

Several except Elfnein's, whose eyes widened in shock. "Don't tell me... it came from..."

"Yes, homunculus, you think correctly," he answered her. "It came from the Symphogear itself."

Shocked gasps were heard from all over the room, and even Miku, who up until this point has been wallowing in sorrow, began to listen in closely. "You must already know that the spear known as Gungnir is, in fact, two spears in one," he continued.

"Yes," Elfnein answered him, getting several curious looks from those not in the know. "It is the spear of the god Odin as well as the Lance of Longinus, that pierced the side of the Son of God."

"Very good. Due to humanity's beliefs, their legends have intermingled, creating the Gungnir you are familiar with. However, the problem starts when its concept as a slayer of gods starts to come into play. After all, the ancient Romans did believe that Christ was divine in one way or another, and that scared them. That fear was imbued within the spear that had pierced him, which caused it to gain its god-slaying abilities." he explained.

His expression then became grim, showing his distaste for that particular ability. "However, that power came at a price. It was born of fear, after all. Fear, and most of all grudges. The grudges of the people against the divine only grew from then on, and as a result, the spear's power grew as well. Soon enough, those animosities and curses they bore against the gods were also imprinted within the spear itself."

His audience was engrossed in his story, realizing that there was something much deeper there than they ever understood. "From that moment on, the piercing spear Gungnir held the power of god-slaying, fueled by the grudges and curses of mankind against the gods that built up over two thousand years."

"That is a very interesting fact to know," Maria said. "However, how does that relate at all to Hibiki-san?"

"So impatient. How does it relate to her you ask? Well, initially, it was not related to her at all. None of your opponents until now held any sort of divinity within them. When you first came into contact with Saint-Germain and her comrades, they unleashed the divine beast known as Yohualtepuztli which was summarily slain by the god-slayer. It was strong, but its divine presence was not, and as such the reaction of the god-slaying power to it was minimal, only enough to destroy it without affecting anything other than that."

He raised an eyebrow as he asked the question. "However, what do you think happens when that power is exposed to an overwhelming amount of divine presence?"

A dawning realization came over the faces of several of them sans Kirika, who looked between them in confusion. Shirabe nudged her side, silently telling her to keep listening. Adam smiled at their response. "Yes, you seem to get it. Tachibana Hibiki was engulfed in massive amounts of divine power, and the god-slaying power reacted in kind. You could compare it to an overactive immune system that has discovered a pathogen that it must destroy. The god-slaying power within the spear went completely out of control, working tirelessly to eliminate the threat to its own existence."

Elfnein could only cover her mouth in shock. "Then... that unknown signature that was imbued within the Aufwachen signal... that black hole in its center was—"

"The god-slaying power itself," Adam answered for her. "It went out of control, and just like that overzealous immune system, began to affect the body that it inhabits. Tachibana Hibiki accepted the divine power for one reason or another, and the curses and grudges within the spear fought to deny that. Usually, the god-slaying power would act as a shell around its host, preventing the divine power from truly taking root while working to destroy it. But that is not what happened in our scenario. No, the two conflicting powers seem to have entered into some sort of chaotic harmony, always trying to one-up the other, with Tachibana Hibiki caught in the middle."

Miku gasped in horror in the corner. "The grudges and curses overflowed from the spear and began to affect her mind and body, creating the...how should I call it?" He glanced briefly to the schoolgirl in the corner and smirked. "The result, that you saw last night. Tachibana Hibiki was corrupted by the very power she wielded because she was not aware of its true nature. And how was that expressed? In exactly the way you experienced. She became something akin to a vengeful demon, living only to satisfy the grudges she had kept deeply buried within her, amongst other things. A being that possesses overwhelming power and destructive urges to use it"

Elfnein looked down to the ground, going over what she had seen and heard the night before in her mind. "She... she seemed so unstable," she said hesitantly. "Bipolar even, jumping between extreme moods from one moment to another. And paranoid. Whenever someone came to confront her, she always asked if they were 'turning against her'. She was barely like herself."

"That is correct," Adam responded. "She was, or should I say _is_ influenced by the grudges within the spear, causing her to act upon her own buried hatreds, resentments, and fears. I dare say that right now she is remembering every single thing that anyone had ever done to slight her, however insignificant, and is taking it to the radical extreme. It won't be long before she starts going on a killing spree. Kind of like religious fanatics, who have abandoned all sense of rhyme or reason in order to act out what they believe is 'right' or 'just'."

It was hardly believable. Chris, having calmed down some from before, spoke up softly, "It was like... it was like hearing Fine all over again. Or Dr. Ver, or Carol. It's like—she's not even capable of such talk, you know? Yet to hear her speak like that, talking about how she'd bring everyone to justice... it's wrong. It's way too wrong."

"That's right!" Kirika exclaimed. "This can't... there's no just no way that's how she's feeling! She just can't! She's always so bubbly and cheerful and—!"

"And always keeps her feelings hidden so no one would worry about her, hiding her own pain behind a forced smile," Maria interjected, causing the uproarious girl to fall silent.

Adam smirked once again. "Well, if she is supposed to be 'bubbly and cheerful' as you say, then it sure did not show itself last night. She was vicious, that was for sure. Quite like myself, I must admit."

Kirika clenched her fist, determined to deny him. "Then... then it must be an evil spirit! Like the King of Atlantis or something! Or maybe Gungnir itself was causing her to have bad thoughts the entire time she had it!"

"Unfortunately, that cannot be true, Kirika-kun," Genjuro answered. "If that was the case, then that influence would have disappeared when the original Gungnir fragment was vaporized in the Shenshoujing's light. Besides that, he said that the god-slaying power only reacts to the presence of divine power. It would not have any reason to respond if there was nothing to respond to. No... these hatreds that she holds... have been deeply ingrained within her for a long time."

A somber silence fell upon them from his words. It was a fact too terrible to believe. Kirika knew that people did hold grudges. It was a fact of life. However, it was hard to believe that Hibiki of all people held them too. Because if those grudges caused Hibiki to turn against them all...

Then it means that deep inside, she still hated each and every one of them in some way.

In the corner of the doctor's office, next to his desk, Miku sat in silence. She had heard every single bit of Adam's explanation. Every little piece of information entered her mind and burned itself into her brain, and that only caused her horror and sadness to grow even more.

Alongside a resentment that she too, kept buried far below the surface.

She had kept her gaze on the floor, muttering one single phrase to herself that closed the circle in her mind.

"Everything... was because... of the Symphogear..."

Tomosato was too busy paying attention to Adam to notice what the girl had said, but she did turn to look at her sympathetically once his explanation was finished. There was no possible way to describe it.

Kirika wracked her mind for an answer, something, anything that could serve as a counterargument. "I... I need proof!" She declared, looking to Shirabe for acknowledgment. "I won't believe anything like that unless there is physical proof!"

"Well, good luck finding that proof, little girl," Adam said to her mockingly, causing her to glare at him. "Tachibana Hibiki will not just hand it to you at this point. Unless of course...there is someone else who can provide it," he said cryptically, moving his eye to stare at the sobbing girl in the corner of the room. The rest followed his gaze, and their eyes fell upon her as well.

It didn't take long for Miku to realize they were referring to her. She raised her head, her eyes bloodshot and wide and met their gazes. She shrunk, desperate to hide away from their curious looks, unwilling to divulge the information that she had kept hidden all this time. It was something even _she _was not meant to know about, having come across it completely by accident a long time ago.

Yet it seemed that now she had no choice. If she wanted to save Hibiki, then she would have to reveal her best friend's deepest, darkest secret. She swallowed hard and lowered her head again. "There... there is proof," she said weakly. "In... In Lydian. We have to go back to Lydian for it. Back to my room. Back in my..." she choked weakly on her name. "My and Hibiki's... room."

The hesitation with which she admitted it was heartbreaking. They turned their gazes away from her, giving her some space. In response, Genjuro spoke up. "Then my question is this," he said. "What do we need to do in order to get Hibiki-kun back?"

"It's either one of two things," Adam answered. "Either you remove the divine power from her, which will probably cause the malice to recede. However, that is not guaranteed, and I doubt you will find a way to remove that divine presence from her either way. It's ironic really, as she alone holds the power to destroy it."

"And what is the other option?" Genjuro asked.

"Remove the Symphogear from her. I assume that once it's removed, its influence upon her will cease. But it will have to be total and complete. Destroy it thoroughly until nothing is left. That is surely more certain, although equally as difficult," Adam answered.

"Then we have a plan of action," Genjuro announced. "Maria-kun, you and—"

"Hold on a moment," Saint-Germain said, interrupting the commander. "There is one question I would like an answer to."

Adam narrowed his eyes at her. "What is it?"

She met his gaze with her own. "How is it possible that Tachibana Hibiki was able to become the vessel for the divine power in the first place? A human harboring the Original Sin cannot possibly contain such a thing. Why is she the exception?"

It was a question that went over the heads of the members of S.O.N.G, who were not aware of what the Original Sin was.

But Adam, who was aware, was caught by surprise. "To tell you the truth, Saint-Germain, I do not know. Such a thing baffles even me. Something must have happened to her that possibly removed that taint from her, but other than that I have no explanation."

Genjuro was surprised. It was a question that Adam, who so far had given them nothing but answers, was completely clueless to. And it was impossible that it had no significance. It was another factor that they had to investigate.

Saint-Germain said nothing more, allowing the commander to continue his previous announcement. "As I said, we now have a plan of action," He said again. "Maria-kun, you will go with Miku-kun to Lydian to find this proof."

Maria nodded in acknowledgment, and looked towards the girl in the corner of the room, her head still downcast.

"Tomosato, Fujitaka," He continued, and the two bridge members rose in response. "The two of you will investigate the dilemma Ms. Saint-Germain was referring to."

They nodded in acknowledgment.

"The rest of you," he said, looking towards Chris, Shirabe, and Kirika. "Go over our files and try to find anything you can about methods to remove divine power or Symphogears forcefully. I am granting you full access to the decrypted Val Verde files. Does anyone have any questions?"

Nobody said anything in response. "Then, dismissed."

And the gathering was broken up. The three younger Symphogear wielders left first, heading to the archives to begin their search. Maria approached the downcast Miku and kneeled in front of her. Seeing that she was in good hands, Tomosato left the girl's side and along with Fujitaka went back to the bridge. "Let's go, Miku-san. Let's get you home."

Miku nodded weakly and allowed Maria to bring her to her feet. Holding the grief-stricken girl by the hand, Maria dragged her outside, starting the long trek to the school.

Only Genjuro, Elfnein, Adam, and Saint-Germain remained. They sat in silence until the alchemist threw the covers off of herself, getting up from the bed. "I'll also go and investigate. I cannot just lie here uselessly," she said. She approached the stand next to Genjuro's bed and grabbed Adam by his hair. "You are coming with me."

The puppet could only respond with a smirk. "Suit yourself."

With him in hand, they left the medical room and followed after the bridge members, leaving the commander and the young homunculus alone. Just as Genjuro wanted.

"Elfnein-kun," he said. "It seems that we no longer have a choice in the matter."

The girl looked at him sadly. "Genjuro-san..."

"Elfnein-kun, my mission to you is this: please start preparing it," he simply ordered, and she instantly caught his meaning, shocking her.

"But," she began to say. "We don't know if she'll even accept it!"

"You're right... but it's the only choice we have. We'll have to make her accept it even if she doesn't want to. If what Adam Weishaupt said is true... then it might be our only hope."

"You'll really... use her like this? Especially after last time?" She asked hesitantly, not sure what sort of answer to expect.

"Yes, I will. I will do what I must. It is my duty to protect both the world and Hibiki-kun, and that is the only method I know how," he said whole-heartedly, causing Elfnein to lower her head.

She clenched her fist to her chest, and raised her head back, looking him straight in the eyes. "Then... I'll share that burden along with you. I won't let you go into this alone."

Genjuro smiled warmly and placed a hand on her head. "Thank you, Elfnein-kun. I truly appreciate your kindness."

She also smiled, and he removed his hand. "Then, I'll go take care of it," she said, and left the room, heading straight to her lab to begin her work.

And Genjuro remained alone in the medical room, along with the still unconscious Tsubasa. He looked towards the pod within she was encased, and was reminded of the day she had used her Superb Song all that time ago.

Barely a year has passed since then, yet it felt so long ago to him. The day she had sung the ultimate song out of suicidal despair.

Yet he could only think back to the end of the battle, with Hibiki standing above him with her spear raised. When she lowered it, it instead struck the ground next to him. It baffled him at that moment as to why she did not kill him, but he could not vocalize his shock. She stood there silently, leaning on the spear, and then suddenly retracted it and disappeared into thin air.

He was not sure what happened at that moment, but there was one thing he was certain of: Hibiki had spared him, despite all of the grudges she bore. And that was proof enough for him that she could still be saved.

And he would be damned if they failed to do that.

He swore it in his heart.


	5. Chapter 5: Where Darkness Lies

S.O.N.G. Archives.

A large collection of all the information the division has gathered over the years. Ranging from historical manuscripts to classified government documents, it was one of the most top-secret libraries currently existing in the world.

And it was exactly where three certain Symphogear wielders found themselves in. They dug through both written documents and digital records to find anything they could about the mystery they were given.

Chris typed the question into the terminal and was aggravated by the results it returned. Their task was to try and find any sort of methods to forcibly remove either divine power or a Symphogear from someone, and right now their search was completely fruitless. They had nothing, absolutely nothing. Not even Kirika and Shirabe, who were going over the printed records could not find anything that could help them.

"Aaghhhhhhh!" Kirika exclaimed in frustration from within a pile of documents. "This is getting us nowhere!"

"We just have to keep looking, Kiri-chan," Shirabe informed her, also going over the various piles she had made during their search. They haven't been able to find anything worthwhile, although Shirabe did manage to find some interesting reading material for herself about their relics.

She never read the Enuma Elish before, despite all her knowledge about the goddess Zababa. It could be worth going over it later, so she placed the book aside and kept on looking through the relevant documents.

It wasn't as if they didn't know of a method to forcibly remove Symphogears. In fact, each and every one of them still remembered it vividly. The day they unearthed Frontier from the ocean floor by manipulating Miku to wield the Shenshoujing as a Symphogear, with its power turning out to be the ability to erase relics. And it did so magnificently. Not only did it summon Frontier, but it had also vaporized both itself and the Gungnir fragments within Hibiki that were threatening her life.

It was one of the more peculiar Symphogears to have ever existed. However, it was also gone, and with it the only surefire way to rescue Hibiki.

Although, even if they did have it, nothing promised that Miku would willingly wield it again, considering past circumstances.

It was a train of thought they had already considered, but there was no point dwelling on the past. They had to go over anything they possibly could, perhaps twice over, until they found the solution. They just had to believe it existed.

They continued their search in silence, with only the sound of Chris' tapping and the swooshing of pages to accompany them.

Kirika eventually came upon a document about Norse Mythology, detailing the life of the god Odin. She flipped through the pages sadly, an antique image of his spear greeting her eyes. "I still... can't believe this is happening," she said sadly.

Shirabe looked to her in sympathy and held her hand. "I just... how could this have happened? Why to her? Why to us?" Tears started to form at the edge of her eyes, vividly recalling Hibiki's cold stare. "This wasn't supposed to happen. We were supposed to celebrate her birthday together. We should have been at school right now, eating chocolate cake and playing games and telling jokes and giving her presents and having fun... but instead... we have this!" She yelled, gesturing at the mountain of documents piled in front of them. "Tsubasa-senpai was seriously injured, and so was the commander. We were forced to team up with our enemies just so we could survive, and nobody in the world knows where she is right now or what she's thinking! None of this is fair!"

Chris clenched her teeth as hard as she could, her furious typing stopping. "We know what she's thinking," she said, getting Kirika's attention. "You heard the bastard, didn't you? She's remembering every single bad thing anyone has ever done to her. She is probably thinking about the days we tried to kill her and now she's going to come back and get her revenge on us. That's what she is thinking. Even with godlike power, she stays an idiot."

Kirika could only grit her teeth in response, holding the tears back. "But... but why? Why would she feel that way? I just don't understand."

"Who knows? You heard what the old man said. It's probably something she kept hidden for a while. The only one who seems to know exactly is Miku, and you saw how well she was handling it," Chris reminded her.

Kirika looked even more downcast than before, still absentmindedly flipping through the pages. "And all that talk she had about ridding the world of the sinful. It was so scary. It really was like looking at Dr. Ver and Carol all over again. And worse, she even started using an Armed Gear!"

"Just goes to show how much those curses have affected her," Shirabe told her. "And that's why we are here. We are here to find any way to get her back and take back our happy days. And we won't stop until we succeed, right?"

Kirika nodded quickly, rubbing the tears from her eyes. "Yeah, that's right. We won't stop until we succeed!" And raised her fist high up in the air.

Shirabe smiled, content she managed to cheer Kirika up, and followed suit. Their willpower reinvigorated, their continued their search.

Chris smiled briefly to herself, then went back to the console. They were right, no use being depressed about it. Just do whatever they can to find a solution.

-!-

S.O.N.G's bridge was likewise busy as the wielders as they researched everything they could about the situation. Tomosato's and Fujitaka's assignment proved to be no less difficult. There was a lot of information to go through, and even though they knew what to look for, they didn't know where to find it. They didn't even know what the Original Sin _was. _Was it the Curse of Balal, or Adam's sin of eating the Forbidden Fruit from the Tree of Knowledge? And if it was one of those things, what does it mean to be rid of it? How does one even rid oneself of it? And why is it a bad thing that it exists?

There were too many questions that needed to be answered and not enough time to find answers. No, it was more like the allotted time they had was unknown, which made them all the more nervous. Nobody knew when Hibiki would suddenly appear again. Just the first battle proved to be too much, with her defeating ALL of their fighting force, allies and enemies both.

Fortunately, there was someone more knowledgeable about the subject than them, and she just walked through the door.

Saint-Germain entered the bridge and looked around at the consoles, Adam's head still clutched in one of her hands. Tomosato, who noticed her entry, rose up from her seat and approached her. "St. Germain-san, welcome. Is there any way I can help you?" She asked.

"Yes, there is," the alchemist answered. "I could not simply sit and do nothing while my allies are doing whatever they can to solve this problem. As a result, I have decided to assist you in your search for answers. It was originally my question that caused you to go to such lengths after all."

Tomosato's eyes widened in surprise, taken aback. Saint-Germain simply looked at her with her usual frown. "Is there something wrong?"

Tomosato was broken from her trance and shook her head. "No, it's nothing. We'll be glad to have your assistance," she said, guiding Saint-Germain to one of the free consoles. "I'll log you in using my user, so you have access to the database. Feel free to do with it as you wish."

"Very well," Saint-Germain answered. "I thank you."

Tomosato nodded with a smile, and together they approached one of the free consoles. She quickly logged into the database using her code and gestured Saint-Germain to it. "If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask," Tomosato told her, and the alchemist nodded in acknowledgment.

She sat down and placed Adam's head on the table, making sure to keep a good eye on him so he would not disappear while she was busy. It took her a few moments to get used to the awkward keyboard, but soon enough she was surfing through the database, looking for any answer she could find.

"You seem to be getting along quite well with them, Saint-Germain," Adam suddenly said, breaking her concentration. "Who knows, you might truly become friends."

Saint-Germain grumbled. "I don't want to hear that from you. And besides, I'm not becoming friends with them. We are merely allies until this incident is resolved, nothing more, nothing less," she simply answered.

He huffed in response. "If that is what you keep telling yourself, then sure."

She met his mocking gaze with a serious one of her own. "Perhaps I'll adopt the words the girl used before and apply them to you as well. If you have nothing good to say, then don't say anything at all."

"Quite contradictory aren't you?" He asked, and she held herself back from punching him in the face. He noticed her restraint and merely smirked. "Do you even know what it is you are looking for?"

"Somewhat," she answered. "The first step is to always look at the cause and then see where it leads from there. After we research it enough, there must be something that can explain what removed it in the first place. And we can only achieve that by going through all of Tachibana Hibiki's records. Something there will be the key to all of this."

"You say such obvious things, Saint-Germain," he said to her mockingly.

"Hmph, as if you are any help here at all. You've obviously outlived your usefulness, Lodgemaster," she said.

He instantly glared at her, and she smirked. After a moment, he regained his bearings and smiled again. "Perhaps right now I am indeed not so useful, having imparted all of the knowledge I had related to this subject," he said.

She didn't bother to give him a response. Anything he would say would only be a distraction from her main goal. She kept on looking through the database, researching the Original Sin as much as she could. Even over four hundred years of knowledge could end up not being enough when faced with a situation you had no experience in. She knew the details of the story behind the Original Sin in and out and how it became a sort of inheritance to humanity.

But nothing, absolutely NOTHING said anything about being able to remove it. It was supposed to be unremovable after all. In fact, sources have always been conflicted if it ever existed at all. Through the years, Saint-Germain eventually discovered that it did, growing frustrated by the fact that in her pursuit of the perfect world, she'll never be able to shape it herself.

But that was fine with her. She saw what happened to those who wield divine power, and quickly realized it was not what she wanted. Absolute power corrupts absolutely after all. She did wonder if Adam would have been able to wield it, being a puppet and all, but figured that she'd rather pass on that. It has already become much more of a problem than it should have been.

And it was at that moment she came across the one folder that she was quite frankly, not looking towards researching: Tachibana Hibiki's personal records.

It was not that she had an aversion to them. In fact, it was the exact opposite. She knew that the answer lay somewhere within these files. However, it did not feel right to just look through them. Saint-Germain had never liked it when others questioned her about her past. As a result, she felt it would be a crime to do so to the person who held out her hand to her, despite the circumstances they found themselves in.

For a brief moment, Saint-Germain wondered. She wondered if in some other world, some other reality if the two of them had met under much more positive terms...

Would they have been able to become friends?

The alchemist shook her head. There was no use thinking about what-ifs. The now is now. She had put aside her morals, and even her soul in order to create a better world. A few pixels on a screen would be the last thing that would stop her from doing so.

She adjusted herself in her seat, opened the folder, and began reading the chaotic story of the girl who wished for a world of understanding.

-!-

The ride to the academy was spent in silence. As soon as Maria dragged Miku outside, they discovered that to their surprise, a car was already waiting for them. When Miku entered the car, she realized that the driver was the same one that took her to the battlefield just last night.

One night. That's all that passed. For the girl, it felt as if months had passed since then and she still could not believe it. Her mind was in constant turmoil, and she could only think of how Hibiki had changed so radically because of the influence of the Symphogear.

The Symphogear. Everything always led back to the Symphogear. It became something akin to an excuse at this point. If anything happened that could not be explained with the knowledge they had, then it always had something to do with the relics they wielded. Some 'mystical' or 'hidden' part of the system that even they did not know about.

Only Sakurai Ryouko knew more than they did about the Symphogear, and look at how it turned out for her.

Miku gritted her teeth in frustration, an act that Maria noticed. However, the foreign idol chose to remain silent, thinking about recent events, particularly her own role in them.

'_Remembering every little thing done to slight her, no matter how insignificant, huh?' _She thought to herself. Hibiki had plenty of reasons to hate her, that's for sure. Everything that happened during her time posing as a fake Fine certainly fit the bill. Everything she had done went against her, sometimes almost personally.

She glanced briefly at the girl beside her, recalling the time she had held her hostage, and how she did nothing as she watched Dr. Ver charm her with his sweet words. Telling her she could save Hibiki from certain death by becoming 'like her'.

What a farce it was. In the end, it may have saved Hibiki the fate of being swallowed up by the Gungnir's fragment, but it, in turn, created a slew of other problems that they managed to resolve by the skin of their teeth. Yeah, Hibiki had plenty of reason to loathe her. Yet she accepted her, held out her hand to her, and became her friend.

Maria, for a long time, did not believe she deserved such compassion. When she lost Mom after Ver betrayed her, she felt lost and helpless. And Hibiki just upped the ante by supporting the idea of going to the moon and reclaiming the matriarch's body, claiming that she had done everything with good intentions, and those with good intentions deserve to come back home. Even though the phrase went 'the path to hell is pathed by good intentions', Hibiki was the only one who could turn it on itself.

Now that their situations were reversed, and Hibiki was now the one claiming she will rebuild the world anew, Maria knew she could not stand aside. She knew better than anyone among them how fruitless such an effort was, and how the end result never matches the expectation.

Maria was in Hibiki's debt twenty times over, and she knew it; and it made this situation all the more painful for her as well, which was why she resolved to do what she could to get her back.

She will repay Hibiki's kindness tenfold.

And if supporting her grieving best friend was one such manner, then she'd gladly do so a hundred times over.

About twenty minutes later, they arrived at Lydian. Despite the chaotic events of the previous night, watching the lively students going about their day was almost surreal. It would be the first time Maria ever set foot in the academy, and quite frankly she was excited, in her own way. To see a whole school dedicated to songs, and the place Hibiki called home.

They thanked the driver and left the car. Almost instantly, dozens of eyes turned to look at the elder girl, surprised at the appearance of the idol in the premises. Immediately the whispers began as Miku, still dressed as she was since last night, led Maria through the entryway.

Maria studied her surroundings, completely ignoring the people around her. She was used to this kind of treatment, so it was nothing special in her mind. The last thing they needed, however, was for paparazzi to arrive, which was something they wanted to desperately avoid.

"Hina?" Someone called out from the crowd. Miku stopped in her tracks, raising her head to the source of the voice. She caught sight of the familiar trio running up to them, looking quite confused.

"Girls..." She whispered hesitantly, not quite willing to face them yet.

"We've been looking all over for you," Kuriyo said in her usual happy-go-lucky manner. "I never imagined that you'd come to school with a celebrity! Ever since Kazanari-senpai graduated, we've been missing having someone famous to hang around with! Although I gotta wonder why you're not in your uniform." She turned to Maria, who smiled towards them. "I don't think we've ever really introduced ourselves or thanked you for saving us back then. I'm Kuriyo Ando. Nice to meet you, Maria-san!"

"And I'm Terashima Shiroi."

"And I'm Itaba Yumi!"

"It's nice to meet you," Maria responded. "My name is Maria Cadenzavna Eve. I am pleased to see you are doing well." She knew they didn't really have time for this, but she had to stay cordial with the masses after all, especially if they were Miku's friends. However, if friends from school were involved, it would naturally lead to...

Kuriyo flashed a toothy grin and turned to Miku. "By the way, Hina, do you know where Bikki is?"

To that.

Maria could see the exact moment that Miku stiffened, unable to respond to the question. There was absolutely no way she could answer it honestly. Why would they believe her if she could barely believe it herself? No, she had to keep it hidden no matter what.

Kuriyo looked at her curiously, surprised by her silence. Miku tried to speak, but her voice could only come out as a garbled stutter, so Maria swooped in for the rescue. "Hibiki-san is currently unavailable. She won't be coming to school for the foreseeable future," she lied, shocking the trio.

"Eh?! But why?! Is it one of those super-secret missions you can't tell us about? Like in anime?" Yumi exclaimed.

Maria raised an eyebrow at the girl's strange assumption but decided to go along with it. "That's right. She is on an important mission that we can't talk about and won't be back for quite a while. I'll tell her you're worried about her though. She seemed kind of lonely last time I spoke with her," she continued.

"Oh, that's too bad. So what brings you here, Maria-san?" Kuriyo asked her.

"That," Maria answered. "Is also a secret."

"Oh come on! Share with us at least a little bit! Please, Hina?" Kuriyo begged, looking to Miku for sympathy.

Her black-haired friend decided to go along with Maria's story. "Sorry girls... Lips are sealed."

The trio looked downcast for a moment but brushed it aside quickly. "Oh well, so long as Bikki is safe then everything will be fine," she said, not noticing the frown that appeared on Maria's and Miku's faces. "Want us to show you around, Maria-san?"

The elder smiled. "Thank you Kuriyo-san, but I have Miku-san to do that for me, although I appreciate it. You three should go to class by now, no?"

Kuriyo looked at her watch and began to panic. "Crap! You're right! Come on girls, we gotta go!" She yelled, turning around. "Hina, you're not coming?"

Miku lifted her head and forcefully smiled. "Not today, sorry."

"Alright. I'll tell the teacher something I guess. See you later! And nice to finally meet you Maria-san!" Kuriyo yelled as she began running, with the other two following after her. Shiori's gaze remained on the two as they waved to them, then turned back and joined the others.

Maria lowered her hand as other students began to scurry inside the building. "You have nice friends, Miku-san."

Miku looked back to the ground. "Yeah...I do." And began to walk forward as well, leading Maria to their destination.

The idol said nothing and followed after her in silence. She looked around as Miku led her through the academy interior, inwardly commending them on the well-done architecture. It seemed like a very luxurious school meant for high class, yet even someone like Hibiki, who had a difficult family situation could also attend it. She remembered Shirabe say something about 'cheap tuition that our salaries can pay for' or something like that.

But that was just an afterthought in order to alleviate her boredom somewhat. Even if they came here for an important reason, Miku was a quiet companion, even more so than usual. Maria didn't have a whole lot of interactions with her even after the Frontier incident. She kind of regretted that. If Miku was able to rein in the carefree Hibiki, then perhaps they would get along well.

It took them a few minutes to navigate the academy's halls but eventually reached their destination. They stood before the sleek mahogany door, and Miku fumbled with her keys, opening the door to the interior. Maria walked in first and took a good look at the room Miku and Hibiki shared.

It was definitely spacious, she had to give them that. Two levels, one elevated a bit more than the other, and a large window to the outside, giving them a nice view of the city at large. A T.V, a private kitchen, and a bunk bed all pointed towards a nice use of space and resources.

Yet despite its accommodating space, it felt a little bit on the cold side. Perhaps it was the weather, or perhaps because a certain someone was not here to warm it up.

Miku entered after her, closing the door. She then headed straight to the bunk bed and kneeled down next to it. "It's here."

Maria studied the bed, noticing the fact that the bottom part was used as storage for quite many cardboard boxes. She raised an eyebrow at that. "Do you two share the above bed?"

"Yes," Miku answered. "It was Hibiki's idea. She said we could use the bottom bunk as storage for all the boxes we didn't open. At first, I was kind of weirded out by the idea, but now I don't think I can ever change it. Only once did we ever sleep separately, when we fought back when I first discovered what she was doing. I was mad at her for that," she said as she curiously looked under the beds, seeking out something on the floor. "It was because we promised not to keep secrets, even though I knew she couldn't tell me. I was so worried about her coming back so late at night, but I didn't want to question it. I was just happy that she came back."

Maria heard one of the floorboards give way, and Miku withdrew a small, blue box. It wasn't impressive in any shape or form, but Maria understood it held great importance. Miku stood up again and led her to the table on the lower part of the room. "But this time she didn't. I stayed up all night waiting for her. But she didn't come back. I held on and on, hoping just to see her and make sure she was alright. But she didn't come back. Two days later I got the call from Genjuro-san, asking me to come and help."

She sat at one end of the table, and Maria took her seat on the opposite side. Nobody other than Hibiki and herself had ever sat in those two chairs. In her heart, Miku almost felt like she was cheating, allowing someone who was not Hibiki into this room. She placed the box in the middle of the table. "I never would have believed that this is how things would turn out. That Hibiki... would suddenly go crazy. I never thought I'd see the day...that I would be afraid of her coming back."

Maria looked at her sadly, understanding her pain. She pointed to the box before them. "So this is..."

"The proof... that Kirika-chan desperately wanted," Miku answered, dragging the box closer to her. "I never knew this box existed until a year ago, around the time Hibiki first started fighting. It was so secret nobody had ever known about it other than her. Even her mother and grandmother don't know about this box. The first time I ever came across it was an accident too," she recounted. "It was around the time Hibiki first started fighting. One night as we were sleeping, I woke up suddenly after hearing a weird noise, and I saw that Hibiki was not in her bed. When I looked down, I saw her looking at this box. I never saw it before then, so I was wondering where she got it from. I stayed silent, not wanting to disturb her, and that's when I saw her put it somewhere under the bed and not together with the other boxes."

She stroked the top cover of it like it was a precious jewel. "My curiosity got the better of me, so one day while she was out I went looking for this box. After a short search, I found it, and looked through the contents..." Her tone suddenly fell, becoming glum. "This is what Hibiki has been hiding. This is something she hasn't shared even with me. If she found out I knew about this... then she'd surely hate me too."

She began to take the cover off when Maria suddenly reached over the table and put her hand over hers. "Are you sure you want to show this to me?" She asked. "This is something personal for her. Are you sure you are okay with this?"

"No," Miku admitted. "But I have to. If we can't help her face those grudges... then she'll never be free of them. If this is what it takes to get her back then... I don't mind if she hates me. As long as she goes back to being herself."

Miku's resolve surprised Maria, who believed she wouldn't even think about it. '_She's stronger than she believes herself to be.' _She thought to herself. It was truly admirable, the lengths she would go for her dear friend.

"Very well then," Maria said, removing her hand and sitting back down.

Miku removed the cover from the box and placed it in the middle of the table, and Maria took a look inside.

It was a collection of a bunch of loose papers, that's the first thing she noticed. Newspaper clippings, folded up pages, and even pictures of people were all contained within the box. She reached over and grabbed the first clipping she saw, and read the headline.

'NOISE ATTACK AT IDOL CONCERT CLAIMS HUNDREDS OF LIVES'

Maria's eyes widened in shock. This was...

She placed it aside and took another from the box.

'IDOL DIES DURING NOISE ATTACK'

She took another.

'FATHER OF NOISE VICTIM TALKS'

And another.

'SURVIVOR OF NOISE ATTACK THEORIZED TO BE RESPONSIBLE'

Her eyes widened further. These were all newspaper headlines from over three years ago, detailing the massacre that occurred at the Zwei Wing concert. Maria obviously heard of it as soon as it happened, and at the time grieved for the deceased.

She reached into the box again, taking something else. This time it was a loose piece of paper, folded in two. She opened it up and her eyes widened even further.

'**DIE'**

She took another.

'**MURDERER'**

And another.

'**KILL YOURSELF' 'BRING ME BACK MY CHILD' 'KILLER' 'DIE' 'DISAPPEAR' 'GO AWAY' 'DIE' 'DIE' 'DIE' 'DIE' 'DIE' 'DIE' 'DIE' 'DIE' 'DIE' 'DIE' 'DIE' 'DIE' 'DIE' 'DIE' 'DIE'**

'**MONSTER'**

Maria was unsettled by the myriad collection of curses written. She understood why Miku had exploded at hearing the Kazanari patriarch insult Hibiki. But these were...

"Are these all... from back then?" She asked.

Miku nodded. "Yes. After the rumors started, people from all over the neighborhood, even from other provinces, would come and put these on the walls outside the house. They would sometimes even throw rocks and other things and regularly break the windows. Every time I came to visit her I would find these taped to the house and I would remove them one by one and throw them in the trash. Sometimes I even caught some of the people, most of them kids and teenagers, redhanded. They had the nerve to put these when no one could see them, but once someone caught them they would run with their tails between their legs. A bunch of lowlifes, the lot of them."

Maria took more papers from the box, looking all of them over and studying them. Miku continued. "It was so bad the government had to declare her legally dead so the bullying would stop. But even with that, it didn't stop. At school, at the store, on the streets. Nowhere was safe for her to be. She was bullied so much at school that the principal even asked her mother to stop her from going to school, saying that as long as she comes to her exams she won't be marked absent. More than once she was pushed down the stairs and sent home with a bloody head and with bruises. She couldn't go anywhere, so she locked herself in her room, going by with nothing more than Tsubasa-san's music to keep her company."

Maria had heard this story before in an abridged form, but never thought it was so bad. "All of her other friends abandoned her by the first week. When I didn't stop visiting her, I also became the target of their jeers and insults, asking how I dared to 'associate with a murderer' and 'you probably helped her do it.' This was the excuse our peers at school made up to explain the massacre. It didn't help if I tried to correct them, because they already made up their own version and would accept nothing but that."

The elder's heart just continued to break as she listened to the story and kept on looking through the papers. There were even yearbooks pictures in it, none of them containing the girl herself. However, what Maria found disturbing was the fact that some of them were scribbled over, for reasons she dared not ask.

"I tried to support her as much as I could. I visited every day, bringing her food and homework and music to listen to, anything just so she would cheer up. It was then the first time I noticed how she hid her feelings away, and she always forcefully laughed just so I wouldn't worry about her," Miku continued, looking at the papers settling on the table. "At times her mother told me that it would be dangerous to continue coming, but I persisted. I resolved to never abandon Hibiki when she needed me."

Maria looked through the yearbook pictures, seeing some of them scribbled and some of them simply circled with a pen. When she looked below the photos, she found that it indicated as to what each marking meant.

'**DEAD' 'DEAD' 'DEAD'**.

Countless photos with the scribbles, indicating the deceased, and others marked with some very disturbing words.

'**HATE THIS PERSON' 'HATE' 'HATE' 'PUSHED ME DOWN THE STAIRS' 'HATE' 'HATE' 'PUNCHED MIKU'**

Maria looked up at the girl before her, her eyes still wide, and Miku instantly realized what she came upon. "Eventually, I suggested the idea of going to study at Lydian. I told her that it was far enough away and that we were the only two from our area that applied, so we won't have to worry about the rumors following her here. It took a while to convince her and her mother, but eventually, they relented. She studied hard, harder than ever in her life, and managed to pass the entrance exams. Once we finished middle school, we packed up our things and left to Lydian, where we could begin anew and leave everything behind."

Yet Maria continued to look through the papers and understood what truly happened. "But it ended up not being the case."

"Yeah, it ended up not being the case," Miku repeated. "I never would have believed that she would go through the trash and take out these horrible papers out of it. I never would have thought she would steal newspapers and take clippings of the massacre from them. I never would have believed that she would take people's yearbook photos and write on them who was dead and who she hated. When I discovered this box, I thought that she brought as a way to deal with the incident."

Maria tilted her head in question, and Miku pointed back to the box. She searched through it and found something even more unsettling at the very bottom.

It was a collection of pictures, recent pictures from what she could tell, and of very specific people.

Them.

"But when I looked at it again around a few months ago, I noticed that she still kept putting things inside. She kept on piling up the clippings and papers and the pictures of things she hated, using the box as a way to vent her frustrations. I imagine the reason she can be so carefree is that she treats this box as the place to shut away all her dark emotions, leaving her as she is. But of course, it's not perfect," she said as Maria took out pictures of all five Symphogear wielders, Genjuro, Ver, Carol, Fine, and even her own father. "I never found anything related to me other than what you saw, but I figure once she realizes I've looked through this box, it will contain nothing _but _me."

"You can't think like that, Miku-san," Maria told her. "You are the last person she'd ever hate. You are the one person she did not attack last night, and she treated you with the utmost care she could. You stood by her side when absolutely nobody else did, and I truly believe that she is remembering that every day and every second she lives, even now."

Despite the compliment, Miku remained downcast. "Hibiki is not normal, Maria-san. She hasn't been normal for a very long time. She hides her hatreds behind a forced smile, going on about how she wants to create a world of understanding," she said, looking through the window to the city outside. "But that's not possible. She says she wants people to understand each other, knowing she is doing it because nobody tried to do that for her. But she hates, Maria-san. She hates and fears all the time. How can you create a world like that when that is your default state? When every person you look at you believe will judge you on the spot, so you create some sort of happy-go-lucky persona to make yourself seem more friendly? She used the Symphogear as a way to physically vent her frustrations, while at the same time using this box to hide them."

Maria took a deep breath, the flowery picture of Hibiki slowly cracking in her mind. "She is following an ideal she barely even believes in."

It was like a blow to the stomach, leaving her breathless. To think the real Hibiki would be so messed up did not even go through her mind. "How... do you know all of this?"

"Because I know _her._ Or at least, I thought I did, until I found this box. After I looked through it the first time, I finally understood her for who she really was... or at least, I thought I did," Miku said solemnly, recalling Hibiki's piercing words last night.

"_Then maybe you don't know me well enough."_

Those words still resounded in her ears, making her heart clench in sorrow.

"That is part of the reason why I hate that she is fighting, and part of the reason why I accepted that man's proposal of wielding a Symphogear. I knew the risks, and I knew he would manipulate me for his own ends. But I had to do it. If I didn't, she would have killed herself in the process. I cannot allow that to happen, ever."

"Miku-san..." Maria let out, her respect for the girl before he only growing with each passing second. She looked at the box, then at the papers scattered around on the table. "We truly... have been taking her for granted, haven't we? Her compatibility with her Symphogear is sky high, and her Armed Gear is her ability to connect with others. She could take on all the pain and strains we suffer and put it on herself. Even when deep down she resents us, she does everything she can to understand us. She accepted us when no one else did, purely because she knew exactly how hellish it is when no one does."

Maria held her head with her hand, the guilt bubbling up from within her. "We've been such fools this whole time. Such fools. She has every reason to hate us. It's not even surprising anymore. Of course, the moment she is influenced by that power, all of these feelings come out to the open. Of course she would paint us as her enemies, what reason does she have not to?" She said, mostly to herself. "I can't believe this. How have I been so blind this entire time?"

Miku listened to Maria's self-deprecation silently, offering nothing in response. This incident was shaping up to be far more than they thought. This was no longer just about the fate of the world anymore. "Looks like I'm going to have to apologize to her the next time we meet."

Miku continued to say nothing. As much as she wanted to refute what Maria was saying about herself, she knew deep down that she was right. So she kept her silence, letting the elder come to these realizations on her own.

"Thank you, Miku-san," Maria suddenly said, looking straight into her eyes. "Thank you for showing me this."

Miku smiled warmly at her. "At least I hope that this...will help us bring her back."

Maria started putting the papers back in the box, careful to replace them the same way she took them out. Once she was done, she closed the cover and handed it back to Miku, who held it tightly in her hands. "Shall we go back?" Maria asked the girl.

Miku nodded. "Yes, let's."

The two-headed back to the bed and Miku placed back the box in its place. Maria took one last look at the room. "This box is the one piece of darkness that exists in this room. When you don't know it exists, this place is a warm home, welcoming anyone who wishes to stay in it. Yet beneath the surface hides a dark secret, one that may change the way you look at the room at large," she suddenly said, getting Miku's attention.

It was a soliloquy, one that Maria used to summarize her recent discoveries. Miku found that it spoke the truth. "Yet," Maria continued. "Even though it does exist, this place can still be warm, and can still be home. You can live with the fact that this darkness exists and work to acknowledge it. If you cannot do so by yourself, then it is not a sin to ask for a helping hand."

Miku stared at the elder girl in awe. She spoke true words; heavy words that brought a new perspective to her mind. And how she wished Hibiki was here to hear them.

_*KNOCK KNOCK*_

Both girls turned to stare at the door, surprised by the fact that someone came all the way here to look for them. They looked to each other for a moment, and Miku went ahead to check out who it was. She turned the handle and opened it, surprised to see Kuriyo on the other side.

"Kuriyo, what's wrong?" She asked the girl who looked quite confused.

"Uh, Hina? You said Bikki was on a secret mission, right?" Kuriyo asked. Maria walked forward and joined Miku by the entrance. "Well, I think she just got back."

Miku and Maria's eyes widened as Kuriyo continued speaking. "I mean, she's right at the courtyard now and-"

And the two shot past her before she could even finish. "Oi!" She called out, racing after them.

Miku lead the way, her experience in the track team causing her legs to move faster than ever. Maria ran right behind her, keeping up with her pace as she weaved around people and obstacles on her way to her destination.

Miku abruptly stopped by one of the large windows and looked through it, gasping as she noticed who was in the courtyard. Maria stopped by her and instantly realized what Kuriyo had meant.

Right there, in the very middle of the courtyard, and surrounded by very curious onlookers, was Hibiki. She was dressed in the same way she had been last night, still clad in the corrupted Gungnir.

But what was she doing in Lydian, she did not know. But now that she is here... Perhaps they could try and talk to her.

Kuriyo caught up with them a moment later, and also looked out the window. "So uh... what's up with Bikki? Why does she look like that?" She asked.

Maria turned to Kuriyo quickly. "Kuriyo-san, what do you do in case of an emergency and you have to evacuate the entire school? Such as during a Noise attack?" She asked out of nowhere.

Kuriyo looked at her curiously but answered. "Oh," She exclaimed, pointing to a small emergency lever behind her on the wall. "What we do is pull that and—"

Almost immediately Maria activated the alarm, and the entire school blared and glowed with the blinking red light. Panic fell upon the premises as teachers and students alike filed out of classrooms en masse as they ran for their lives, not sure what the danger was. But someone pulled the lever, and even if it was a prank they had to resort to their instructions. Quickly volunteer students and teachers led the masses out of the building, intent on keeping them away from danger. As the entire school evacuated around them, Maria and Miku looked down through the glass towards Hibiki.

And almost jumped in fright when they noticed she was looking right up at them.

Miku flinched when Kuriyo suddenly put a hand on her shoulder. "Hina, what's going on?" She asked over the sound of the alarm. "What's happening? Why did she pull the alarm?"

Miku wished she could answer her friend's questions, but any explanation she would give right now would pass over her head. There was no time to waste here. "I'm sorry, Kuriyo. I can't tell you. All I can tell you is that you should evacuate with the rest."

"But why Hina? There is no Noise. Does it have something to do with Bikki?"

Miku bit her lip. "Yes, it does," and said nothing more.

Kuriyo looked to her friends, desperate for answers, but knew she would get none. She removed her hand from her shoulder. "Alright, but you better tell me what's going on afterward alright?"

Her kind friend gave no response and kept her gaze locked onto Hibiki. Kuriyo hurriedly joined the crowd behind her, giving them much more freedom to work with. "We should get down there, Miku-san. HQ probably already found out she is here. We should do what we can before everyone else gets here."

Miku nodded in acknowledgment. "Right."

Maria turned back to the pane of glass before her. This was the fastest way. It's a shame she had to ruin a part of this beautiful school. She took out Airgetlam's pendant and chanted.

'_Seilien coffin Airgetlám tron'_

And in a flash of silver light, Maria was clad in her Symphogear. Signaling for Miku to take a step back, she kicked the glass, causing the entire pane to shatter into pieces, allowing them to get through. She grabbed Miku and jumped down to the ground, landing before Hibiki. She put Miku down on her feet, and the two approached the rogue wielder. Miku went first.

"Hibiki." she let out and was only met by a cold stare.

"Miku," Hibiki said, narrowing her eyes at the Symphogear user beside her. "What is she doing here?"

Maria walked up to her. "Hibiki-san," she said. "There is something important I need to tell you."

Hibiki furrowed her eyes, still glaring at Maria. But the elder wielder shrugged it off and...

Bowed.

"I'm sorry, Hibiki-san," she said. Maria knew she couldn't reveal the fact she saw the contents of the box, so she could only keep it vague, hoping that it would be enough.

Unfortunately, it wasn't.

"Why are you apologizing?" Hibiki asked simply. "What is it that you're hiding?"

Maria straightened herself, her eyes wide. "I'm not trying to—"

Hibiki looked between her and Miku. No, she could understand what was going on here. It was so, so _obvious._ She tried to do it before after all. She had no reason to not try again, especially with herself out of the picture.

"No, I can put two and two together," she said, baring her teeth at the older user. "You are trying to take Miku from me."

The outlandish assumption caught Maria and Miku completely off guard. Miku was the first to respond. "No, Hibiki, you've got it all wrong—"

"No, I can see what's going on here. Just once wasn't enough for you Maria-san, was it? You've tried it before, but I stopped you. But I leave for a bit, and you're all over her again. I knew it. I knew you had intentions toward Miku," Hibiki continued, interrupting her friend and laying the blame on Maria even further.

Maria could only take a step back in shock, reeling from Hibiki's completely wrong conclusions. "Hibiki-san, that's not true! That's not what I came here to talk about!"

"Then why are you wearing Airgetlam?" Hibiki asked in response. "Why are you in Lydian?" She advanced on the elder, and Maria took another step back. "You forced Miku to bring you here didn't you?"

"Hibiki! Please!" Miku shouted. "You have it all wrong! That's not what's happening here at all! Please! You have to stop!"

Hibiki just _stared _at Miku, and the girl could see, behind those shining emerald eyes, that something completely _wrong _was going through her mind. This was worse than just taking any slight to the radical extreme. This was straight-up Hibiki hearing what she _wants _to hear. It doesn't matter what the truth is. She was now, just like those peers from middle school, making up her own version of events in her mind and sticking to that version with an iron grip, and everyone else can go to hell.

They came down here to try and talk to her, trying to dissuade her from doing something she will regret. Now, it seemed to be the worst decision they could've ever made.

"Stop?" Hibiki asked almost curiously. "Miku, are you taking her side?"

'_This is way worse than last night!' _Maria thought to herself. '_She completely lost her mind! Her sanity is only further degenerating!'_

She prayed that the others were on their way because with the way things were escalating... words were not going to be the only thing exchanged here today. And the school will most definitely be in danger.

"No!" Miku screamed. "I am not taking sides! Please Hibiki, listen to me!"

But Hibiki ignored her and turned to Maria in a split second. Her voice rose, almost sounding like a roar. "You want to turn her against me!"

The waves of bloodlust rose from her in droves, and Maria could only freeze in horror at the amount of sheer, physical _death _being directed at her. But she couldn't run away. If she did, who knows what Hibiki would do.

So Maria stood her ground and faced the devil head-on. "You're already doing that yourself! Look at you! Are you even listening to what you're saying?! Do you have any idea what you're doing?! You're the one refusing to listen and pushing her away! I have done nothing of the sort!"

But her words never reached her. Hibiki, lost in her hatreds, fears, and insecurities, continued to lash out at her. "YOU WILL NOT TAKE HER FROM ME!"

'_She's lost herself completely. We will never be able to reach her at this rate,' _Maria realized, and sweat began to pour down her brows, and her mind wracked for a solution. '_Delay her. Give time for the rest to arrive. If everything went well, then they have already found a solution.' _

Miku ran to her, standing in front of her and took her hands in her own. "Please Hibiki, please stop! Listen to me! You have to listen to me! You can't let these resentments control you! Please! This is not who you are!"

Hibiki stood in place, and Miku could see the storm of emotion raging in her mind once again. The rogue Symphogear wielder clenched her teeth, torn between Miku's words and holding her bloodthirsty gaze at the woman behind her.

She didn't think she'd have to reveal what happened today so early. But she'll have to tell her. She has to tell her about the fact that she found her box, that she knew what she was hiding. And that despite all of that, she was not going to leave her side. She stayed by her this whole time and supported her through her darkest of times. She was not going to stop now.

Maria could see what Miku was contemplating. She didn't know if it was a good idea or not, but it was worth a try. Because maybe... just maybe.

Miku took a deep breath. "Hibiki, please look at me," she begged.

Somehow, her words got through to her this time. Hibiki met Miku's gaze, and the girl almost instinctively reeled back from the glowing eyes. But she did not show it. She had to prove to Hibiki that she was not scared.

Her heart hammered wildly in her chest. "Hibiki," she began. "I... I know about it."

Hibiki's eyes widened.

And Miku delivered the blow. "I... know about... the box."

Almost immediately Hibiki stiffened in her hold. She went completely still, and Miku swallowed and kept on talking. "I... know what's inside. I... know what's been going through your mind this whole time."

Hibiki began shaking, an action Miku found to be extremely strange. But she couldn't stop. She started it, and now she'll finish it. "And I wanted to tell you that no matter what it is you're feeling... I'm going to be with you. I'm not going anywhere. No one is trying to take me from you. I'm here with you, right here, right now. I've always helped you, didn't I? Please, let me help you. You don't have to do this, please..."

But only silence came from the rogue wielder. Her hands went limp in Miku's own and... began to take steps back.

"No..." She muttered, and Miku looked at her in horror. "Nonononononononononononononononono!"

"Hibiki, what's wrong?! Please tell me—"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

It was a scream the likes of which Maria had never heard before in her life. Disturbing and primal, the mere sound of it tore the trees in the courtyard from the ground by their roots, as if a tornado had spontaneously spawned in it.

Miku shouted over the sound. "Hibiki! Please tell me what's wrong! PLEASE!"

But the raging wind only continued, and Miku could barely hold her ground any longer. Hurriedly, Maria ran to her and held her, withdrawing her sword and stabbing it into the ground like an anchor. Hibiki fell to her knees inside of the storm. "YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT IT! I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT IT!"

Her heart _burned _in her chest as her mind exploded in sorrowful pain. She thought... she thought that if Miku ever found it then...then she'll abandon her.

Had Hibiki been in her right mind, Miku's reassuring words would have been enough to calm her down. But right now, she was not. The insecurities from back then raced to the forefront of her mind, and visions of an impossible future flashed before her eyes.

Visions of Miku, the only friend she had left in the world, casting her aside just like everyone else.

And her corrupted mind, trying to find some sort of escape from this torment, decided to pin the blame on the closest target. Her eyes locked onto Maria, who was still holding onto Miku.

"MARIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The storm grew tenfold. And as soon as Maria heard her name being screamed over it... She knew that the situation had reached rock bottom.

Only one phrase could summarize her thoughts at that moment.

'_Oh shit.'_

And Lydian Private Music Academy vanished in a flash of blinding light.


	6. Chapter 6: Past Remnants

Another dead end.

Chris groaned, slumping back in her chair for the tenth time since they began. For all of their motivation to keep looking for answers, they were just irrevocably stuck. There was absolutely no information about what they were looking for.

No, it wasn't that there was no information. It was that every single lead she got only drew her back to the Shenshoujing. Absolutely everything she had found, whether it was about relics, curses, grudges, ghosts, spirits, ogres, yetis, and whatever else that she looked up just all pointed in the direction of the lost Symphogear.

It was like the database was reminding her that it was the 'optimal solution' to their dilemma.

But what use was the solution if it was _gone, _vaporized into dust in the wind?

She looked back at her underclassmen, who were still going over the pile of documents they had sprawled out on the floor. She could see Kirika was as energetic as ever, her eyes darting between the pages rapidly.

Well, not like it would help anyone. After all, if she couldn't find it in the database then Kirika will never—

"HA AH!"

Chris spun in the chair in surprise at the sudden noise. Kirika was standing, holding a piece of paper in her hand high in the air. "I think I found something!" She exclaimed.

Chris got up from the chair and went over to her, and Shirabe stood up as well. Kirika brought her hand down, letting the two read the paper from the sides.

"What is it?" Chris asked, taken aback that the somewhat dimwitted underclassmen actually found a lead.

"Well, I was thinking," Kirika said. "You probably noticed it too, Chris-senpai, that no matter what we do it always leads back to the Shenshoujing right?"

Chris nodded. "Yeah, I noticed. I tried to find something else but I always met dead ends. But what about it? We all know it's gone. There is no point trying to look up more about it."

"That's what I thought too! But then I thought 'wait, if it always leads us back to this, then why not research it a bit more?' and that's how it led me to this!" She added, tapping the paper with her hand several times.

Chris gritted her teeth in frustration. '_Did I just get outsmarted by HER?' _She thought with disbelief. "Alright, let's see what you found," She said and snatched the paper from her hand with a single motion.

"HEY!"

She ignored her. Chris went back to her chair and sat down, looking over the document. Kirika pouted, but Shirabe rubbed her back and they both sat on the floor before Chris, who began to read the paper out loud.

"The Shinju-kyo: A detailed history of relations between ancient China and the kingdom of Wa." She recited, raising an eyebrow.

Kirika simply looked confused. "Eh? Wa? What's that?" She asked.

"It's the oldest recorded name of Japan. I think it was first found in old Chinese texts, right?" Shirabe answered, looking to Chris for confirmation.

The upperclassmen nodded, and looked back to the paper, skimming over the parts she found irrelevant such as the first meeting between the two nations and other unimportant topics. She eventually came upon the first mention of the mirror and continued reading aloud.

"The Shinju-kyo, also known as the Shenshoujing, is an ancient type of bronze mirror decorated with images of gods and animals from mythology. They are all handcrafted, and the original mirror was said to originate in China and frequently produced during the 1st century until the 6th century CE. The first historical reference to the bronze mirror is in the collection known as 'The Records of the Three Kingdoms'. It mentions the relations between the Emperor Cao Rui of Wei and Queen Himiko of Wa. It was said that the Emperor, along with the Wei court, frequently sent presents to the Queen, along with..."

Her eyes widened in shock as she read the next line. "One... hundred... bronze mirrors..."

Kirika's face lit up, and she turned to Shirabe in happiness, who also smiled at the discovery. Chris continued reading, now engrossed in the text. "Eventually, with the spread of Chinese bronze casting technology, the Shinju-kyo also began to be produced in Japan and the Korean peninsula..."

There was no point in reading any further. This, _this _was the critical piece. Chris leaned back in her chair and put the paper down, her mouth still hanging slightly open from shock.

"See! I told you! This is what we needed!" Kirika exclaimed again, shooting up to her feet. "There is more than one Shenshoujing! No, there are even hundreds of it! Even if the one we used is gone, we can still use another! They were all from the same place so we'll definitely find another one!"

It was an amazing discovery for the trio, who did not know anything about the relic. Perhaps it was common knowledge for archeologists, but for them, stuck in a mind-numbing complication, it served as a ray of hope.

But of course, Chris was quick to question it. "But how are we gonna find another one? The last time one was found was when Fine was still around. We can't just start digging up the ground and hope to strike gold. And even if we do... convincing Miku to use it again will be hard, if not impossible."

Instantly Kirika deflated, and Shirabe rubbed her shoulder in sympathy. "We'll do what we can," she said. "For now we should inform the commander of what we discovered."

Chris closed her eyes for a moment, tension leaving her body. "Yeah, let's do that..." she said. As soon as she got up from her chair, however...

Is when the alarm immediately started blaring.

Kirika jumped at the sudden noise, looking around quickly. The blinking red lights and the roaring sound drilled into their heads, but they knew exactly what they had to do. Dropping everything, the trio ran from the archives, making a beeline for the medical room.

'_Don't bother coming to the briefing!' _Genjuro yelled over the comm. '_Head straight to Lydian! Hibiki-kun has reappeared!"_

They stopped in their tracks at the news, their eyes wide. The trio looked between each other, momentarily wondering what they should do.

No, it was obvious.

They instantly changed direction and headed straight for the exit. As soon as they stepped outside in the sunlight, they jumped down and chanted.

'_Kiliter Ichaival tron'_

'_Various Shul Shagana tron'_

'_Zeios Igalima raizen tron'_

The three were surrounded by light, donning their Gears in midair. Their landing was met with a heavy thud as their now armored feet slightly broke the planks of the pier. Not stopping for even a moment, the three Symphogear wielders surged forward, making their way towards Lydian Academy at breakneck speeds.

-!-

Saint-Germain never believed she could find herself so transfixed.

She was leaning forward on the console, drinking in the details of Hibiki's history. It was absolutely ridiculous, she found herself thinking, but it was just so engrossing. She never realized how similar they were from the few interactions they had.

The first few details of where was born and what she did in her childhood were not so relevant in her eyes. However, once she reached the section that detailed the Zwei Wing massacre, that was where she was starting to be interested. She read about how Hibiki nearly died after being pierced near the heart by fragments of Amou Kanade's Gungnir, and how the idol had sacrificed her own life to save her by singing her Superb Song. She read about the operation that the girl had undergone, and the following rehab and therapy she went through as a result.

She read about a girl ostracized by society as soon as she left the hospital. She read about how her father was laid off from his job because the president of his company had lost his daughter in the massacre, and as a result, took it out on him. She read how despite Hibiki's best efforts, her father had descended into alcoholism and began to abuse her and her family. How he eventually left, abandoning them when they needed him most.

She read how the girl was left essentially alone in the world and was only held up by the efforts of Kohinata Miku, her childhood friend. She read how she had tried her hardest to get accepted to Lydian Academy of Music, barely passing the entrance exam. And she read how upon her first day in the Academy, she was involved in an incident with the Noise, during which she wielded her Symphogear for the first time.

Saint-Germain never liked the Noise. These ancient, human-slaying automatons from an era long gone that made their home inside of the Treasury of Babylon. They were just remnants of a bygone age, and quite frankly she was glad that the Symphogears had sealed the passage. Even though she regularly used her own alchemical Noise, they were always simply tools to be destroyed. She never allowed the Noise to take lives for her. All those sins she had committed over the centuries were done by her own hand.

But that was not an important thought to be having at the moment. She continued reading, going over Hibiki's first encounter with S.O.N.G, then known as Section 2, as well as the initial rift with Tsubasa and her attempts at winning Chris over to their side.

She could not believe how optimistic the girl could be despite everything she had been through. She was looked down upon and viewed as a killer for two years. Two full years that she spent almost completely alone and the guilt of having been the only survivor on her shoulders. She just could not understand how the girl became the quintessential leader of the Symphogears, and how because of her they had managed to defeat Fine and achieve the miracle of the X-Drive.

And it just went on and on. Nothing but praises were sung in these records, and even when it was discovered she was due to die because of the spread of Gungnir through her body, she still did everything she could and managed to grasp life from the jaws of death.

It was insane, Saint-Germain thought. This girl was supposed to be an impossible existence, yet here she was, existing, and having an influence on the world and the people around her.

For a moment, the alchemist wondered what would have happened if she had the same approach to life as Hibiki did. For over four hundred years, Saint-Germain had felt no joy. She was forced from a young age to sell her body, pretend to be a man to fool others, and regularly kill in order to achieve her objectives.

And in the end, what did it lead to? Nothing. She has spent centuries in her pursuit of a perfect world, and she had nothing to show for it. Yet, Tachibana Hibiki, in just a bit over a year, managed to turn the world over time and time again, cementing her place in the minds of her comrades. Of course, they would try to get her back no matter what.

Killing her was completely out of the question for them. She is the glue that holds them together, and the alchemist could see how the moment she was gone, the solidarity and the balance they held was beginning to wear away.

'_I'm not their friend,' _she told herself. There was no reason for her to care about whether they were united or not. She was their enemy, and now a temporary ally in the fight to bring back Tachibana Hibiki. But until that moment, they had fought against each other and their ideals clashed head-on. Tachibana Hibiki's comrades had killed her own, and she had every reason to pay her back for that.

Yet, she could not. The girl had held her hand out to her, accepting her as she had all of her new comrades. She had this strange magic as if she could instantly get along with anyone she desired. It was such a contradiction to what she found in her records, and yet it was reality.

She could not pay back kindness with cruelty. She may not be a good person, but she was not despicable.

And that was the moment Saint-Germain decided. She will do what she can to bring the girl back. In order to know more... about that strange magic she held in her hands.

And maybe... just maybe...

Her train of thought was suddenly interrupted when she came upon a certain peculiar passage in the records.

It said that the original fragment of Gungnir was destroyed when the enhanced beam of the Shenshoujing struck her dead on. It later said that her compatibility with the Gungnir she stole from Maria Cadenzavna Eve became ridiculous upon inspection during the final battle on Frontier.

That made no sense to her. It was not possible that the original fragment had somehow altered or enhanced her body in order to be more compatible with relics. Every trace of it down to the smallest of atoms was completely erased by the Gear wielded by Kohinata Miku. Even if it had fused with her body for a long time, that advantage in compatibility would not suddenly sprout up from the ground. Such a thing applies to Faust Robes as well after all.

So how was such a thing possible?

The Shenshoujing seemed to be the key, she realized. She quickly compared the two compatibility values, seeing that they were fairly similar, although the latter one was much higher. If only she had data on the other users, or on Kohinata Miku herself, then she'll have a much better idea of what to look for.

'_No, that's not what's important,' _she thought. '_The Shenshoujing did not have the ability to increase compatibility rates. That's not how relics work. No, there was something else that happened. Something that removed some sort of burden that hindered the rates. I came upon this relic in the past, but its most obvious power was the ability to purify curses—'_

Her mind _seized_ upon realization.

But just before she could develop the thought further, the entire bridge was suddenly illuminated by the blaring red lights as the alarm thundered throughout the headquarters. Tomosato stopped all of her research, opening up the command console and looking through the rapidly entering data. Once she had studied it as thoroughly as she could, she immediately opened a channel to Genjuro, who had received a laptop to work with in the medical room from a crew member she had sent his way.

"Commander, this is—"

"_Yes, I see it too," _he said. "_This twisted Aufwachen signal... there is no mistaking it. Hibiki-kun has reappeared. I sent the wielders her way already. Try to contact Maria-kun as soon as you can. Ask her for a status report.'_

"Copy that," Tomosato answered. "But... why Lydian?" She asked, looking at the coordinates the screen was indicating.

"_There is no way to know. All we can do is respond and try to stop her," _Genjuro added.

"In that case, I will head out as well," Saint-Germain declared. Adam, who had stayed quiet during her research, looked at her curiously. "There is something I need to confirm."

Tomosato met her determined gaze. "Are you sure, -san?"

"Yes. The homunculus... no, Elfnein had already returned to me the repaired Lapis. I must give this endeavor another attempt. Last night was an embarrassment. I will not allow this to occur again," she answered, getting up from her seat and readjusting the hospital robe she was wearing. It mattered little what clothes covered her at the moment since it would be stored away in either case. "Keep an eye on Adam Weishaupt. Do not let him out of your sight."

Tomosato looked at her curiously but relented. "Sure," she said, watching the alchemist leave. Just before she went out the door, Tomosato spoke up again. "Oh, and one more thing,"

The alchemist stopped in the doorway and looked back to her. Tomosato smiled. "Good luck."

Saint-Germain's eyes widened momentarily and then turned back to the door. "Thank you."

Tomosato watched as the door closed, then turned back to her terminal. First, a status report from those on the field.

"Maria-san, can you hear me?"

-!-

_(Play: Footsteps of Destruction - Fate Stay Night Realta Nua OST)_

She was not dead. That was a good start.

Dust and smoke filled the air around her, and she coughed as she regained her bearings on her surroundings. When Hibiki had suddenly erupted with rage, the entire courtyard had seemingly exploded violently as everything within it was instantly destroyed by the mere _force _of Hibiki's yell.

'_This is just too ridiculous,' _Maria thought to herself. She looked down to the person she was holding in her arms, making sure that Miku was also alive, if a bit shaken up and dusty. She had grabbed onto her as fast as she could and protected her with her own body when the force had launched them into one of the academy's walls.

Maria groaned as she dislodged herself from the wall, rising to her feet unsteadily. "Are you alright, Miku-san?" She asked the shorter girl.

Miku let out a few uneasy coughs, as the dust had gotten into her lungs as well. "Y-yes, I'm fine. What... what was that?"

Maria looked ahead from within the slowly settling cloud of dust. "I think... we're about to find out."

Visibility was returning to them, and the first thing Maria noticed that the once beautiful courtyard had been utterly ravaged. Trees, benches, and even parts of the decorative fountain were lodged within the walls of the academy, and glass rained from the shattered windows. The walls themselves were smoking and deep cracks ran over them unevenly, looking like they might crumble at any moment. How did they hold up she did not know, but the only thing that remained alive in the courtyard was the two of them.

Along with the instigator of this damage.

It was hard to describe what she was looking at. Hibiki had remained in the very middle of the explosion, the ground around her having blown away from her in the blast. She was on her feet, slumped forward.

And an absolutely terrifying crimson aura rose from her. Maria swore she could see it with the naked eye and froze in place at the sight. But that was not the only thing she noticed that was different.

The small, orange wings that had appeared on Hibiki the night before had grown, spanning quite an impressive length behind her. They were much darker than she remembered, and it looked as if ash was raining down slowly from them, vanishing before it hit the ground. Was it because of the debris? She doubted it. She could also see that the glowing purple lines that ran over the armor had extended, growing thicker in length and far more of them covering parts of Hibiki's body. The armor itself also grew far more spikes than there were before, a stark contrast to the streamlined look of the original Gungnir.

Years of hanging around Kirika and watching those silly superhero movies with her had alerted her to the fact that these changes were the exact opposite of what she wanted.

The two girls simply stared at the rogue wielder, who remained unmoving following her violent outburst. The aura continued to rise and even grew as time passed.

Maria realized that staying here would be counter-productive. "Miku-san, you should run."

Miku looked at the older girl in shock. "Run? But I can't! I have to help Hibiki!"

"In her current state," Maria stated, swallowing nervously. "I don't think that is much of an option. This... is going to be very difficult."

Miku gasped. "You... are going to fight her again?"

Maria kept her gaze locked on the rogue wielder in the middle of the courtyard. "It seems like I'm not going to have a choice."

It was not a decision she made lightly. But she had to because she was most definitely not going to be able to run away.

Hibiki slowly straightened herself, her whole upper body rising. When she reached her full height, she stood completely still, the aura still leaking off of her uncontrollably. Now that she could see her chest and her face, Maria realized that there were more changes that she did not notice before. The glowing purple lines began to cover most of her upper body, becoming like cracks in the skin. The scar, visible for the first time while the Symphogear was active, seemed to glow faintly. What's more, parts of the armor began to cover her jaw, rising all the way to her lower cheek, and from there smaller, thinner glowing lines streaked onto her face.

There was only one description Maria could give to the new look Hibiki had.

A fallen angel. As if she was a divine being, cast away from Heaven to the Earth, and how that heavenly aura began to morph into something much, much darker.

Just like Lucifer.

And then she opened her eyes, and the emerald glow that came from them was much deeper than Maria could remember.

There was a strange, eerie silence in the courtyard that could not be explained. Maria took a step forward, and with her right hand lightly pushed Miku further behind her.

An act that Hibiki unmistakably noticed.

The previous fury that her voice had contained seemed to have mysteriously vanished as she spoke. "Maria-san... are you prepared?"

Maria's heart beat rapidly in her chest, anticipating the grueling battle ahead. It was a rhetorical question, she knew that for sure, but she wanted to ask all the same. "For what?"

Hibiki's fists clenched with an audible metallic sound. "Judgement."

Miku has never been more terrified in her life. Yet, she fought through that dread, and walked forward, passing by Maria and standing closer to her best friend. "Hibiki... please, don't fight. Please," she pleaded.

Hibiki stared at her, and for the first time, Miku took that reflexive step back in fear, something that Hibiki noticed. "Don't worry Miku, I will get rid of anyone who stands in my way. No one is allowed to touch you."

And Hibiki began to _walk, _her very steps leaving behind a trail of ash that stained what remained of the courtyard's paths. Miku could only stay in place, frozen in terror at Hibiki's changed form. The rogue wielder approached, and just as she passed by her, whispered darkly. "Because you... and this entire world... now belong to me."

It was a declaration that sent cold shivers down Miku's spine. She could not even turn around to try and stop her. So deep was her terror that she did not even dare look at her again, lest she sees something that will scar her forever. The fury Hibiki held before was not even close to being as scary as this.

Maria, however, stood strong as Hibiki approached her. It was pointless to be scared now. A fight was inevitable, Hibiki made sure of that. There was no choice but to face her and do what she can in order to take her down. Maria began to speak. "Hibiki-san, you—"

"Shut your whore mouth."

And was summarily interrupted by the poison Hibiki spewed. Her eyes widened at the blatant cursing, and the sheer lack of regard for using it. "You tried to take from me what was _mine_, Maria-san. Just like you did in the past."

The silver Symphogear user said nothing more, and Hibiki continued. "I will _never _allow you to do that again. You tried to take my life. You tried to take Gungnir. And now again, you dare to try and take _Miku_ from me_,_" her stare drilled into the older girl's eyes, burning deep into her brain. "You will pay for everything you've done..._**dearly."**_

Hibiki stopped only a meter from Maria and glared up at the taller woman. Maria's eyes narrowed in response. "I see words are useless here," she said evenly. "Trying to convince you otherwise would be an exercise in futility. You are obviously stuck in your own little world."

'_Is she far too gone now? There is no way to know until we check. Talking to her is no good anymore. Whatever change came upon her has only deranged her further,' _Maria noted inwardly.

"_Maria-san, do you copy?" _Tomosato asked over the comm.

"I do, however it seems I will be preoccupied for the time being. Is everyone else on their way?"

"_Yes," _Tomosato confirmed. "_Maria-san, we have detected this... change she has undergone... and the only thing I have to tell you is... god-speed."_

Maria chuckled. So even those at headquarters knew things were going to get ugly, and very out of their control. "Heh, as if that would help," she answered, and focused back on the rogue wielder before her, the crimson aura growing larger every second. "Let's not waste any more time here, Hibiki-san."

She grasped Airgetlam's pendant and clicked twice on its sides. "I will drag you back kicking and screaming."

Miku regained her bearings and turned around, and opened her mouth to try and interrupt.

Only to be disrupted by Maria's furious yell.

"**IGNITE MODULE! DOUBLE UNSHEATHE!"**

The explosion of power that followed signaled the start of the battle.

-!-

The Symphogear trio arrived just in time to see the entire student body of Lydian evacuate out into the streets. They could hear the school alarm slightly over the noise the students were making, understanding that Maria probably used it in order to get them to safety.

But how far away from the school was going to be safe? Chris wasn't sure. "Oi, do you think we should get them farther away from here?" She asked, looking for a suggestion from the two girls with her.

Shirabe was the first to answer. "Yes. We don't know what the extent of the fight is going to be, so they should escape as far as possible while we try to contain it as much as we can. We were lucky the battle didn't spill into the city proper last night, but we might not be so lucky today."

"_And there's more to it than that, Shirabe-chan," _Tomosato said over the comm, having heard their conversation. "_Hibiki-chan has undergone some kind of change that we have detected. It's... not pretty. I don't think I can even begin to describe to you what it looks like, but whatever happened has been twisting the Aufwachen signal in ways I never thought possible. We can barely call it a Symphogear anymore. We are trying to do what we can to gather the details, but it will take time. We weren't given a lot of leeway in terms of time to work with the information from last night. You will have to make a blind judgment there while we investigate."_

"Blind judgments..." Chris murmured. Have things gone to hell already? Only four hours have passed since the gathering in the medical room, and they were still reeling from the night before.

Things were happening too fast. "Looks like we don't have a choice. Let's go."

The two younger girls nodded and followed after Chris. They jumped down from the roof they were standing on, landing in an alley next to the gathered crowd. They quickly dispelled their Gears and ran in, catching strange looks from the various students as they approached the elderly principal, who was collecting the roll call cards from the various teachers. He noticed their approach and looked at them seriously. "Girls, you should go and join the others."

Chris walked up to him, staring up at the taller man. "Listen, old man, you gotta get everyone farther away from here."

He tilted his head in question. "Miss, I'm not sure what you mean. We are doing a routine evacuation just as we have practiced many times before. Why do you suddenly believe that we must scatter and go further?"

Chris was just about to answer him when something suddenly landed right next to her, sending up dust and debris into the air. The principal, along with the gathered crowd looked at the new arrival in shock.

Saint-Germain stared into the man's eyes while clad in her Faust Robe. "Because if you don't, you will die."

The principal took a step back from her declaration. Saint-Germain merely took one forward. "If you don't want everyone here to die, you will evacuate to the furthest shelter you find, and do not allow anyone to leave. There is a very dangerous being on the school grounds, and no one knows when it will start going on a rampage. If you do not want to become merely stains on the pavement, then do as we say and run."

The principal, along with the teachers around him were terrified by the strange woman's warnings. It was difficult to reach a decision with such a threat hanging above their heads, and he knew for a fact that she was not joking. He had experienced stares like these far too many times than he would have liked.

He adjusted his glasses, sweat gathering on his brows. "Teachers... please lead the students to the shelter on the outskirts. We should listen to this lady's warnings."

"But principal—"

"I understand your concerns... but it's better to not question it. I'd rather this whole situation prove to be an elaborate prank, but even with the Noise gone we cannot take any chances. Large areas of the city were evacuated just last night, and you saw those strange lights rising above the ruined district. It would be best for us all. I will not endanger the students' well being," he proclaimed.

His responsible attitude impressed Saint-Germain. The elderly man turned to her. "Thank you for the warnings, Miss. I'll make sure everyone will be safe."

She nodded to him, and he at once began to give instructions to the last teachers that gathered around him. The teachers then went over to the students, who began the trek towards the shelter.

The three Symphogear wielders looked at the vanishing crowd and noticed three familiar figures run up to them.

"Chris-senpai!" Kuriyo yelled.

"You..."

Kuriyo's expression was conflicted and nervous as she approached. "What is going on, Chris-senpai? Why are we evacuating even further away?!"

Chris bit her lip, unsure of how to answer her. Kuriyo caught her hesitation. "Come on! Why won't anyone tell us anything! Even Hina and Maria-san didn't want to tell us what's happening! It has something to do with Bikki, doesn't it? I saw her in the courtyard! And she looked way different than I remember! Please, someone just tell us what's going on!"

Kuriyo panted as she finished her demands, desperate for some answers. Yumi and Shiori looked at her in concern, although they too wished to know what was happening.

However, Chris was silent. She merely looked to the side, not willing to meet Kuriyo's gaze.

The highschooler slumped in despair, having been denied an explanation for the second time in a row. She was on the verge of tears, her whole body shaking. Shiori walked up to them and put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Please, Chris-senpai. If there is anything we can do to help, then just tell us. Just like last time," Shiori said far more calmly.

But Chris would not answer. Seeing the Ichaival wielder's reluctance, Saint-Germain walked up to them. "The one thing you can do right now is to evacuate with the rest. It is better for you to not be aware of what is taking place. It will only tarnish your image of her in the long run. Do yourself a favor and save yourself that torment."

Her cryptic answer did not alleviate their curiosity nor their worry, and Kuriyo desperately wanted to respond in some way. However, Shiori only squeezed her shoulder tighter, causing the girl to turn to her. "Andou-san, it would be better to do as she says. Let's go with everyone else, okay?"

"Shiori..." Kuriyo muttered sadly and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. She nodded, "Yeah... we should." She turned towards Chris, who looked at her with an expression filled with guilt. "Chris-senpai... good luck... To all of you."

"Thanks..." She replied, and watched as Kuriyo and Shiori together went over to Yumi, and the trio ran to join the rest of the evacuating crowd.

"Chris-senpai..." Kirika muttered, reaching over to her...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A gigantic pillar of light suddenly erupted from within the school itself, catching the attention of every single person in the city. It rose all the way up to the sky, and the three wielders along with the alchemist stared at it with wide eyes.

This was the signal. This was the start of the fight.

"Everyone, let's go!" Chris declared, and the three users quickly wielded their Symphogear again. They leaped over to the school with Saint-Germain hot on their heels.

-!-

_(Play: Stand up! Ready! - Maria Cadenzavna Eve)_

The two rose towards the sky as their blades locked against each other. Fiery sparks erupted from the impact point.

Maria gritted her teeth. There was no point in holding back this time. There was no longer the element of shock nor was there a need to try and talk her out of fighting. Hibiki had made it very clear she was not willing to listen, and would only stop once she was defeated.

So she went all out from the start, and so it was proving to be fairly useless.

Hibiki's divine strength was in more ways than one out of this world, a far cry from their own that was provided by their relics. Yet, no matter the difference in power, Maria vowed to keep on fighting until the bitter end.

The blades disconnected as she jumped back, landing on the school's roof. Hibiki followed after her, and Maria dodged the strike that cleaved the brick under her cleanly in two. '_Her speed and strength have definitely increased. No matter what I do, I'll be at a disadvantage. The Ignite Module's built-in time limit only adds another layer of pressure here. However...'_

She struck, her swing aiming for Hibiki's neck. The rogue wielder dodged as she entered her range and thrust her spear forward at lightning speeds, but Maria managed just in time to draw Airgetlam's ignited blade back to deflect the lunge to the side. '_It might be presumptuous to think so, but I have the advantage in intelligence and tactics. If I can outsmart her, I might be able to make some progress.'_

However, Hibiki shifted her grip and grasped the spear's handle with both hands and swung horizontally. Maria gasped and jumped back, the very tip of the spear grazing against the armor on breasts. It luckily did not pierce through the metal, and Maria was able to dodge the strike with much effort.

Only for a crescent shockwave to be released following the swing, slicing through the air towards her. Maria landed with one foot on the roof and hurriedly jumped above the projectile, causing it to miss her by an inch. As she jumped in the air Hibiki went up to meet her, and the two weapons clanged again loudly. They hung in the air, and as they descended they exchanged a flurry of blows, the two blades slamming against each other with a mighty force.

They crashed back onto the roof, and the bricks themselves shattered from the overwhelming power the two wielded. Maria was inwardly very surprised, not having expected to do so well against the vastly superior opponent. She was still losing very badly, that she could see that from the start, but at least she was not getting absolutely destroyed just like last night.

It was a sign of the strength she had come to wield, and the unwavering strength of her own heart. She at least believed that her own reasons to fight far surpassed the current Hibiki's, and as a result, it pushed her to greater heights than she believed.

But such strength was fleeting after all, as it would be gone along with her Symphogear once the time limit on the Ignite Module ran out. She entered the second phase straight away, severely cutting down her operating time. However, she needed the output, the intensity of the cursed sword Dainsleif. Fighting fire with fire, as they say. She did wonder what brought upon this dark change in the girl before her, but she had no time to dwell on the thought.

A powerful strike sent Maria skidding back across the roof, pushing her all the way to the edge, nearly causing her to fall off the building. "You can't win, Maria-san!" Hibiki yelled as she charged. Maria did not have the time to dodge out of the way and brought her blade up to block the blow. The force of the onslaught caused the two of them to be launched from the rooftop, creating an arc in the air as they fell back to the ground.

Maria groaned as she struggled against the blow. Hibiki's face was once again contorted in rage, and the older girl could only inwardly shiver from the hateful glare being sent her way.

She met the gaze with a determined one of her own just as they landed onto the school's running track, giving a much bigger space for their battle. With a yell, she parried the following strike, her blade grinding against Gungnir's flat side. She used the momentum to try and slice her opponent's arm apart, but Hibiki simply smashed her spiked gauntlet against it, causing it to go off course.

This happened every time, Maria noticed. No matter what attack she was trying to throw at her, Hibiki very easily took care of it with inhuman reflexes. Not even the Autoscorers would have been able to keep up with this pressure. It just went to show how much strength that divine power was granting her. Completely ridiculous and ridiculously unfair at the same time.

Catching Maria off guard, Hibiki acted boldly and smashed her head against Maria's own. The older girl reeled from the sudden blow, staggering back and seeing stars in her vision, interrupting her song momentarily. '_This dirty little—!'_

Taking advantage of the opening, Hibiki slashed in a wide vertical arc. However, Maria predicted she would try to do so, and leaped to the side, rolling away as the blow destroyed the ground where it struck. Maria rose to one knee and let out the breath she was holding. "Looks like you have no problem fighting dirty, do you?" She said.

Hibiki withdrew the spear from the ground and turned towards Maria. "Do you ever _shut up?"_

Maria glared at her. So that's how she wanted to play this game, was it? Fine then!

She rose to her feet and charged. Hibiki looked at her curiously, thinking that the elder girl might have finally lost her mind. To stand against her is nothing but a waste of time, but to take the offensive?

It would be very simple. As soon as Maria closed the distance, Hibiki swung her spear horizontally. It moved so fast Maria could barely see it.

But barely was more than enough.

It was a risky gamble she was taking, but it was worth a try. Her plan was simple: Cause Hibiki to underestimate her. At her current state, it was easy enough.

Everything that came afterward was... well, not.

But it proved its worth at that very moment.

Maria stopped her charge as soon as she entered the spear's range. It approached at breakneck speeds, but Maria raised her arm just in time to block it.

However, her arm would not be enough to block the swing. Even enhanced by the Ignite Module, the blow was strong enough to swiftly slice through her arm like butter and proceed to decapitate her in an instant.

Which was where the second phase began.

There was a loud clang that Hibiki did not expect to occur as the spear was repulsed, bouncing against the triangular shield of energy Maria spontaneously created over her gauntlet. Looking like a knight of yore, she pushed the Armed Gear away from her, catching her opponent completely by surprise. Not stopping for a moment, Maria used her momentum to shove her blade into the slot at the back of her gauntlet. It immediately transformed, the armor on her knuckles elongating into a cannon, and pure white wings of energy erupted from the blade's hilt.

The entire exchange had occurred in less than a second, and indeed Maria's plan bore fruit. She caused Hibiki to launch a half-assed attack at her and caught her completely off guard with her own arrogance.

Energy gathered at the ion cannon's tip. She didn't have more than one second to charge it up, but she would take what she can get from it. Any advantage against the beast that Hibiki had become would only serve to help them in the long run.

And with a mighty yell, Maria extended her arm forward, the cannon ending up merely an inch from Hibiki's shocked face.

And she fired.

'_**HORIZON ✝ CANNON'**_

Pure light exploded forward, engulfing the rogue Adaptor. Maria, having no traction with the ground at that moment was blown back by the powerful recoil of her own technique. The beam of light continued beyond her intended target, traveling straight through the air and eliminating everything in its path, only to smash against one of the academy's walls and explode violently.

Maria skidded to a stop, her heels digging into the ground. She withdrew her sword from the slit, reverting the cannon back into its gauntlet form. She breathed and looked at the aftermath of her insane gamble. Of course, she cannot drop her guard just yet. Hibiki could reappear at any moment—

"DID YOU THINK THAT WOULD WORK?!"

She didn't even have time to turn around as Hibiki essentially teleported behind her and smashed her leg against her side. Pain shot up Maria's spine as she was tossed aside, bouncing off of the ground repeatedly. '_Damn! I didn't think she'd respond fast enough to get away!'._

Maria only had a single second to assess if she had managed to do any damage. She could see Hibiki's armor smoking from the heat her attack unleashed, but there was no visible dent in any part of it. Hibiki was indeed struck by it, but it just did not have enough power. Hibiki was just far too resilient to defeat with their regular techniques.

Hibiki teleported behind her once again, smashing her foot against her back. Maria cried out in pain as she fell to the ground.

"Did you really think that something like that will take me down so easily?" Hibiki asked her mockingly. "I didn't think you were that stupid, Maria-san."

Maria coughed painfully and twisted her head to look behind her, smirking. "Look who's talking. Who was the fool who fell for it in the first place?"

Hibiki bared her teeth, and in response smashed her foot again on Maria's back. She pushed downward, and the elder Symphogear used cried out as she was assaulted with more pain. Hibiki ground her heel against the small of her back, further adding to the torment. "I told you time and time again that you just can't beat me. How many times are you going to try? When will you finally understand that you are completely outmatched?"

Maria struggled to speak through the excruciating pain. "It's... because..."

She was interrupted when Hibiki smashed her foot against her back again. Bored of simply kicking her when she was down, Hibiki walked around her and lifted her off the ground by her hair to eye level. She glared at her when their eyes met.

Now no longer being tormented, Maria kept on talking. "We... will not stop... until we get you back. Even if it results in our deaths... it is the only thing... we can offer you... for all you've done for us."

Hibiki's scowl did not leave her face, and she clicked her tongue. She threw Maria down to the ground and brandished her spear. "You really are an idiot, Maria-san."

She thrust the spear towards the downed wielder, intent on ending her life right at that moment.

Only for something to once again strike against the side of her weapon, sending it off course and causing it to smash into the ground.

Hibiki turned her head and saw Chris standing ten meters away from her, her crossbow raised. To her sides were Kirika, Shirabe, and Saint-Germain, all leveling their weapons at her. The three Symphogear wielders were also in their Ignite configurations, having entered it as soon as Tomosato informed them of Maria's situation.

"She's right you know," Chris added. "So don't think you can get rid of us so easily."

The newcomers took in the girl's new form, studying the changes to it. They were sure headquarters also managed to get footage of it, but to see it up close was unsettling. It just hammered it in hard just how low Hibiki fell since taking in the divine power. They have to remove it from her before it becomes impossible.

_(Play: The Executioner - Hokuto Musou 2 OST)_

Hibiki withdrew her spear from the ground and turned her attention to them. "Then I'll just have to erase you all."

She swung her spear, and a crescent shockwave immediately made its way to them. The four as one jumped away, avoiding the simple projectile as it exploded against the ground. While en route, Genjuro quickly debriefed them on the new teleportation-like ability Hibiki had developed during their fight the previous night.

It only served to make them more cautious. Who knew what could happen between this moment and the next.

Chris immediately fired, a volley of bolts soaring through the air towards the rogue wielder. She simply stood in place as the vast majority of them missed her completely, while the rest she easily deflected with a swat from her arm. The Symphogears of Zababa landed and circled around her, launching their own projectiles at her at breakneck speeds. With a quick flash of her spear, Hibiki shot them out of the air.

Kirika and Shirabe continuously launched more projectiles as they closed in on Hibiki, who did not make a move to stop them. The top priority was to get Maria away and regroup while the rogue wielder was held down by their volleys. With three ranged attackers, anyone would find themselves locked down. Of course, she could simply teleport away, and that would be the perfect window to get Maria away from her.

The two synchronized perfectly, and with Chris adding on to the barrage with her own arrows, Saint-Germain realized there was no point in holding back at all. Loading a larger cartridge into her gun, the alchemist fired, and a shining blue dragon of light erupted from the barrel, roaring as it made its way to Hibiki.

It was that which finally forced her to move. Her form warped as she disappeared, and all of the incoming projectiles crashed against the ground where she stood a moment before. Dust flew in all directions, and Maria struggled to cover her eyes due to her proximity to the impact zone.

Shirabe took the opportunity and sped towards Maria, making a beeline for her location. However, just as she held her hand out to her, Hibiki suddenly reappeared in the space between them and swung her spear down on the surprised Shirabe.

Kirika leaped forward just in time to block the strike with her scythe. Shirabe's mechanical twintails then opened, launching a barrage of buzzsaws at Hibiki. Unfortunately, her aim was way off, and only a single one even got close to striking her. That singular one unfortunately only managed to grind against her reinforced armor and fly off in another direction.

Shirabe clicked her tongue and sped away, recognizing the fact that she wouldn't be able to get to Maria at the moment.

"BEHIND YOU!"

Thanks to the warning, Shirabe instinctively ducked, causing Hibiki's spear to narrowly miss her head as she teleported behind her. From her vantage point, Saint-Germain fired, and each bullet was simply deflected away, striking the ground instead. And from where they struck, crystalline golden formations rose, creating obstacles on the track field.

Shirabe jumped away, using the formations as stepping stones to create further distance. Hibiki thankfully did not follow her this time, but instead turned her attention to Kirika. She charged towards the Igalima user, and Kirika struck the ground with her scythe. Veins of light were carved into it, making their way to the rogue wielder. Once they reached her, many more scythes erupted from the ground to impale her from below. Hibiki twisted around them, and lost just a bit of momentum, giving Kirika enough time to dodge the blow.

Immediately afterward, a barrage of rockets crashed into Hibiki's new position, creating a fireball as they exploded violently.

"That should do it—"

And Chris was brutally pulled to the side by Saint-Germain just as Hibiki's thrust passed through the spot she stood in a second before. She let go of the Ichaival wielder, aimed her gun and fired. The bullet struck Hibiki's jaw, but the armor that had grown on her face protected her from its impact. Hibiki slashed to the side, and the alchemist narrowly avoided the blow.

They were four on one, essentially five, and they were still having a lot of trouble with her. Her teleportation allowed her to escape certain defeat, and she could come upon anyone she wanted in an instant. They were lucky they had the instincts to know how to avoid the blows in time. Unfortunately, they had only so much time until the boost provided by the Ignite Module, as well as their own stamina, would give out.

They have to finish this in one strike, in one final unavoidable blow.

"Do not get cocky!" Saint-Germain yelled as she continued to fire. "Until the moment she falls to the ground unconscious you cannot presume she is defeated! Do not hold back for anything!"

She thrust her hand forward and instantly created a magic circle in the air in front of her. From within it, blasts of the four elements exploded towards the rogue user. However, Hibiki merely stood in place as they passed over her, only managing to ruffle her hair.

Maria struggled to her feet while Hibiki was preoccupied. "That's right! We must work together to take her down no matter what the cost! EVEN IF WE HAVE TO PUT OUR LIVES ON THE LINE!"

Chris gritted her teeth in frustration. "That's was our intention all along!"

And a multitude of launchers erupted from all over her armor. Missiles, arrows, and laser beams, all of them at once were fired towards the corrupted Gungnir user.

'_**MEGADETH SYMPHONY'**_

Following up with their senior, Kirika and Shirabe charged. Kirika's shoulder armor opened up, launching the grappling hooks stored within them. She held her breath as they traveled through the air, and smiled as she struck gold, the chains wrapping around the rogue wielder in an instant, binding her arms and anchoring themselves to the ground while she stood within the storm Saint-Germain was throwing at her.

Chris's barrage struck, and a gigantic fireball rose from the impact point. However, following up on the alchemist's advice, they continued their assault. Shirabe leaped over the fireball, landing on its other side. Summoning her large buzzsaws, they transformed into her Sigma Style Lunar Eclipse, and riding upon her wheel she headed into the fire. Seeing her intent, Saint-Germain stopped her own attack, letting her charge in uninterrupted.

Maria, who had regained her bearings, unsheathed her sword once again and followed up on the attack, and ran headfirst into the blaze. She could hear Shirabe coming from the other side, and as one, their Armed Gears crashed against the bound Hibiki.

Only to gasp in shock when the fireball was dispersed in an instant, and they watched in horror as Hibiki, now completely free, simply blocked their blows with her bare hands. Shirabe's Lunar Wheel sparked against her armored palm, and she poured all of her power into the charge, fruitlessly trying to gain some ground. Maria as well pushed as much power as she could into her arms, desperate to try and inflict some sort of damage on their opponent.

"You just never learn, do you?" Hibiki simply stated, and with a light push forced the two wielders away from her. Shirabe's wheel disappeared as she fell to the ground, while Maria landed nimbly on her feet.

Saint-Germain assessed their situation. What they just performed was a haphazard sure kill combination, and it completely failed to put even a dent on the rogue wielder.

Hibiki alternated looking between them as they tried to come up with another solution. Shirabe rose back to her feet and entered her fighting stance, waiting for someone to make a move. There had to be something they could do, something that will change the flow of the battle—

"I think I have an idea," Hibiki suddenly announced, catching them by surprise. They kept their guard up, prepared to respond to anything she would do. She stretched her arm to its full length and opened up her palm. "Five on one isn't very fair, don't you agree?"

Chris narrowed her eyes at her, confused by her question. Hibiki turned her hand over and raised a single finger with her free hand. "So to make it a bit fairer, I think I'm going to add another friend to the mix."

And in a single, downward motion, sliced into her open palm with her armored digit. The girls gasped in shock from the masochistic act. Red blood dripped down from the cut, falling to the ground beneath her.

It was at that moment that Miku, who had been looking for a way out into the track field, finally arrived on the battlefield. She appeared just in time to see Hibiki slice her own palm open, and raised her hands to cover her mouth in horror.

And then the most surreal and disturbing action occurred right in front of their eyes.

The minuscule amount of blood that fell to the floor suddenly began to bubble, increasing in size as it spread even more across the track. It turned over in on itself several times and then began to _bulge. _It rose grotesquely from the ground up, becoming much larger than the original amount spilled could possibly allow. The growing mess gained height until it stood at the same stature as the person it spilled from and began to morph. Slowly but surely, it started to gain a vaguely human shape, and the girls' eyes simply widened in disgust. Kirika raised her hand to cover her mouth as she felt her stomach begin to churn.

The mess of a human form became streamlined, shrinking and growing according to the wishes of its mistress, and all that was left in its wake was _another person, right in front of them._

'_Is she...creating life?!' _Saint-Germain questioned herself in absolute bewilderment.

But it did not stop there. The human-shaped red form began to crust and crumble, and the crimson blood that had made it flaked off of it in droves.

And once every bit of the red covering had fallen to the ground and disappeared, what remained in its wake was a living _black mass._

No, it was not just any black mass. It was a form Chris and Miku had seen far too many times before in their lives. Memories of an uncontrollable berserk rage welled up within them, and had Tsubasa been in good shape and with them on the battlefield, she would have recognized it too.

For the being that had been born before them was shaped like none other than Tachibana Hibiki, taking the form of the darkness that had overtaken her many times during the time she was fused with Gungnir.

"What... the fuck... is this?" Chris could only mouth as she stared into the glowing red eyes of the beast before her.

And from behind her creation, the original Hibiki flashed a disturbing smile. The black fake Hibiki breathed out savagely as its maddened eyes hungrily locked onto its targets.

"Now, this should be a bit fairer. Come at me, everyone... AND FEEL MY _JUSTICE!"_

Responding to its mistress' call, the black beast _roared._


	7. Chapter 7: Contradiction

Never has S.O.N.G HQ been in an uproar so many times in a single week.

The moment that Hibiki reappeared at Lydian, evacuation plans had already been established and were about to be deployed, right up until Maria took the initiative and forced an evacuation of the school anyway. Tomosato was relieved by her foresight, but it still did not fix the underlying problem: the rogue wielder herself.

Thankfully enough, visual and audio were working perfectly when they began their surveillance.

However, in hindsight, Tomosato wished they hadn't.

There was just no way to describe the pure evil that was radiating off of Hibiki at that moment. It was such a drastic change from before that it was almost unbelievable, and it was so pronounced that they could feel it all the way from the safety of the headquarters. The night before, she seemed to be more unhinged than anything else, and according to Adam that's all that should have been; just a teenage girl venting out her feelings explosively. Tomosato really thought that would be the full extent of it.

Never could she have imagined that it would _evolve, _and become this... abomination that shook her to the core. To see Hibiki, standing in the middle of the crater that used to be Lydian's courtyard was beyond mind-boggling. To see her looking like a fallen angel, like a divine being that lost its place in Heaven.

And when she spoke, chills went down her spine at the absolute animosity she showed towards Maria. She knew that at that moment, a fight was inevitable. There was nothing they could do from their end, so Tomosato simply said to her a few simple words.

"_God-speed."_

It was such a useless gesture, she knew that. It wasn't even all that encouraging, and its meaning was simply was "do your best", since other than investigate the cause of this change, there was absolutely nothing they could do to help her.

"Sorry I'm late!" Elfnein exclaimed as she ran into the bridge, panting. "I just finished up some final adjustments! Sorry it took so long!"

She quickly ran to her console, sitting down and hurriedly got herself updated about recent events.

At that moment, the fight erupted with a bright flash of light, and the indicator for Maria's Ignite Module time showed up on the big screen before them. They were already on a time limit from the get-go, and that increased the pressure all the more.

Adam looked up from where he was left, studying the fight on the screen carefully. '_What a useless effort,' _he thought to himself. '_Just once wasn't enough for them to understand that they are outmatched by the divine power? What absolute arrogance. But still...'_

Despite being what he was, Adam still managed to find himself surprised quite a few times over the last few hours. The fact that the god-slayer had seamlessly taken in the divine power was one thing.

The fact that Gungnir's curses corrupted her did not.

Her having incredible power was definitely not a surprise.

The fact that it could change _further _was.

The former head of the Illuminati narrowed his eyes at the figure of the corrupted wielder. There was no use trying to follow the fight since it was a foregone conclusion as to how it would end. No, it was more use studying the problematic person herself and trying to understand exactly what it is that happened to her.

Not a single bit of his knowledge about the divine power had indicated that it could change. It was supposed to be absolute and unyielding, and the way she had appeared the previous night should have been her at her strongest. Defeating it would be simply a matter of either overcoming her with sheer force or cleverly attempting to remove it from her.

So why was she even _stronger _now? No, it wasn't the divine power itself that evolved.

It was the _curses, _the very thing that corrupted her mind was what had evolved. She seemed to also spontaneously develop abilities as well if the teleportation was any indication. That made absolutely no sense to him. Absolutely none. He was the one who was most knowledgeable about the subject, and he had no idea what was happening.

It was frustrating, confusing, and more than anything _infuriating._ To think it would go so out of control without any method of restoring it. How could he allow himself to fall so low? How could he allow himself to become so careless and lose everything he had worked so hard to achieve? To have his ambitions stolen from him right under his nose?

Not a single one of them knew what was the true purpose behind his grand design. They would rather waste their time on this petty squabbling rather than confront the actual problem. The Custodians will be becoming, and they will be _ruthless._

But to dwell on this frustration was an exercise in futility. First, he has to reach an understanding. He has to figure out exactly what are the changing variables here in this formula, and looking at the visuals would not help him in any significant way. Additionally, he did not have the capability to actually _move._

So in that case...

"You," he said, calling toward the nearest employee who had been absorbed in his work. The man raised his head and looked towards Adam, his eyes wide. He looked around him, and pointed to himself, silently asking if he was the one being called.

"Yes, you," Adam continued. "Bring me over to the homunculus. She seems to be the only one with a brain amongst all of you."

The employee narrowed his eyes at the blatant insult but said nothing. He rose from his seat and went over to Adam, picking him up carefully with both hands. Making his way around the various protruding consoles, he eventually arrived at the one Elfnein worked at, finding her engrossed in her work.

"Um, Ms. Elfnein?" The employee quietly said, catching her attention. She lifted her head and her eyes widened. "He... wanted me to bring him to you so... I'll just put him right here," he said, and gently placed Adam's head on the free space on the console.

"Ah, thank you," Elfnein answered. The employee nodded in response and went back to his seat. The homunculus looked at the disembodied head curiously. "Um... is there anything I can help you with?"

He stared at her with narrowed eyes. "You seem to be the only one doing any actual work. Only through you will I be able to solve this mystery."

She tilted her head in question. "What do you mean?"

"I mean the strange change that has come over Tachibana Hibiki," he responded, and he could see the exact moment her expression fell. "Something does not sit right with me in this scenario. There is an element at work here that I could not foresee."

"Something you could... not foresee..."

"Yes. And you will help me find out what that is. Only then will everything will become clear. Do not worry, I will not disturb you during your work, I will only—"

"HOLY SHIT!"

The sudden shout from one of the employees at the lower part of the bridge tore everyone's attention away from their consoles, promptly bringing their attention to the large screen displaying the fight.

It was at that moment they realized that his cursing was not that out of place.

Elfnein cupped her hands over her mouth in horror as they stared at the black mass that had grown from Hibiki's spilled blood, and reeled back from the sheer insanity of the act. The fact that it took on her own shape, that one that had she had fallen to many times in the past only worked to increase their absolute shock.

Adam narrowed his eyes at the screen. She had developed _another _ability? Preposterous. Absolutely preposterous.

He will not allow this to stand.

"It seems we have much work ahead of us, homunculus," he said. "And we do not have the luxury of time. Let us make haste in this investigation."

His words worked to bring Elfnein back to focus. He was right, she couldn't allow herself to stay horrified by what she was seeing. That wouldn't help them at all. She worked quickly as she went over the information that was being rapidly provided, and Adam studied it as well from his place on the console.

There was much to go through and very little time to do so. They could only work as hard as they could, and pray that the wielders will be able to survive.

-!-

There was something that Saint-Germain was familiar with that she could use to summarize their situation.

It was a law that she, as an alchemist, was intimately aware of: the law of equivalent exchange.

This law, among many others, was the most basic law that governs the art of alchemy to its core. It simply states that in order to obtain something, something of equal value must be lost; It stands in parallel to Newton's third law of motion.

Something cannot be gained without sacrificing something else. For every action that occurs, an equal and opposite reaction occurs from the other side.

And for every good deed done, an equally evil deed is done in return, and vice versa. The real fear is not knowing when that deed will finally take place.

And after going through countless documents that vividly detailed Tachibana Hibiki's heroic exploits, Saint-Germain realized that the evil that stands in opposition to all the good that she had done...

Was right in front of them.

The beast's roar was unlike anything she had ever heard. It was primal, and it was wild, but most of all was also terribly _human._ It boggled her mind that Tachibana Hibiki, who was more often than not described as being one of the more airheaded persons in the group, could ever come up with something like this.

No, this was not a display of intelligence, she corrected herself. This was a display of _cleverness, _and due to her current state, also a show of dominance.

Tachibana Hibiki had just created life from completely out of nowhere, ultimately defying the very laws that governed the universe.

It just went to show just how otherworldly the divine power was, and just how scary she could be.

The beast hunched over, steam escaping its gaping maw of a mouth. "How do you like it?" Hibiki asked deviously. "Came up with it just now, and I gotta say I'm surprised by how good it came out," she placed a hand on the beast's shoulder, and it growled at the Symphogear users. "How about you try to take it on? I think it will be a real challenge!"

"You..." Chris began to say, gritting her teeth. "Do you think this is funny?!"

"Of course it is, Chris-chan. It's just so funny how you always try to beat me, and you just fail every single time! I kind of feel bad for you now. You throw everything you have at me and in the end, nothing works. You just keep on trying again and again, and in the end, you get nothing. So I made this thing just for you," Hibiki responded, chuckling. She tapped on the beast's shoulder. "To give you a bit of hope, so to say. A gift from me to you, for _everything _you've done for me."

'_Never thought her to be the sadistic type,' _Saint-Germain wondered. '_I guess it is just another buried aspect that is being violently expressed.'_

It also confirmed the homunculus' observation: she was prone to jumping between moods almost spontaneously. If before she presented herself as a calm yet vengeful being, now she is almost comical, almost wallowing in the misery she is inflicting upon them.

"Hibiki-san..." Kirika let out sadly. "Why... why are you doing this?"

"Why, Kirika-chan? I already told you. I'm simply giving back to you for everything you've done," Hibiki answered simply.

"But...But I thought we were friends! I thought that you cared about us!"

Hibiki narrowed her eyes at her. "That's not enough to make me forget or forgive_, _Kirika-chan. You turned my help away. You involved innocents in your plans. You involved _Miku _in your plans and used her against me. I can never, _ever_ forgive you for that. No matter how much time passes, and no matter how much we get along; you should know something very simple: I am done forgiving. I am done turning a blind eye. I am _done_ sweeping everything under the rug. I will make sure that all of you will pay for what you've done to me. _Everyone _who turned against me will know exactly what I truly feel about it."

The cold response nearly drove Kirika to tears. She could feel the lump in her throat, struggling to hold back the tears from falling. She choked back a sob, and quickly Shirabe slid over to her, holding her by the shoulders and trying to comfort her.

"Nobody is safe from me," she continued. "All those who looked down on me, all those who took advantage of me, and all those who denied me will _understand _what I went through!"

The beast shuffled in place and growled once again. It was chained only by its mistress' will, and those chains were slowly loosening as her temper rose.

But Chris held no fear in her, standing to her full height. "Get real, dumbass!" She yelled at her. "You think all of us didn't go through hell as well? What makes you think you are so goddamn special?! I know it was hard for you and all, but just because of that does not give you the right to fuck everyone over!"

Chris could feel her face burn up from anger, but she held her tongue from saying anything more. Hibiki went deathly quiet and merely _stared _at the Ichaival user with her narrowed emerald eyes. "Because Chris-chan. I have divine power,"

She gave the beast a gentle tap on the back.

"And you don't."

_(Play: Smash Up! - YS 8 OST)_

And the black mass _charged_, moving faster than the eye could see. Crossing the distance between them in a mere second, Chris barely had time to gasp as it brought down its claw on her. She hurriedly raised her crossbows just in time for the beast to smash through them in a single strike and for its claws to cut deep into her arm.

"G-gah!" Chris let out as pain shot up into her brain in an instant. Seeing its surprise attack failed, the beast jumped back just in time to avoid a retaliatory strike from Kirika. Landing back onto the ground, the fake Hibiki laid on all fours like an animal, predatory growls escaping its mouth once again.

"Chris-senpai!" The Ig-Alima user exclaimed. "Are you alright?!"

"Y-yeah," the senior replied, her arms hanging loosely by her side. "That piece of shit got me good. It... will take a while to get back into fighting shape."

Shirabe took position next to Kirika as they faced the beast. "Fall back then until you can. We'll handle this."

Chris gritted her teeth, "Yeah... thanks, guys." And took a few cautious steps backward.

Kirika raised her scythe as she entered her battle stance. "Hibiki-san... this is just too much. Way, way too much. We can't let you go on like this. This isn't right, and this isn't you."

"Now now Kirika-chan, we just talked about this. You can't match me, so you girls play nice with this child. I'm sure she'll prove her worth in just a moment," Hibiki responded. "If you can beat her then maybe... I dunno, we'll see then."

Such a casual remark thrown without thinking of the circumstance. If there was anything that made them understand that it was Hibiki speaking, it was the complete lack of regard and responsibility.

It just made the hole in their hearts that much bigger.

"It seems we have no choice then," Maria announced. "Everyone... let's cut down this beast."

There was no need to even acknowledge her.

Responding to their fighting spirit, the beast reared its head back and roared. It once again charged, stampeding towards Maria at incredible speeds like a sprinting cheetah. The silver Symphogear user raised her sword just as the beast leapt at her, blocking its powerful strike with her sword. The mere force pushed her back, and she felt her heels dig into the pavement beneath her. She gritted her teeth, and with a yell pushed the beast back. It leaped away from her, spinning in the air.

But just as it was about to land, Shirabe was ready for it. Materializing her two giant buzzsaws, she positioned right where the beast was about to land, completely ready to slice it into pieces. However, it proved to be far more agile and flexible than they imagined, and just as it fell it twisted its body to barely avoid the spinning disks, landing right in front of Shirabe. As soon as it landed on the ground it lunged at her with its claws, and Shirabe quickly pulled back her saws to block the strike. Its claw clanged off the metal, and forcing herself away from it, Shirabe slid backward, launching a barrage of saws at the fake Hibiki.

It was, however, not fast enough to avoid them. The disks sliced into its body, and the blood that made up its form splashed onto the ground behind it. It snarled at the small Symphogear user and, ignoring its own injuries, charged through the rain of saws towards her. Taken completely by surprise by the blatant disregard for its own well-being, Shirabe could barely avoid the sure-kill strike from it. She jumped away in time for it to slightly graze the side of her hip. She reeled momentarily from the pain and spun just in time to avoid the second, more savage strike.

It was fast and dangerous, that was an unmistakable fact. It was also durable, seeing that her attack had done little to arrest its movements. She glanced briefly to its mistress, seeing Hibiki simply standing in the same place, her arms crossed and with a smile on her face.

'_She's looking down on us,' _Shirabe commented to herself. '_She thinks that this thing can defeat us. In that case—!'_

Kirika came in just in time to deflect the third strike. The claws clanged against her scythe, and the beast instantly switched its focus to her. It attempted to slash at her again, but she nimbly avoided the simple strike and entered its range. With a shout, she swung towards the beast, and the very inside of her scythe struck it in the stomach. She was momentarily surprised when it wasn't sliced in half by her blow, but that was not the first time she had seen something like that happen. Planting another foot forward, she swung with all her might and swatted the beast away, causing it to fly through the air once again.

It would definitely charge at her again once it landed, she realized. In that case, she will meet it with all her power!

Holding her free hand to the side, Kirika summoned another copy of her scythe, dual-wielding them. The beast then landed back to the ground and indeed rushed at her with a burst of speed. It roared again, raising both hands and struck against the scythe she raised to defend herself. Immediately she raised the other one to slice at the beast, but it used its arm to smash it away. Claws met scythes in a wild exchange of slashing blows, tearing up the ground beneath them and cutting huge gushes into the pavement.

Maria came up behind it while it was occupied and brought down her sword on its back. The beast was far too busy with the enemy in front of its face that it could not possibly dodge her strike in time, and the ignited sword sliced deeply into its back. It let out a pained growl as it faltered, its strikes against Kirika stopping momentarily.

But that was just the opening she needed.

She quickly combined the two scythes into one, turning them into a double-headed halberd, and brought it down on the defenseless beast.

'_**REVERSE RAPUNZEL'**_

The black mass that had taken on Hibiki's form realized its impending demise and dodged to the side. It barely escaped with its life, however not without injury. Having attacked with all her might, Kirika's halberd sliced through the beast's right arm, and the severed black appendage flew through the air to land at the other side of the field.

A smirk lit up Kirika's face. "Alright, we got it—!"

"NO! IT'S NOT ENOUGH!"

Kirika was taken completely by surprise by Chris' sudden shout, turning around instinctively. "Wha—!"

It was something that she couldn't have possibly known about. All of the FIS Symphogear wielders were sorely lacking in information regarding everything that occurred before their first confrontation with S.O.N.G. Not a single one of them had any experience dealing with Hibiki's fusion with Gungnir, and as a result, did not know exactly what had been happening to her during that time.

There was a flash of movement in the corner of her eye that she barely managed to catch. She turned back just in time to see the beast lunge at her, its arm having morphed into a huge spearhead. Kirika's eyes widened in shock and she could only brace herself as it pierced into her shoulder.

"Ah-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

She screamed at the excruciating pain that accompanied the blow. It happened so fast, not a single one of them could even process it in time to react to its assault.

Its arm, the very same one that she had sliced off a mere moment before had instantly regenerated, and it promptly used its restored limb to attack her while she was unaware.

The beast raised the arm and flung Kirika away. She streaked through the air and smashed into the track field's toolshed.

"Kirika!" Maria yelled in her direction but was forced to turn back to the beast as it turned its attention to her. It clawed at her face but she deflected the attack away with her sword. Its assault was relentless, as it kept on charging at her with a wild flurry of primal slashes. Each was accompanied by a savage growl, and Maria groaned at the intensity. The beast slashed downwards, and Maria jumped back to gain some distance. She brandished her sword, and the once smooth blade fragmented and elongated, its entire length connected by a series of metal links. Locking her eyes onto the beast, she rushed towards it and struck with the full might of her whip-sword.

'_**EMPRESS†REBELLION'**_

The sword's entire length trapped the beast, and the serrated links sliced into its mass from all directions. The beast roared in pain as its blood was shed once more in large amounts. However, it was not down yet. Throwing its arms forward, the beast caught the sword in its hands, the links still grinding into its frame. Ignoring the pain, it _pulled. _Maria yelped as she was suddenly thrown forward, her feet leaving the ground.

The beast threw the sword aside and charged towards the airborne Maria. The elder idol narrowed her eyes, and in a split second decision pulled a handful of knives from her gauntlet and threw them in the beast's direction. The small blades pierced into it, throwing off its momentum, allowing Maria to use its head as a springboard and leap off in the other direction.

Just in time for Saint-Germain to shoot a barrage of bullets at its back. The bullets' impact blew holes into the beast's frame, and more blood erupted from the fresh wounds on its body. It hung in the air momentarily and then crashed into the ground face first with a loud thud, throwing up dirt into the air.

Maria landed back on her feet and turned to face the downed beast. The alchemist reloaded her gun and raised it in its direction as well, staring at it in deep concentration.

There was a tense moment on the battlefield. Miku could only look on in shock and worry at the battle, desperate to do something to help the Symphogear users. She furrowed her brows and took a step forward, but Maria already caught her intention and shouted to her. "Stay back, Miku-san!"

"But—"

"No buts! There is nothing you can do here! Words are completely lost on her! It's meaningless to try and talk her out of a fight! Get out of here as fast as you can!"

Miku's eyes widened. Why was she—she just wanted to help! She couldn't just stay back and let them fight alone!

"She's right, Miku," Hibiki said calmly, looking up at her over her shoulder. "There is nothing for you to do here. Sit quietly and wait for me to pick you up. I'll make sure you don't have to wait too long."

Complete and utter denial. Her lips quivered at their words, and her head hung low, her resolve depleted in a mere instant.

Kirika in the meantime picked herself up from the wreckage of the tool shed, untangling herself from the ropes of the tennis net that had been stored there. She groaned at the sharp pain from her shoulder but brushed it off as much as she could and made her way towards the others.

Shirabe went over to her while the two older women kept their eyes on the currently unmoving beast, waiting for it to make any sort of move. This was their opportunity to regroup.

"Are you okay, Kiri-chan?" Shirabe asked her significant other.

Kirika flashed a weak smile, holding down a hand on the wound in her shoulder. "I'm okay Shirabe, it..." She winced. "Doesn't hurt too much."

Shirabe looked at her with worry, checking out her injury. How could a mindless beast give them so much trouble? It was incredibly disheartening, to think that this was their best. In the end, it only proved Hibiki's point: if they could barely beat this monster she created, then how the hell could they surpass her? What could possibly beat her at this point?

Chris, who had been hanging in the back due to her injuries, kept her gaze locked onto the real Hibiki. She could see Miku standing further away from her on the incline, her arms by her sides and her fists clenched. She wanted to go and comfort her, but if what Tomosato told them was true, it was a bad idea to show any sort of closeness to Miku while Hibiki was around.

And besides that, to ignore Hibiki while they were fighting was tantamount to suicide. Chris's arms still hurt from the beast's initial strike, and it was difficult to raise them. Thankfully, her Symphogear stopped the beast from doing too much damage to her arms, and she was sure that in a few minutes she would be able to fight again, albeit a bit weakened.

But minutes in a fight were eternal. A single second could decide the outcome of a battle, which could decide the conclusion of a war... and decide the fate of the world.

To that end, Chris knew that despite his insufferable attitude, Kazanari Fudou was not wrong in his assessment. They are soldiers, in the end. They trained, they fought, and they put their lives on the lines for the many. They were the frontline and backline in a war against beings that humanity could not handle by themselves, and they carried the fate of the entire world on their shoulders thrice already.

And as she painstakingly learned, there was no battle that could not be won. There is only a missing element that needed to be used at the appropriate time.

But when that element was completely unknown... it was hard to develop any sort of hope.

The beast stayed down on the ground. Maria raised an eyebrow at its inactivity. "Do you think it's dead?" She asked the alchemist.

The response came from the beast itself as it raised itself off the ground. It turned on all fours towards them again, extending its limbs behind itself and growling all the while.

"Does that answer your question?" Saint-Germain retorted back.

It roared once more and stampeded towards them, tearing up the ground with its clawed hands and feet. It leaped towards Saint-Germain first, and the alchemist materialized a blade at the end of her gun, using it to shield herself from the incoming strike. The beast crashed into her, and with a strong heave lifted the fake Hibiki above her head and threw it into the air. She aimed her gun at the airborne beast and fired multiple rounds, each one hitting its mark and splashing more blood onto the ground beneath it.

Taking the opportunity while it was defenseless, Maria took out a handful of knives from her gauntlet and raised them above her head. They spun rapidly, creating a whirlwind around the Airgetlam user, which she proceeded to throw right at the black beast.

'_**TORNADO†IMPACT'**_

The storm engulfed the beast and slammed it into the ground, pinning it to the pavement under the force of the mighty wind. Maria kept on the effort, not letting the snarling beast move even an inch.

"Now! Finish it off!" She yelled.

Before Saint-Germain could respond, however, she heard the strong shuffling of metal as Chris materialized her two giant rockets behind her.

"No problem!"

'_**MEGADETH FUGA'**_

And she fired. The rockets flew through the air, the backdraft creating a dust storm in their vicinity due to their proximity. Just before they struck, Maria canceled the storm, allowing the missiles to reach their destination unabated.

A huge explosion occurred in the wake of their impact, and the girls had to raise their arms to protect their eyes from the wind that followed.

"Now it should be dead," Chris commented with a smirk. Even without her crossbows, she could still help, and so she took the opportunity to blast the beast into pieces. If its regeneration did not allow them to chip at it slowly, then the obvious solution is to destroy it so thoroughly it had nothing to regenerate from.

And true to her thought, when the fireball had dissipated and they looked into the small crater that formed from the impact, there was indeed nothing inside of it.

It had taken much effort, but they were in the end successful. They had successfully taken down the beast.

A small smile began to form on the edges of Maria's mouth but was promptly dropped when Hibiki started clapping. "Wow! Good job everyone! That sure was a great show!"

Saint-Germain raised her gun at the rogue wielder, frowning all the while. "You really have lost your mind."

Hibiki tilted her head sheepishly to the side. "Lost my mind? Now that's just rude St. Germain-san! I'm very much sane I'll have you know."

She clapped one more time, and then a savage smile lit up her face. "As a reward for your success...How about I increase the difficulty?"

"Wha—"

And they looked over the battlefield, staring at two of the puddles that had formed after they spilled the beast's blood. They too, like their predecessor, began to bubble and grow and morph. Following the same trend, the two puddles quickly grew as well.

And at the end of the nasty process, _two_ black beasts remained in their wake.

They stood at opposite ends of the area, boxing the Symphogear wielders and Saint-Germain between them. They two beasts growled loudly at them, and Maria looked between them hurriedly, trying to formulate some sort of plan of action. They essentially had three fighters at relatively top form, while Chris couldn't use her arms at the moment, limiting her to just her strong blasts. Kirika, on the other hand, was probably still able to fight, but at a much lower efficiency.

This is all without taking into consideration their Ignite limit. Maria at some point lost count of the timer and was now absolutely clueless as to how much of it remained.

"Everyone, stick together. Huddle as close as possible!" She commanded, and they proceeded to obey her orders. The four wielders, as well as Saint-Germain, stood in a circle, their backs towards each other. Kirika painfully materialized a scythe again and held it aloft in her uninjured hand. It was much more difficult to lift now, but they had to make do with what they had.

Saint-Germain contemplated on their next move. '_Just one gave us an endless source of trouble. It was strong, fast, but essentially just a wild animal. We were able to outsmart it and overwhelm it, but... how much longer can the Symphogears hold? And how much longer can I hold?'_

-!-

Elfnein bit her lip, looking at the disadvantageous position the girls found themselves in. The Ignite timers kept on ticking down on the big screen in front of her, and they indeed did not have much time left on it. Just the fight against the one beast significantly reduced it, and now two of them at the same time looked bleak.

She was still completely perplexed at _how_ Hibiki could create them out of nowhere. It was an act that defied various rules she was aware of intimately as both a scientist and an alchemist. Creating life is a goal many alchemists in the past fought and died to accomplish, and not even one of them managed to do so as successfully as she had. Not even Carol, with all of her knowledge, had been able to do so. The Autoscorers were in the end simply pre-programmed dolls, and her spare bodies were degraded versions of her own.

But what could they do now?

"You worry about your own comrades, homunculus," Adam suddenly said, catching her attention. "In the end, even the divine power has its limits in what it could do. To spawn a being like that was nothing short of a violation of the natural law. Leave discovering the reason for that to me. It's your job to keep them alive, is it not?"

Elfnein blinked a few times, surprised at his out-place-generosity. "I see. Thank you."

Adam smirked. "There is no need to thank me, homunculus. Just make sure that our goals are attained at the end of this road, no matter what you have to do."

She looked at him, taking in the meaning of his words. This was indeed an exceptional situation that called for creative solutions.

Well, it was a good thing she did indeed do something creative. It was a surprise it worked at all, but even though it was a shadow of the real thing, it could still be useful and help them turn the tide. It took a painstaking amount of work to accomplish, but she's still proud of the results.

Now to just inform her that she could use it.

Elfnein pressed the comm button. "St. Germain-san!"

-!-

The last person the alchemist expected to specifically open a channel to her was Elfnein. It took a while for the homunculus to convince her to take the earpiece from her, but in the end, the tactical needs outweighed her own reluctance.

And it seemed now it would prove useful. "_St. Germain-san!"_

"What is it?" She responded evenly.

"_Listen, I'm sorry for not telling you about this earlier, but there is something you can do to help you in the battle," _Elfnein told her. Saint-Germain furrowed her brows skeptically while still having her gun raised at the beast in front of her.

"What are you talking about?"

"_I installed the Ignite Module on your Faust Robe."_

It was such a bombshell announcement that the alchemist almost dropped her gun in response. The Symphogear wielders turned around to stare at her in shock, not believing that such a thing was even possible.

"That's impossible," The alchemist responded. "The Faust Robe is not a true relic. It does not have the same abilities as the Symphogear does, regardless of their similarity."

It was an undeniable fact The entire reason the Ignite Module worked at all was due to the fact that the Symphogears innately contained the 'Berserk' mechanic. It was only through overcoming the pain that it invokes in one's mind that it could be subdued and used as a power source rather than becoming a raging beast like the black mass before them. From her research, Saint-Germain reasoned that the Ignite Module could only be conceived because of Tachibana Hibiki's experience as a relic-human fusion. Faust Robes were the alchemical equivalent of the Symphogear, requiring no song to activate and were in the end, not true relics.

Due to that fact, they did not have the berserk mechanic to abuse, so why...?

"_I know it sounds unbelievable, but I made it work. It's not exactly the same as the one the Symphogears have, so its power is degraded, but I managed to install it all the same. I used the last piece of the Fool's Stone that I had as a conductor. Even if the Philosopher's Stone is not a true relic like the Symphogears, it was enough for it to interface successfully with the Ignite Module. I do not know what to tell you in terms of what your real output would be, but it will have the same advantages and disadvantages just like the real one," _Elfnein explained.

So that was why she succeeded. She had abused the status of the Philosopher's Stone as a pseudo relic to force the Module to work with it. Since her Robe was derived from it, it could still somehow work.

It was a long shot, she understood that much. The Philosopher's Stone was not a historical relic that contained massive amounts of power due to its relation to legends. It was more akin to an ideal taken form, passing on through the generations of alchemists as they strived to obtain it. It was considered the ultimate form of alchemy, the final form of the perfection they sought. In the end, the stone itself did not actually exist, up until Saint-Germain managed to synthesize one alongside Prelati and Cagliostro. It was not a 'true' Philosopher's Stone like the one sought, but it still glowed with an almost divine radiance. It was due to this aspect that it was the natural enemy of the Ignite Module, as its purity washed away the curse that it embodied.

As a result, something like the Ignite Module could never work with a Faust Robe derived from the Philosopher's Stone, so how did she do it?

No, even if it was unlikely, the confidence in her voice convinced the alchemist that it would work. She had to trust her, even if they were temporary allies. They had no reason to deceive her on the battlefield, and in the end, they had the exact same goals.

So the only thing she had remaining... was to put her trust into this reckless plan.

It was completely out of character for her, she knew that much. But as they say, war makes for strange bedfellows.

"Very well," she responded, and with a finger and a thumb grabbed the sides of the Faust Robe's unit at the very middle of her collarbone. She could feel the two very distinct additions to it that were not part of the original model, confirming that indeed, the homunculus had added a component to it.

It was almost instinctual for her at this point after witnessing the Symphogear users do it so many times before her. So, she will make it theatrical, just like they did.

She gave it two clicks.

"**IGNITE MODULE"**

Tearing away the unit, she held it aloft with one hand in the air before her.

"**UNSHEATHE!"**

The red crystal glowed, and a mechanical voice rang out from within it.

'_**DAINSLEIF'**_

And she released it, letting it float on its own. The unit spun, turning over as it faced her directly. Then, the butterfly-like wings that were part of its design elongated, and right in the middle of it all, where the unit itself rested, a glowing crimson blade erupted. It sparked with an intense amount of electricity, and Saint-Germain braced herself.

There was a sharp pain in her chest as the crimson blade pierced her, and instantly she was engulfed in the black smoke that came with the first use of the Module.

She groaned painfully as the curse of Dainsleif washed over her and the light of the Philosopher's Stone was violently repressed by its sheer intensity. "**G-gah!"**

The Symphogear wielders still stood stupefied, watching the alchemist brave through what they had. "Fight it, Saint-Germain!" Maria yelled at her.

Her words did not reach the struggling alchemist, who was lost amongst the shadows as she fought against the blade. Dainsleif was, after all, a legendary sword of bloodshed and murder, said to never to return to its sheath until its wielder had taken a life. It is a sword that amplifies the darkness within the user's heart and could cause an artificially induced rampage. It is only through overcoming that darkness that the curse could be subdued and mastered, which required a great deal of strength of will.

It was like in a single, eternal moment, Saint-Germain could see all of the sins she had committed side by side. She could hear the screams of pain and rage echoing within her mind. All of the failures and frustrations that have built up over the years bubbled up within her, tearing her body apart from the inside. It was an intense mental pain accompanied by an excruciating physical one, and she lurched forward as she attempted to hold onto her reason through the thick clouds forming in her consciousness.

'_I know this already," _she told herself in the chaos. '_I know that eventually, I will face retribution for everything I've done. I know that time will come to me. I deserve every single bit of it; every curse, every sorrow, every unimaginable and abominable death that can be brought upon another. That is the only end awaiting someone like me.'_

The painful memories of her childhood, of trying to survive in a broken society and trying in vain to save her dying mother came up to the surface. '_I know that my efforts, in the end, yielded absolutely nothing, that my path of bloodshed was for naught. That the perfect world I envisioned was nothing but an illusion.'_

The centuries that have passed, the sacrifices she had to make, and the eventual hardening of her own heart. '_But even so, I wanted to believe in it. I wanted to believe in this ideal to the very end. I lived for far too long to throw it aside on a mere whim.' _The faces of her comrades, her _friends, _flashed before her eyes. Their smiling faces and their loyalty had filled her with joy. '_I did it for them, for Mother, and for the world in which I lived. And yet, I lost them all in a single, fleeting moment. And at the end of it all, I became lost as well. I followed a man who betrayed me and my dream, and I was left clawing desperately for some sort of salvation.'_

And among all of that, a single, extended hand had washed the sorrow away. '_Yet I was offered a chance that I was not given for hundreds of years. I was offered a solution, and I grabbed the hand that beheld it. I lost my own dream, so I could do nothing but try and help her achieve her own. Yet, now she stands against that dream as well. Will I once again stand aside and do nothing? Will I once again let a dream be destroyed, for countless efforts to be cast aside like I was?!'_

She gritted her teeth as her anger rose. '_No! I refuse to submit! I will not stand for this blasphemy! I will rise above any curse, against any god, and I will end the cause of humanity's sorrow! I will stand against the oppression that you now embody, Tachibana Hibiki! I will remind you of your own dream, and I will extend my hand to you...'_

She threw her head back and screamed towards the sky.

"**JUST AS YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME!"**

And the darkness that engulfed her, now fully tamed, coalesced in its entirety into the unit that had spread it. A rush of energy erupted from Saint-Germain's form as the wielders looked on in awe and wonder. Hibiki, who had been standing to the side with her arms crossed narrowed her eyes at the interesting development.

And right before their eyes, Saint-Germain's Faust Robe transformed, the sleek silver shine that had been signature to it having become a deep black. Her entire frame glowed with the aura the Module provided, and as the light faded, the Ignited Faust Robe of the Philosopher's Stone stood before them.

Saint-Germain opened her eyes, her mind finally clear of the raging black storm that it drowned in a moment before. She raised her arm and studied the changes to her appearance, feeling the power welling up within her. There was a feeling of something grinding against something else, like two cogs in a machine trying to spin in alternate directions. She figured it was the two natures conflicting with one another, the Philosopher's Stone struggling against Dainsleif's curse. How ironic that she should be subjected to the same contradiction as Tachibana Hibiki was.

But there was no point in wasting time on it. She had to make use of it to its fullest. She had to make this apparent miracle worthwhile.

"So this is what it's like," she said. "This is what you have all gone through, isn't it?"

Maria looked at her with wide eyes, and her expression relaxed somewhat. "Yes... that's how it was for us as well."

"I see."

She looked up at the snarling beast that had remained stationary the entire time and narrowed her eyes at it. Her Faust Robe, she noticed, had evolved to become something more like a Symphogear than a Faust Robe in its current state. '_To think the homunculus would be able to do something like this in such a short period of time, and almost completely negate the contradiction from the two existing at the same time... she truly is talented.'_

It was fitting to someone like her, whose entire life was nothing but a contradiction in on itself. "Then let us purge those regrets we harbor... upon these vile abominations of life!"

The beast in response to her declaration charged at her in a single bound. Before Maria could act to stop it, Saint-Germain walked forward and stepped into the beast's path. "Hey, what are you—"

Before she could even finish her sentence, Maria's eyes widened when the alchemist avoided the blow at the very last possible moment. Her body moved so quickly the beast could not adjust in time, and the two came extremely close face to face. Saint-Germain stared into the pure crimson eyes of the beast.

'_Did my eyes glow like that?' _She thought to herself. It was a fleeting thought, one she used as a way to entertain herself momentarily, and then she stabbed the blade protruding from her gun into the beast's stomach. The beast growled in pain and attempted to dislodged itself from the impaling blade, but it was far too late.

Saint-Germain pressed the trigger, and the entire middle of the beast's body exploded outwards in a shower of blood. Its face contorted into an expression of primal shock, thrown backward by the blast.

But it was not done yet. The bullet that had broken the speed of sound and continued onwards in its path suddenly _changed direction in midair_. Arcing widely, it turned all the way around back to the battlefield and blew through the defenseless beast again from behind, its entire lower body being erased in a shower of blood as well. And before it could even hit the ground, the bullet curved back once again and destroyed what remained of the beast's upper body, culminating in lodging itself into the pavement.

And all that remained of the beast was a puddle of blood on the ground, having been defeated in a mere instant.

"Holy shit," Chris exclaimed at the sight of the brutal yet swift destruction of the second beast.

Hibiki's face contorted in fury as she witnessed another of her creations be destroyed. "So even Elfnein-chan is turning on me," she growled out. "But good job, St. Germain-san."

"I don't want to hear that from you, Tachibana Hibiki," The alchemist responded, turning her weapon on the rogue wielder. "This may not be as powerful as your own, but I am not afraid to take a life if necessary. That is the core difference between you Symphogears and I. The battlefield is no place for hesitation or holding back. If you truly wish to erase me... Then come face me head-on!"

Hibiki let her arms fall to her sides. "So that's how you want it then," She said angrily. "Fine with me. But before that..."

She swept her arm forward before anyone could ask what she meant. Then, all at once, all the puddles of blood that had formed due to the destruction of the beasts bubbled and transformed.

And, instead of one, single beast... there were now a dozen, all looking towards the wielders and snarling savagely.

"That will keep everyone occupied. Now, let's get this show on the road, St. Germain-san. You wanted a fight... then you got one!"


	8. Chapter 8: The Burden of Life

"That is quite an interesting development," Adam Weishaupt said upon seeing Saint-Germain's new form. "I did not expect you to be able to incorporate the Ignite Module into a Faust Robe, homunculus."

Elfnein continued tapping away on her console, only partially listening to him. "It took a bit of tinkering, but I'm glad it worked as well as it did, even if its output is lower than usual," she replied, going over the data on the Faust Robe.

There was a clear difference between it and the Symphogears, despite all of her effort to maximize its potential as much as possible. The Philosopher's Stone proved to be a stubborn opponent, and only by adding the Fool's Stone into the equation did it actually succeed.

It was like a strange game of rock-paper-scissors. The Philosopher's Stone had an advantage over the Ignite Module, but the Fool's Stone had an advantage over it. It was their solution when they'd originally fought the alchemists, as the Philosopher's Stone's light had completely negated the Module's curse. Without it, they were just not strong enough to compete with them on even ground, as the Philosopher's Stone siphoned away the Module's strength.

But when the Fool's Stone came into the equation, it made things much more balanced. Working like destructive interference, the Fool's Stone's power was expressed as a barrier that protected them from its light, canceling its effects and evening their odds.

It worked quite the same way when she had installed the Module onto the Faust Robe. The Fool's Stone she had added worked to seal away the canceling light of the Philosopher's Stone, allowing the Module to work as intended even if it was not a Symphogear. Despite its dubious origins, the Philosopher's Stone still counted as a relic and therefore had a Berserk state that the Module could use.

Of course, when Elfnein first made these adjustments, everything was just a theory. A huge, risky, and dangerous theory that could have possibly backfired had she not quadruple checked it for any errors.

The results were as they saw: A fully functional Ignite Module on a Faust Robe, something that was supposed to be impossible. However, it did not come without a price. Due to the fact that much of the Faust Robe's power was derived from its relic, and because that relic was now partially sealed away within it, the base output of the Faust Robe was reduced as a result.

While the Ignite Module increased it beyond its previous limits, it was still bound by the Module's weaknesses such as the time limit. It would have been nice if the two components could work in harmony and increase the output even more, but Elfnein would not look a gift horse in the mouth. They _had _to work with that they got.

"I will give you credit for this as you have worked out quite an ingenious solution in such a limited amount of time. However, do you truly believe it will be enough?" Adam asked her after acknowledging her efforts. Credit had to be given where credit was due, even if they were supposed to be enemies.

"It isn't," she answered honestly. "There is no way it can be enough, especially after the adjustments I had to make to it. But even if it isn't... just a bit... even just a little bit could make all the difference."

Adam knew that her words were spoken out of desperation. There just wasn't _anything _their command center could do to assist the Symphogear users, especially now that Hibiki spawned a _dozen _of those copies.

They, like the rest of the world, were helpless in her wake, so Elfnein attempted to do as much as she could in order to slightly improve their chances. Giving Saint-Germain an Ignite Module won't magically turn the tables for them, but it can improve their chances even a bit.

However, that depended on how clever Saint-Germain could be. The biggest advantage the alchemist had over the users, and even over Hibiki herself, was her sheer experience. She had lived for hundreds of years after all, and one does not survive that long by being stupid. In that regard, she could possibly come up with some sort of plan.

But that was a big maybe. This was a situation not even Fine would know how to handle safely and without several setbacks, and she was thousands of years old by the time she was defeated. Hibiki was after all known for her illogicality; experience, will, and fate itself were bent out of shape due to her efforts, and she managed to time and time again surpass their wildest expectations.

It was incredibly distressing to think the qualities that they appreciated about her and what made her special were all being wielded against them. They were on the receiving end of that illogicality, and just like their enemies, they were completely stupefied as to what to do. And to add on to that, Hibiki also knew everything about their capabilities including what the command center itself could do, but most importantly what the Symphogears could do.

It was the reason she could allow herself to be so arrogant; what reason does she have to worry if she knows everything about her opponents and has realized they don't pose enough of a threat?

That's why Saint-Germain was a key player in this scenario. Not only were their meetings fairly short, but the alchemist had also never revealed her full abilities. Now, reinforced by the Ignite Module, it only made her a bigger unknown in the rogue wielder's mind. She would have to play it much safer than before despite all of her power. Even the reckless Hibiki knows that pure force alone cannot solve all problems, a fact that she painstakingly learned after more than a year of fighting. So even if it did not grant them victory, it could give them time to discover a solution.

'_No... it's not that we don't have a solution... it's that attempting to apply it might backfire on us. I hope Genjuro-san won't regret it. I know it was a difficult decision to make... but if we want to survive... we have to make sure it works.'_

"How ironic," Adam added while watching the ongoings. "What an interesting case of role reversal we have here."

Elfnein looked to him and tilted her head, and he continued. "It's almost laughable. Saint-Germain, who up until now has been zealously pursuing the divine power, is now using a power that belonged to her enemies. On the other hand, the god-slayer is now wielding the very same divine power that Saint-Germain had always wanted. Tachibana Hibiki with divine power, and Saint-Germain with an Ignite Module. How amusing."

Oh, so that's what he meant. That was indeed an ironic situation, Elfnein had to admit. The two opponents using the powers that were signature to each other, but on opposite sides. In some ways, it was indeed amusing.

But that did nothing to make her feel any better, nor would it make any difference in the outcome.

-!-

Being confined to a hospital bed was one of the few things Genjuro hated with a passion.

He had a lot of experience in the field, and he had seen enough disturbing actions on the battlefield to scar a man forever. It was only due to his resilience and experience that he managed to find himself in this position, leading a secret government group of soldiers equipped with armor created from ancient relics.

Yes, soldiers. That was one of the many regrets Genjuro had in his life. He had led countless soldiers on the battlefield to their deaths and had to watch good people die for the sake of peace. Far too many familiar smiling faces passed by his vision time and time again, and he could never consider any of them expendable, especially the Symphogear wielders.

Yes, the Symphogear wielders. One of Genjuro's secret wishes was that they would eventually shed that title away, leave that armor and obligation behind, and have the time and freedom to live their lives as just simple girls.

He wanted them to grow, get married, have a family, and most of all be _happy. _To be a Symphogear wielder, an Adaptor, was not a right or a privilege. It was a burden and a responsibility that cut into your life regardless of your wishes; Tachibana Hibiki was proof of that more than anyone. She had come into this world completely by accident, and in the end, she was the one who had given them the most hope. She was not 'trained' or made to be one like the others, she was simply someone who got caught up in circumstances that warranted her involvement. And she had happily smiled and agreed, eager to help anybody she could.

To see her in this current state, to see her use her ideals and wishes against the world and her own comrades tore at his heart. He never wanted this for her. He never wanted this for any one of them. Many times he had just thought that he should just... let them go. To just tell the girls that they were free to leave, to give up this tumultuous life and to finally find their own path without fighting. But of course, as he knew them, these girls would take one step forward and immediately turn back and tell him they'll never leave him alone.

He smiled at the thought. He didn't know them for very long, yet they were family. They saw each other all the time and went through so much together they had become inseparable. And that just made it all the more painful.

"Damn it," Genjuro let out involuntarily as he watched the battle through his small laptop screen. He wanted to go out there again, to provide them with some sort of support; But nothing he could do would help even the odds. In the end, he also knew that Elfnein's insane tactic was nothing but an attempt to buy some time for... anything, really.

Genjuro thought back to his battle with her. Despite his best efforts, he had been defeated, and was sure he would die that night... yet, he didn't. Hibiki did not kill him. She could have had she wanted to, and she had every intention to. Yet, she didn't. He knew it was crazy and delusional, but just that single action proved to him that she was not lost completely, that they could still get her back.

However, the method of getting her back was very far away, and it was a method that depended on one single person. A person who should not have been involved in these affairs in the first place... And if Hibiki knew he intended to involve them, she would absolutely never forgive him. Yet, he had hardened his heart and gave the go-ahead to make that method available, and now he was using this incident as a way to make them want to be involved.

'_This makes me no better than them...' _He thought to himself. What a goddamned irony. But he was used to making these kinds of cruel decisions. A commander cannot command if he does not do all in his power to make the mission a success... even at the cost of his own heart.

Genjuro tore his eyes away from the screen to once again to look at the pod Tsubasa rested in. She was doing much, much better according to the doctors even though barely a day had passed since she was injured. He had to give it to her, Tsubasa was one hell of a fighter, in more than one regard. She was far, far stronger than him in various ways. All of the girls were, and that made him extremely proud. He just hoped that she would get well soon and that she could be reunited with her comrades, her _sisters._

Although... maybe that wasn't quite the correct title to call them. After all, as commander, he also knew more about their interpersonal relationships than they'd believe, and indeed he was quite surprised yet pleased by what he had discovered.

'_They are different from me,' _he reminded himself. He had long since locked his heart away for his duty so they would not have to, and he was happy that they were indeed getting along. He was happy that despite all that she had done, Ryoko's efforts had managed to bring them together. That Nasstassja's girls managed to find a place to belong without her. So much happened to bring this whole group together. So much was sacrificed and lost so they could obtain their happiness.

And he would be _damned_ if he let anything happen to them. He could not just sit and allow such desecration of their bond to occur right before his eyes. He would do whatever it takes to get that happiness back, even if he had to sell his soul to the devil. And if it required him to involve the one person he didn't wish to involve... then he would do so, and accept the consequences once he fell down to Hell, where he believed he belonged.

His eyes went back to the screen, continuing to watch the battle.

-!-

_(Play: Anger and Grudge - Dynasty Warriors 6 OST)_

Saint-Germain had no song to sing. She had no melody, no words that could pour from her heart to stir her soul in the face of an enemy. No, the only thing she had was an iron will, and the experience behind it to put it to good use.

She had brazenly challenged Hibiki to a fight despite the odds. Yet, there was no regret to be had, no taking backs in the middle of the battlefield. She had told the girls that she was different from them, that she had no such hesitation in her heart as they did.

And that made all the difference.

The moment Hibiki had said the words, the alchemist was already in action. There was no time to help the others defeat the beast clones that had spawned. It would just give their maddened mistress the time to either make more or hit them where they least expect it. So she had to believe in their prowess and leave those beasts to them while she was occupied with the main culprit.

Her charge was swift and brutal. The blade at the end of her gun crashed against Hibiki's spear, and blazing sparks erupted from the impact point. To her surprise, Hibiki found herself slightly pushed back from the force as Saint-Germain glared down at her with her teeth bared.

Hibiki's free hand wheezed through the air to smash against the alchemist's side, but to her surprise Saint-Germain maneuvered around it, ending the blade lock abruptly and sending the rogue Adaptor off balance. Twisting in midair, Saint-Germain took aim and fired, the bullet whistling loudly on its path. Hibiki glared at it momentarily and then immediately teleported behind the airborne alchemist, and instantly brought her spear down on her defenseless back.

Only for her senses to scream loudly in her mind, and she raised her spear to instead block an impact she had narrowly missed. Somehow, Saint-Germain had managed to launch an attack from behind her back, a fact that Hibiki had a very hard time believing.

"Wha—?!"

And she would be right. It was not that the alchemist had suddenly grown a gun on her back and fired again. No, it was a much crazier fact than that. The round she had fired earlier, the one that Hibiki had dodged upon teleporting, had almost instantly _curved its path_, turning around in ways a bullet should never be able to and make its way to her.

"You'd do well not to underestimate me, Tachibana Hibiki! Remember who it is you're dealing with!"

It was a technique she had developed almost spontaneously upon the activation of the Ignite Module. It was a simple thing really: so long as she knows where her target is, she can direct the fired bullet to change its trajectory and seek her again. It was insane and it broke several ironclad laws of physics, but at this moment it was an incredible tool. The only true defense against it was to be impervious to bullets, as once it impacted it would no longer continue.

However, it gave her an almost immediate counter to a most irritating problem: Hibiki's teleportation ability. Even if she didn't exactly know where the rogue Adaptor would teleport to next, she could very well figure it out on her own. Despite her overwhelming power, Hibiki was still incredibly predictable in her fighting. She always fought on the frontline, going front and center in their formation, and going right into the enemy's face.

Against the Noise, or even against an amateur opponent, such a tactic would quickly overwhelm them.

But not Saint-Germain. No, she had faced these kinds of tactics before, and by now she was more than prepared for them.

However, that still did not solve the problem of their humongous difference in power, nor would it magically increase the timer on her Ignite Module. She had gone into the second phase like the others, which helped increase her output but limited the activation time to almost half of its original duration.

So she would make the most of it.

Twisting in midair once again, Saint-Germain's barrel was once again aimed at Hibiki's face. She fired a volley of shots that crashed against the spear's flat side, putting pressure on the rogue Adaptor. Another interesting observation that the alchemist made was also a great source of mystery: why was Hibiki adamantly using her spear?

Her skill with it was, in simple words, extremely lacking. She had never in her life received training in the use of polearms in any shape or form, so that made her attacks very simple to predict and overcome. Well, overcome was a strong word, as a mere grazing blow from a swing was liable to blow her head apart. But that still made it far easier to deal with, and she was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Had she been using her fists like always, the fight would have become much more difficult. She figured it was the main reason the seemingly invincible commander was defeated in the first place. He fought her with the very same style he taught her, and in the end, it backfired on him when he realized that she was way stronger than him.

But Saint-Germain had to give herself some credit, her bullets were not something one could simply ignore. They were special, crafted by her own power, and provided her with a bottomless magazine she could use at any given moment. Even an insanely powerful being like Hibiki would be fazed if they hit their mark.

Hibiki pushed forward through the hail of bullets, using the spear as a shield as she charged towards the alchemist. Predicting her approach, Saint-Germain dove back to the ground, allowing the rogue wielder to pass over her harmlessly. Keeping up the pressure, she continued firing, and Hibiki once again teleported behind her in an attempt to cut her down.

Only for the volley to once again change directions in midair, flying right towards her and forcing her to stop her swing in order to defend herself. Taking the chance, Saint-Germain jumped away to create as much distance as she could

"Tch! That's so annoying!" Hibiki exclaimed in frustration as the bullets impacted against her spear. With a powerful swing, she slashed apart the bullets coming her way and charged once again towards the alchemist. Saint-Germain kept on firing, forcing Hibiki to smash them away and delaying her long enough for the alchemist to create more distance.

By this point they weren't even on the ruined track field anymore, having slowly made their way back to the main school building. Tired of the relentless assault, Hibiki planted her feet and threw the spear towards the alchemist. The spear tore through the air, and the mere force of its passing smashed away any bullets that were making their way towards its mistress.

Saint-Germain's eyes widened and she dodged to the side, the spear barely missing her and lodging itself deeply into the school's brick wall. Now no longer holding her weapon, Hibiki teleported right in front of the alchemist, rearing her fist back to cave her skull in. Responding quickly, Saint-Germain raised her gun and smashed away the fist with its blade. Hibiki was taken aback that her blow was deflected, but narrowed her eyes and launched another strike, only for it to be deflected once again. Their eyes met, and Hibiki gritted her teeth.

"If that's how you want it—!"

A rapid barrage of punches made their way to Saint-Germain, but with her increased output she barely managed to deflect them all away; each strike that her blade met only caused the alchemical steel to chip away more and more. The speed at which Hibiki was launching her punches was absolutely insane, and if it wasn't for her intuition the alchemist was sure that at least over a dozen of them should have already met their mark. Her fists were less like actual fists at this point and more akin to rays of light, moving so fast that every time she blinked another five dozen were already on their way to her.

She couldn't keep on a direct confrontation with the powerful Symphogear Adaptor. While she would have liked to keep her on her toes at firing distance, her teleportation threw that option out of the window. It was only the curving bullets that managed to stop any of her advances, but she could not fire while she was busy deflecting the death-dealing blows. If only she had some sort of opening...

Hibiki reared her fist back and fired it at the alchemist, who once again moved her gun to block it. However, at the very last possible second, Hibiki's stance shifted and her blow stopped in its tracks. Saint-Germain's eyes widened in panic as the rogue wielder reared back her other arm and fired it instead, a huge grin etched on her face.

'_A feint!' _Saint-Germain exclaimed in her mind. There was no time to deflect, the previous attempt to block leaving her wide open. Who would have thought the Hibiki would be able to come up with such a tactic on the fly.

There was no choice. Moving as fast as she could, Saint-Germain brought her arms back and raised the gun itself in the last second to block the furious strike. The punch smashed against the weapon, shattering it to pieces, and the very force of the strike sent Saint-Germain flying through the air.

"G-Guh—!"

A pained voice escaped her mouth as she landed, rolling on the ground. She eventually brought herself to one knee, looking up at the god-slayer who immediately rushed in her direction. The alchemist clicked her tongue and formed a magic circle on the ground, and immediately a huge golden seal grew beneath her feet.

Just as Hibiki was about to strike, a cloud of smoke rose from the seal in huge amounts, obscuring her field of vision.

"Tch. You have far too many tricks," Hibiki commented as she looked to and fro inside the cloud, having lost Saint-Germain's location. She figured that she was no longer in front of her, and was probably trying to regroup somewhere or even trying to launch an attack from an exposed flank. "That is not going to work!"

And she began to punch the air itself. Using the shockwaves from her fists, the smoke was gradually being dispersed. More and more of it was lifted away as she struck, yet it did not seem to be disappearing completely. The magic circle must still be active, she thought, from her limited knowledge of how alchemists used magic. Didn't it require for them to constantly be feeding the seal in order for its effects to continue working? She never really listened to the explanations or lectures about these topics while they were being briefed about them.

So trying to think cleverly with it won't work. Fine, then she would go with her original idea.

Hibiki jumped, rising above the magically created cloud of smoke.

Only for her eyes to meet the barrel of Saint-Germain's gun, who stared at her with an even expression.

"Got you."

And fired.

'_**BLACK BARREL REPLICA'**_

A gigantic beam of pure blinding light erupted from the gun's barrel, engulfing the rogue Adaptor in her entirety. The cloud of smoke was instantly blown away by the shockwaves left in the blast's wake, and the light carried the rogue Adaptor, who groaned in pain and unable to escape, through the air and then promptly smash into the higher floors of the school building. The light pierced through the soft brick and glass unabated, burying Hibiki in the rubble that ensued.

Saint-Germain hung in the air, the barrel of her gun smoking. It opened, and the special canister ejected on its own with a trail of steam. The alchemist lowered her gun and studied her handiwork, not at all fazed by the destruction she caused to the school. She momentarily glanced back to the others still fighting on the track field and then turned her head back to her missing opponent.

It was extremely unlikely that Hibiki was defeated by this one strike. This attack, while powerful in its own right, was most definitely not enough to take her down. Her spear was still embedded in the relatively undamaged part of the wall on the lower floors, and she mentally noted that she would have to be prepared for it at any time.

Recovering her focus, Saint-Germain charged into the building.

-!-

_(Play: CRASH OR DIE - Dynasty Warriors 9 OST)_

It was pure chaos.

A dozen beasts, each with an individual will, bore down on the four Symphogear wielders. They decided to stick together while Saint-Germain went on to fight Hibiki on her own. Maria did not want to leave an ally to deal with her alone, but right now they had much, much bigger problems to deal with.

Mainly, these twisted caricatures of the rogue Adaptor. Had the four of them decided to split up, they would definitely have gotten massacred. But this formation also limited their options as they were forced to watch each other's back while the beasts slowly whittled them down.

"Elfnein! How much longer do we have on the timers?!" Maria screamed into the comm while using her knives to hold off a charging beast. Its advance stopped, but another passed over its downed comrade and slashed at the silver Adaptor. Hurriedly, Maria deflected the blow away with her sword, and she could feel her bones rattle from the force. Had she been in better shape, dealing with these beasts would have been a much more manageable effort.

But they were all far, far from better shape. Maria was still reeling from her earlier fight with Hibiki, while Chris' arms were still useless and so she was reduced to just firing her rockets in an attempt to hold them off. Both Kirika and Shirabe had sustained various degrees of injuries, and all four of them were being dealt more and more as the beasts struck at them with reckless abandon.

Luckily enough, they were not smart enough to not get in each other's way, so it sometimes turned out that one beast would trip over or crash into its own comrade. Of course, that would not bring them down, but it did make the endeavor a little bit easier.

But only a tiny bit.

"_Maria-san, you have around four minutes while the others have around six! St. Germain-san has the most time left, but I don't know how long she can last!"_

"Only four minutes, huh?" Maria repeated to herself. That is no time at all and the same instant a lot of time as well.

They would have to come up with something fast before they are overwhelmed.

A barrage of rockets from Chris exploded against the ground, sending three of the beasts flying in different directions. They landed on the ground, snarled, and charged towards the one that attacked them. Intent on stopping their advance, Chris fired a second volley. The rockets tore through the air, and just as it was about to hit, the beast in the lead swept its arm, slicing the projectile in half before it could explode. Chris' eyes widened at the clever tactic but simply responded with an even larger volley that the beasts would have a much harder time getting by.

With explosions going off in every direction, Kirika worked earnestly to block off the beasts that managed to bypass Chris' barrage. One of them slipped through their guard, coming awfully close to the red Symphogear user, who had to stop her assault in order to avoid the blow by taking a step back. Before the beast could slash at her, Kirika brought her scythe down on it in midair. The blade grabbed the surprised beast, and with all the force she could muster, Kirika slammed the black monster into the ground.

But that distraction proved to be their undoing, as having switched their focus to just one, the other five on their side charged towards them, taking advantage of the momentary slip in their guard. Putting herself between them and her comrades, Shirabe summoned her giant buzzsaws again, using them as impromptu shields to defend from their strikes. The beasts smashed their fists and claws into the saws, and Shirabe groaned as she felt herself give ground under their relentless assault.

"This... is too much!"

And on the other side, Maria poured all of her energy into holding off the other six. Knives of all shapes and sizes hailed down on the beasts, arresting their movements as much as possible. However, they were more resilient than she would have liked, and like before they eventually began to disregard their own wounds to slash and claw at her, interrupting her barrages time and time again. Of course they would do so, why wouldn't they? They saw just before how the beasts could easily regenerate lost limbs like nothing, and they would have to completely obliterate them to defeat them. Anything less than that was just a waste of time.

But what could they do?

Chris also realized their predicament, and grit her teeth as hard as she could. She had one technique that would maybe give them some time to formulate a plan, but employing it would require the use of her crossbows.

'_This is going to hurt like a bitch,' _she told herself. Materializing her crossbows in her hands, she painstakingly raised them to the sky, all the while silently counting on the others to defend her. Her arms shook as she could barely continue holding them up.

At the very least, it's not a technique that required aim. "Everyone! Stay close to me!" She yelled above all the noise.

The others surprisingly heard her loud and clear, and as one they jumped back, using their Armed Gears to push away the beasts' assault. "Maria! Put up a shield after I fire!"

Maria nodded at her.

The beasts charged, claws brandished. Chris stared at them with hatred in her eyes; the crossbows in her hands enlarged and shifted, twin crystalline spikes loaded in each of them. Barely a second later, she fired, and the two projectiles rose above the battlefield. As they soared, each crystal broke into smaller fragments, and each of those fragments also broke into smaller shards. And at the apex of their climb, the original two crystals had fragmented into thousands of smaller shards, covering the sky. Maria at that moment raised the shield and braced for impact.

The shards glowed, and then descended upon the beasts like a destructive rain. Striking both flesh and dirt, the shards exploded, engulfing the beasts in a massive inferno.

'_**GIGA ZEPPELIN'**_

The four Adaptors were huddled together under the shield Maria made, protected from the absolute destruction created from Chris' attack. The Ichaival user briefly felt regret at causing incredible damage to the school grounds but knew it was a necessary sacrifice. The shards exploded against the shield, and Maria focused all of her energy into maintaining it, allowing them a moment to catch their breath.

"Do you think this will be enough!?" Kirika yelled, trying to be heard above the noise.

"Hell if I know!" Chris yelled back, her arms giving way from the weight and the pain. The crossbows clattered to the ground, having served their purpose. "Maybe we'll get lucky and it will blow them away, but we can't count on that!"

"Not only that, but we have less than five minutes until our Gears give out! We have to finish this now!" Maria yelled as well.

As they talked, the last of the crystal shards struck, causing the final explosion that signaled the end of Chris' attack. It was a devastating technique, but its potency relied on its ability to essentially cause an instant carpet bombing of an area. All of the shards fell pretty much simultaneously, so it ended barely ten seconds after the first impact.

Copious amounts of smoke rose from the explosions, blanketing the entire track field and hiding everything from their sight. It would be a while until it dispersed and they could see the aftermath, but for now, they had to come up with a plan.

A plan that Shirabe made up on the spot. "Unison!"

The other three users looked to her incredulously, not sure they heard her correctly. "We could do it. Each of us did it with at least one other person here! If we combine them into one and use all the remaining energy we have, we will definitely be able to destroy them all in one big attack!"

It was the most reckless plan Shirabe had ever come up with. She was usually on the more cautious side, preferring to act only when she had enough information in order to formulate the most efficient course of action.

But this time, they just didn't have enough. All they knew about the beasts was that they were strong, crazy, and could regenerate unless they were utterly destroyed. Seeing as the first beast they destroyed was an incredible challenge all on its own, they couldn't just try and do the same thing when twelve of them were itching to tear them apart.

Maria narrowed her eyes in determination as the smoke began to clear. While it was not gone completely, she could already begin to see dark silhouettes within it. She looked around, seeing exactly twelve shadows from within the cloud of smoke, confirming the fact that Chris' attack failed to kill any of them.

However, it gave them some time, which was all they needed.

"Let's do it," she said resolutely. "It's the only option we have left. Either we kill them or they kill us. I will go with the plan that keeps us all alive."

She looked to Kirika and Chris, who were the only one who did not say anything yet. Kirika met her gaze. "Alright, let's do it!" She exclaimed.

Maria and Shirabe smiled, and the Airgetlam user looked to Chris, who was usually the more critical of the wielders. The former rogue also met her gaze with narrowed eyes, clearly having some sort of argument to make.

But, as she learned from last night, sometimes it was better to just sit still and not complain. "Alright."

With that final confirmation, they now were ready to act. The veil of smoke lifted, the shining sun piercing through the last remains of it. Maria dropped her shield, and now she could see the glowing red eyes of the beasts as they locked onto the Symphogear wielders.

"LET'S GO!"

And a song rose above the battlefield.

-!-

Saint-Germain landed inside of the school building, far from the location Hibiki had crashed into on the other wing. It seemed that her attack was far more effective than she had expected. It managed to tear through several brick walls while carrying Hibiki the entire time. However, she already knew it was not enough to defeat her.

But now that they were inside a closed location, it would mean their battle will do a lot more damage than before. The alchemist could still feel her arms shake from the desperate deflections she made against the rogue wielder's strikes. Some of them she did not manage to avoid completely, and indeed several shallow cuts had marred her skin despite the protection the Faust Robe provided.

The sounds of explosions filled her ears, realizing that the Symphogear users still on the track field had acted. She could not be bothered to look back and check as she had her own target to focus on, however, there was a strange silence inside of the school building. Hibiki should have picked herself up by now, but she was not charging at her like a mad berserker.

Well, whatever the reason was, Saint-Germain took the time to breathe. She studied her surroundings, taking in the sight of the elegant architecture of the school. It was completely empty from what she could tell, confirming the fact that the entire student body, as well as the faculty, had evacuated earlier. It made things a lot easier on them after all, although now that it was so quiet it was a bit on the eerie side.

She walked through the quiet halls. Only the sounds of her steps reached her ears, the lack of response from Hibiki putting her on edge. Perhaps she couldn't find her now? If that was the case, she was lucky Hibiki did not develop the ability to sense the location of her enemies. She would have to look for her on foot, putting them in a demented game of hide and seek.

However, such a thing was detrimental to the alchemist. The Ignite Module was still on a running timer, and every second she was not using it was another second she would not have it in battle. But that did not mean she could not take a moment to catch her breath and come up with another plan in the meantime. Despite not being the smartest of the Symphogear users, Hibiki was far from stupid. She did learn, she did understand, and she did know how to react accordingly to new developments. It would take her very little time to come up with something that will one hundred percent counter her curving bullets, or even her ability to recreate her gun.

As she walked through the halls, going nowhere in particular, Saint-Germain realized that she, in fact, landed in a curious section of the school grounds: the dorms. She was aware of the fact that Hibiki, along with her best friend Kohinata Miku lived together in this dorm. She never bothered to figure out which room it was, but reading through the records on the rogue Adaptor gave her a bit of insight about the place, as well as a bit of history.

To think that every single student was a viable candidate for a Symphogear. It was completely absurd, even if it was understandable.

She walked slowly, reading the name plaques next to each door. Nobody of importance came up in her mind, although it wasn't as if she was looking for an exact room or anything like that. She was just...taking advantage of the calm that had mysteriously fallen upon her. That was all.

And just as she thought that she somehow reached it. As if fate itself led her to it, Saint-Germain found herself stopping in front of a single, sleek mahogany door. It was an exact copy of the rest, yet the plaque on its left revealed something else entirely.

'_Kohinata Miku'_

'_Tachibana Hibiki'_

The alchemist huffed to herself. Who would have thought that her absent-minded wandering would lead her here of all places? She wasn't even actively looking for it, yet here she was, in front of the room her savior and now enemy called her home. She was definitely curious but figured it would be rude to enter it without their consent. She began to turn around and continue walking, but her leg, for some mysterious reason, would not move.

'_Maybe I should investigate further,' _she told herself as if trying to convince herself to enter anyway. If she did, not only would it make it easier for Hibiki to find her, but also would give her an even bigger reason to hate her. '_Hmph, as if it would be any different from now.'_

Realizing her curiosity was getting the better of her, Saint-Germain turned back to the door anyway, deciding to follow that feeling. She placed her hand against the handle gently, applying just a tiny bit of magic. With a soft click, the door unlocked, and she headed inside, closing it quietly behind her.

Immediately she understood why this place could be considered home. Minimal yet full of life, she could see exactly the effort the two girls put in order to make it the warmest place in the world. Saint-Germain could feel it, despite not having set foot in this place even once in her life. How the very atmosphere itself shifted upon entry, only to be enhanced with the help of the colorful furniture and the small touches that truly made it stand out from the rest.

The alchemist, for once, found herself feeling slightly envious. To think such a place could exist in a world like this was almost criminal. '_How can she give up something like this?' _She asked herself.

A minute passed in silence as the alchemist stood in the very middle of the room, looking out of the large window into the city at large. From this height, and this angle, and with the sun shining brightly above it almost seemed like nothing was wrong with the world. That everything was fine, and that inside this place she could find herself thinking optimistically about the future.

Until that serenity was violently broken when the door slammed open behind her.

Saint-Germain did not need to turn around to know who was the one who had entered, so she merely stood in place, staring at the sky. The heavy, metallic sound of the steps contrasted the warm atmosphere drastically, yet did nothing to truly dispel it. Like a spell that had fallen on them, there was no blood lust to be had in this place.

"What... do you think you are doing here?" Hibiki asked from behind the taller woman.

Saint-Germain took a moment to speak, not allowing the peace to completely break just yet.

"I won't ask you again, St. Germain-san. Tell me what you think you are doing, stepping into _my _home!"

"You know... I'm kind of envious of you," the alchemist suddenly said, stopping any further attempts from Hibiki to question her. The cursed Symphogear user narrowed her eyes at her back.

Saint-Germain looked over her shoulder. "Look at what you have here," she said. "This enviable home, filled with warmth and comfort that I would have died to have in the past. This place represents everything I never had and is a symbol of the good that exists in the hearts of Man, despite their flaws."

She turned to Hibiki fully, glaring at her. "And you want to throw it all away. You would abandon something millions of people dearly desire... all for a single, worthless ideal?!"

How ironic it was, to be speaking that way. She knew it was pretentious of her, to criticize another person for such a mindset when she herself had followed it for centuries. Yet, it was because of that... that she knew exactly how little it was truly worth.

Hibiki met her glare with one of her own. "As if you are one to talk."

Saint-Germain grinned, internally chuckling at the coincidence of their shared thoughts. "Indeed, I really am one to talk... but that also means I know exactly where your path will lead. And let me tell you this now, Tachibana Hibiki: it is not worth the sacrifices you will have to make."

Yet Hibiki was unfazed. "I will take my chances."

The alchemist huffed again. "So you will so readily throw it all away..."

There was no nothing else that could be done, then.

Saint-Germain raised her gun and pointed it right at the rogue wielder's head. "Then I will protect them... in your place!"

Her declaration stunned Hibiki, and her eyes widened.

"This enviable warmth... those gentle everydays... all of those are things I oh so desperately wanted. I cannot allow you to throw them away. I cannot allow you to give up on this happiness!"

To stand before her like this and admit these hidden desires... as a guardian, and not as a killer. She bore the weight of countless lives on her shoulders. She was the perpetrator of countless evils in her pursuit of a perfect world.

But a world that contains evil cannot ever be perfect.

That was a lesson she learned the hard way.

"You should know what it feels like, Tachibana Hibiki! To have survived through hell, to carry on with the burden and guilt of life! To walk through the world, and be reminded of everything that was lost! And that is why, all the more, you must not throw away this enveloping warmth! For the sake of those who are gone, and for the sake of those who will follow, I will protect that happiness! So long as I live I will stand against you and the ideal that you represent!"

That's right. This place and this person made her realize it. A perfect world cannot exist. Not even divine power can bring about that sort of paradise.

But even so, you can make a beautiful world so long as you never lose sight of yourself...

And...

"AND I WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON LIFE!"

At that, Hibiki froze. Her eyes widened as she felt something stir within her. A memory of three years ago, something she could never possibly forget. The gallant figure standing before death itself, and the ultimate sacrifice she made. The sight of her despair, begging her to live.

And the words that were imprinted in her heart for the years to come.

"_Never give up on life!"_

Hibiki clenched her teeth in fury.

"**SAINT-GERMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIN!"**

-!-

_(Play: Senritsu Sorority [Ignited Arrangement] - Maria Cadenzavna Eve, Tsukuyomi Shirabe, Akatsuki Kirika)_

A song of unity between three figures filled with regret echoed throughout the battlefield. It provided them with near endless power, allowing them to surpass their limits beyond what they'd ever been able to on their own.

Chris felt slightly out of place, not sure she had a true part in the singing. So she stayed quiet as the former FIS Symphogears sang and fought, their phonic gain rising steadily. The beasts continued to charge at them mindlessly, but the three girls worked in tandem, in unity that they did not have until the song began.

But even songs come to an end at some point, and no one knew if it truly would be enough with just the three of them.

Maria gritted her teeth as she held off three beasts simultaneously. It was an insanely difficult endeavor, but the song filled her with confidence. Ducking under a slash, she uppercutted the beast in the jaw, sending it flying. In its place, another charged at her, and she threw a volley of daggers at it. It was impaled by more than a dozen projectiles, yet it did not stop its assault at all. It tried to claw at her only for a glowing green crescent to slice into its arm. Maria took the opportunity to jump back, landing next to Chris, who had been firing rockets nonstop at the charging beasts.

Only for one of them to pass through the inferno her explosions created and bore down on her in an instant. She tried to jump back to avoid the blow, but her injury dulled her movement, and she was not able to avoid it completely. She reeled back and fell on her butt just as the beast approached.

And mere moments before it was about to strike her, a blade deflected the beast's arm away. Chris gritted her teeth and launched a rocket that struck the beast and carried it through the air, then slamming into the ground with a loud boom.

Chris took a breath and looked up at her savior, and saw Maria smiling down at her. "You should join in," she simply said.

Chris looked away in embarrassment. "I don't think I..."

"Don't worry about it. You are more than welcome to join us. Besides... we need you for this unison after all," Maria responded.

The Ichaival user stared at the extended hand in awe.

Well, if she was offering then... it couldn't be that bad.

Chris tried to raise her arm to grab Maria's hand, but the pain stopped her from doing so. She gave the elder user a sheepish grin, and Maria smiled even more widely, walking around to stand behind the fallen Adaptor. Then, she placed her hands under her arms and gently lifted Chris to her feet.

The red Symphogear user flushed slightly at the contact, but the sight of Maria's warm smile calmed her down.

She grinned, and the two stared into each other's eyes...

And then joined in the song.


	9. Chapter 9: Breaking Point

_(Play: Senritsu Sorority [Ignited Arrangement] - Maria Cadenzavna Eve, Tsukuyomi Shirabe, Akatsuki Kirika)_

Their voices soared.

A song, meant to be only for three now grew as a fourth joined in.

The three former FIS Symphogear users had always felt inferior to their S.O.N.G comrades. All three of them were natural Adaptors, requiring no LiNKER to operate at full capacity. Yet, the three FIS girls were dependent on the synthetic liquid, and have in the past been left completely powerless once the concoction ran out. Only a risky and heart-wrenching journey into the elder's heart finally helped them discover the missing component of the LiNKER formula.

The component whose name is love.

Despite the weakness and helplessness they had often felt, they always learned from it, always grew and accepted it in their hearts, and then finally have been able to truly grow strong.

And now, with Yukine Chris joining on their song, their strength had increased tenfold.

The difference in their battle prowess was evident almost instantly. Weaving through the beasts like the wind, the Symphogears of Zababa sliced into the black monsters without them being able to respond in time to their assault. Neither of the two girls had the ability to completely destroy them, but they could injure them.

They could anger them.

And more importantly, lure them exactly where they wanted to.

The thrusters on Kirika's lower back roared to life, and holding her scythe in her hand horizontally, she began to spin. Faster, faster, and faster she gained speed, becoming a storm that smashed the beasts away.

'_**TINKERBELL TORNADO'**_

To be able to destroy all of the beasts in one shot, they would have to first herd them all together. However, they proved to be difficult to distract as only half of them chased after the two younger girls, while the others ganged up on Maria and Chris. The two older users were more than able to hold them off now that their phonic gain levels soared, filling them to the brim with power. It would have been far easier had they been in better condition, but that never stopped them before.

Their songs, if sung with the right note in the heart, were unbeatable.

Their Symphogears however, were not.

The seconds ticked away as they fought, and sweat began to form on their brows. Following Kirika's lead, Shirabe rode forward, the beasts following up behind her. Just as one leaped forward to gain on her, the girl made a sharp U-Turn and charged towards the beast as well.

It would have seemed like a suicidal move... if she hadn't had a counterattack in mind.

She crossed her arms, and her skirt lifted and begin to spin in insanely high speeds, becoming a buzzsaw that exceeded the range of the beast's strike.

And in one motion, struck.

'_**DELTA STYLE CHARMING ACCELKILLER"**_

The beast was sliced in half, and Shirabe landed back on the ground gracefully. Two of the beasts instantly turned to her and gave chase after her. The one bisected beast was reformed a moment later as the two sliced halves were drawn towards each other and reconnected. The beast landed back on its feet and snarled.

Only to be hit in the back and flung forward as the tornado that was Kirika changed direction and followed after Shirabe, realizing her intention from the get-go. The beast twisted in the air and landed on the ground, extending its arms forward to try and stop Kirika's momentum, but it was unable to get a grip on the rapidly spinning scythe and was struck, flying all the way towards the school building and crashing into the wall.

Shirabe and Kirika regrouped with the two elder Adaptors. The Ig-Alima user stopped her spin just in time to deflect a beast's strike, throwing it back. The song soared as the four touched backs, and looking over each other's shoulders, nodded with a smile.

The beasts jumped at them all at once. Time slowed as they hung in the air, and with amazing reflexes, all four wielders jumped, and the beasts crashed into each other in a pile, right underneath them.

"LET'S FINISH THIS!"

Their voices grew louder.

One minute.

Knives spun above Maria's head, and once again she launched a tornado. It enveloped the downed beasts in their entirety, and with a flick of her arm, she raised the storm towards the air, carrying the beasts along with it. Helpless and still stuck in a clump, the beasts flailed wildly, unable to pierce through the twister to reach their targets.

Kirika and Shirabe followed up and charged towards the airborne beasts, their weapons raised. The beasts noticed their approach, and one tried to meet their attack, but the speed and angle of the attack caused its strike to miss completely. The two younger Symphogear users then launched a volley of crescent slashes and buzzsaws at the black masses. The projectiles cut into them repeatedly, and the powerful twisting wind caused them to slice into the mass again and again, constantly causing injuries that were inflicted faster than they were regenerated, leaving them with open wounds.

And at the very top of the storm, Chris hung in the air, a multitude of rockets hanging by her sides. Grinning as she sang, she launched the entire volley into the funnel. Kirika and Shirabe jumped out of the sides to avoid being caught up in the blast.

The only free beast had merely a second to roar loudly. The entire volley struck them at the same time, engulfing all of the beasts in a massive inferno of fire and wind. The entire tornado caught fire from the blast, the wind feeding the flames.

And the beasts within shrieked as they were vaporized, leaving nothing but dust in their wake.

Their song ended, and all four Adaptor landed back on the ground as the storm dispersed, sighing in relief when nothing came out of it alive.

"Wow, we actually did it!" Kirika exclaimed in delight.

"Yeah, we did," Maria answered with a smile. "Good job everyone."

The four wielders smiled to each other, and Chris let her hands fall loosely to her sides. "Good, now we just need to—"

Only to be interrupted as all four Gears exploded in a shower of light, leaving them back in their civilian outfits.

"Crap," Chris said as she looked herself over. She quickly glanced over her pendant, checking to see if it was damaged in any way.

"So we are out of the fight now?" Shirabe asked.

Maria looked at the top of the school building, where she could see signs of battle. "Yes... it seems we are. There is nothing more we can do here. We can only hope Saint-Germain will be able to get some results."

However, unbeknownst to them, one single beast had managed to survive the combination attack due to not being in it in the first place.

It was the beast that was flung away from Kirika's spin and had smashed into the wall. Dazed, it did not have enough time to return back to its comrades.

However, the place it had crashed into was almost too unreal to be a coincidence.

Miku stared with wide eyes at the beast stuck in the wall, too afraid to approach it further. She had taken refuge earlier by entering the school building itself, which then began rocking and swaying due to the intense battle between Saint-Germain and Hibiki. Once she noticed that the fighting on the track field had ended, she exited the building in order to check up on them, only to run into the black mass that resembled Hibiki. She got a good look at its features, or lack thereof, for the first time from up close.

It dislodged itself, and landed on the ground with both feet and hunched over. It growled in rage and raised its head to glare at the wielders on the track field, who had somehow completely missed its presence.

It was just about to lunge at them when it heard a sound to its left and quickly turned its head to the source.

Miku looked at it in fright, having taken a step back to try and escape from it, but it had heard her. The beast stared at her with its glowing red eyes, and she took another step back in an attempt to gain some distance. Unfortunately, the beast was too fast and too strong for her to escape from.

It lunged at her with a single leap, and the girl hurriedly raised her hands to protect her head, falling to the ground as she lost her balance. Her breathing stopped as she waited for the painful blow.

Which never came.

It took her a moment to realize she was not in excruciating pain or missing any limbs. She lowered her hands and opened her eyes reluctantly.

And her gaze met the beast's own.

Miku held her breath as the beast stared at her. It did not move or do anything else, simply gazed at her very very closely. She couldn't bring herself to move even an inch lest it might decide to attack again.

And then it _sniffed _her. The now strangely calm beast went down to all fours like an animal, and circled around her, taking whiffs of her arms, legs, hair, and clothes. It did not touch her at any point in time and only continued to study her curiously.

It was such a surreal sight she was left speechless. It was so strange, seeing this... _thing _that looked like Hibiki acting like a wild animal, and for some reason not trying to tear her apart like it tried with the others.

Was it because in some way, it recognized her? But that made no sense. It wouldn't have attacked the others if it had any sort of memory, so why?

Any musings she had were cut off when a piece of the upper floors above her exploded. A huge chunk of the brick that made up the wall was dislodged, and gravity worked its forces on it.

Bringing it down right on top of the stunned girl.

There was no time to run. There was no time to escape. The huge piece was falling too fast, and even all the track and field experience in the world would not be enough to help her to run away in time. Hell, there wasn't even any time to scream for help.

She let out a horrified gasp.

And then the beast leaped up at the falling debris, and with a single powerful strike destroyed it completely. The loose, tinier rocks fell around Miku, who raised her arms up to protect her face again. She could only hear the sound of stone crashing against the pavement and shattering, but not a single piece touched even a hair on her head.

When the noise died down, Miku lowered her arms and just _stared _at the beast that landed right next to her, which growled at the remaining rocks.

Miku could barely contain her shock. Not only the beast did not attack her or harm her in any way, but it had also actively _protected _her!

It was so unbelievable and so out of nowhere that the quiet that followed was the most intense she had felt in a while. She opened her mouth to speak but was unsure of what to say, what to do, what to _think. _

A monster, shaped like Hibiki, had saved her.

Just like Hibiki.

And in a single moment, suddenly something came out of her heart.

"Hibiki?"

She wasn't sure if there was any point in calling it that name. She let it out almost instinctively at this point, her mind too muddled to form anything more coherent. It was just a beast shaped after her, was it not?

However, it seemed that calling it her name had an effect. The beast, which up until now continued to growl at the remaining debris, suddenly turned to Miku. It went down to all fours again and approached her.

And then gave her a nudge in the shoulder.

Caught completely off guard and left speechless once again, Miku had absolutely no response to give. This situation was far too surreal for her to believe, and she was sure that if adrenaline wasn't pumping in her veins in droves, she would have blacked out from the confusion.

The beast raised its head again, and its eyes locked onto the defenseless Adaptors lower on the field. Without their Symphogears to protect them, they would not be able to defend themselves against its attacks. Fortunately enough, the four of them finally noticed its presence after the piece of the building fell and had caught the entire exchange between it and Miku.

It was one hell of a scene to witness in their eyes, and for a moment they thought that maybe the girl had somehow tamed the beast.

But that was not to be.

The beast leaped above Miku and landed in front of the four Adaptors. It growled, steam escaping the sides of its mouth, hunched low as it was prepared to strike.

Chris shook her head to regain her bearings and focus on what was in front of them. "How the hell did we miss one?!" She asked in shock, taking a step back. "I thought we got all of them!"

"I don't know, but we have no choice but to try and run," Maria responded, her eyes narrowed and her mind racing.

No, even if they tried to run it would be useless. Without their Gears, they were now sitting ducks for the beast. In less than a second, they turned from fearsome predators that overcame their opponents to nothing but simple prey, and it was unlikely the beast had any mercy to spare for them. It had tried to kill them before, so there was no reason it wouldn't try to do so now.

It stalked towards them menacingly, and the only thing they could do was take steps back, attempting to retreat. Narrowing her eyes, Maria placed herself between it and the rest, spreading her arms to the side to cover as much of its vision as possible.

"Maria!" Shirabe yelled to her elder.

"Just run!" The pink-haired Adaptor shouted back. "I'll try to hold it off! All of you get out of here right now!"

"_Maria-san! You can't! You have to run away with them!" _Tomosato yelled to her over the comm.

"I can't. If I don't stop it, then it will chase after them too," she responded, meeting the beast's glare with one of her own. "I will stay here and catch its attention. Whatever happens, do _not _turn back, you hear me?!"

The elevated urgency in her voice caused the beast to respond. It roared powerfully again, throwing its head back, and lunged towards Maria. The elder grit her teeth as she prepared for the blow.

Until a black-haired figure stepped between her and the beast, and it instantly stopped its attack.

"Miku-san?!"

The former track and field member did not respond to Maria's calling of her name. She simply stood in the spot between the two, her arms spread to the side just like Maria's, and her brows furrowed as she stared the beast down.

The claw that was meant to gouge out the Airgetlam user's heart stopped right in front of Miku's face, merely an inch from her nose. For some reason, she felt no fear as she met the beast's gaze, merely unwavering resolve as she did her best to protect the others behind her. She didn't know if it would be enough and she did not understand the reason behind it, but the beast had avoided harming her.

So she decided to make use of it.

The beast was completely still, its arm extended and growling lowly.

"Please, stop," Miku simply said.

The beast's growls increased in volume as if demanding that she step aside. Miku swallowed, deciding to try one more thing.

"Hibiki... please stop."

And the beast went quiet. Its red glowing eyes widened at the name as if it was acknowledging it as its own. The extended black hand shook, its reaction incomprehensible to all those watching.

"Please, I—"

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Something abruptly exploded at the very top of the school's rooftop. The girls looked up and saw an absolutely gigantic beam of light erupt from the roof, streaking across the sky. Shockwaves of incredible power buffeted the area, and the sun itself seemed to be outshined by the radiance of the blast. The school's rooftop was practically vaporized just from the energy left in its wake.

But something else was there as well. A black, smoking figure careened towards the ground at high speeds. Before the girls could react, it crashed close to them, cratering the earth beneath it from the sheer force of the impact.

The light on the roof died down, and finally, the girls could see exactly what the figure that fell was.

"Saint-Germain?!" Maria exclaimed, running towards the downed alchemist. She reached her in no time and took a good look at her now mangled form.

Smoke rose from her body, indicating that she was the one who had been on the receiving end of the powerful blast. Her Ignited Faust Robe was in tatters, with various parts of it completely missing and showing the skin underneath. Speaking of her skin, she could see it was burned in multiple locations, particularly the parts usually uncovered by the armor. And to add to that, she was bleeding profusely from many spots on her body, her head being the worst off. Her hair was matted with fresh blood, flowing down her face and neck without any sign of stopping.

Her gun, which she had used during the fight, clanged to the ground next to Miku. Remaining face to face with the one surviving beast, Miku could move only her eyes to take note of the fallen weapon.

It didn't take Maria long to understand what had happened.

The alchemist was brutally defeated, and that light from the roof was the finisher. Hell, smashing into the ground at high speeds was probably the smallest amount of damage she had taken throughout the fight.

Several gasps were heard, and Maria kneeled down to try to help the defeated Saint-Germain.

Hibiki did not even bother teleporting back to the ground. She looked down from the ruins of the roof and merely glided down on her wings, landing gracefully before Saint-Germain and Maria. She gazed down at them, her eyes focused on the alchemist specifically. Her spear shone in her hand, the green gem in its core radiating an otherworldly aura.

"Hibiki-san..." Maria let out, staring at the rogue Adaptor. This was not good. This was not good at all. They were completely defenseless, none of them having a Symphogear to wield, and were completely at her mercy.

Or lack thereof.

Hibiki said nothing and raised her head to survey the others. Her eyes moved over the other Adaptors, who took a step back under her gaze.

And then her eyes landed on Miku along with the beast that had raised its hand against her.

The shift in her demeanor was almost instantaneous. An expression of fury lit up her face. "What do you think you are doing?! She screamed at her own creation, which recoiled under her anger like a cornered animal. It backed away from Miku and away from its creator, taking frightened steps back.

Miku could only stare at the exchange in horror and shock. The beast continued to back away, but there was no escape for it. Hibiki swung her arm, and the beast's form crumpled and fell to the ground, then blew away in the wind.

"You knew NOT to touch Miku! You break my rules and you don't get to live to regret it!" She screamed at the blowing wind. Then, she turned back to the downed alchemist, looking down at her with disgust. "Which brings me back to you."

Maria rose up to stand in her way, but Hibiki would have none of it. With a quick backslap she struck Maria across her face, throwing her away from the two of them. Immediately Kirika and Shirabe ran to her as she cradled her cheek, helping her up.

Still staring down at the alchemist, Hibiki spoke up. "Did you know Miku, that this _bitch _entered _our _home without an invitation?!" She yelled, causing Miku to freeze up. "She walked in as if she owned the place and went through our stuff as if they belonged to her!" She continued, and gave Saint-Germain a nasty kick in the stomach, causing her to hurl blood from her mouth. "Who the hell gave you permission to do what you want, huh?! What the hell did you hope to accomplish from breaking and entering?!"

Hibiki's deranged line of thought continued, and Miku already understood what direction she was taking it. Words could no longer reach her, and just as she thought, Hibiki would rather jump to her own conclusions.

"No, I think I get it," Hibiki said. "You're just another person who wants to take Miku from me, aren't you?! Just another person who wants to turn her against me just like everyone else!" She yelled and gave the alchemist another kick in the stomach. "Then guess what, I'm not going to let you do what you want! _I _make the rules now, not anyone else! And the first rule is:"

She kicked again. "YOU"

Again. "DON'T"

Again. "TOUCH"

And again. "MIKU!"

By this point, the alchemist's stomach was a bloody mess, held together by nothing more than the magic she used to retain her youth throughout the ages. However, that constitution was tested due to the severe torture Hibiki was inflicting on her. Not only had she summarily defeated her despite her best efforts, but she was also kicking her while she was down too. Any semblance of reason or honor were lost due to the severe corruption caused by the curses, and Hibiki flailed wildly against anyone who earned her ire.

Such savagery and lack of remorse sent shivers down the girls' spines. Done with torturing the alchemist, Hibiki sent her gaze towards the defenseless Symphogear users. "And you four are _next!"_

There was absolutely no way they could escape. Even if they had their Symphogears they would be completely helpless against her. There was no Genjuro to distract her nor villains to occupy her. She had her eyes set on them, and she was _furious._

She thundered towards them, the ground underneath her cracking with every one of her steps. There was no use trying to run; even if they tried she'd just cut them down while their backs were turned.

This was the end. This was certain death.

"Stop, Hibiki!"

The rogue Adaptor froze in place, and her head turned towards the source of the voice she recognized.

And her eyes widened.

Miku, having shaken off the shock and horror of what has occurred, faced her.

With Saint-Germain's gun in hand, pointed right at her.

"I can't let this go on, Hibiki!" Miku yelled, the gun in her hand shaking. It was heavier than she expected, and she had never used a gun before, but at this close range maybe it would do something.

But there was more to it than that. Having seen the demise of the final beast from up close, Miku found herself somewhat sympathizing with it. It had protected her despite its animalistic instincts and had stopped its charge when she asked it to stop.

And then Hibiki destroyed it with nothing more than a swipe of her arm, and that was what broke the camel's back. For far too long Miku stood aside completely helpless, letting everyone else save her time and time again. For far too long she merely stood on the side, praying for their success and hoping that they will be able to bring Hibiki back.

But they couldn't. Just two skirmishes against her were enough for Miku to understand that the Symphogear wielders could not get her back on their own. Her mind was breaking down with every second the curses were in her body, and Miku knew that it won't be long until even her words wouldn't reach Hibiki anymore. The entire exchange took place in less than twenty-four hours, but that was more than enough time to understand that in this situation, she just could not stand aside.

So, seeing that there was a weapon closeby that she could maybe use, she decided to bear arms.

"Miku..." Hibiki let out sadly. "Why?"

"Because!" Miku answered with a yell. "Because I can't watch this anymore! I can't let you just kill everyone! They're our friends! We don't hurt our friends, Hibiki!"

"Well, you should tell that to them!" Hibiki screamed back. "They're the ones who stabbed me in the back first! I'm only giving them what they deserve!"

"Nobody ever stabbed you in the back! Hibiki, this is not right! No world you want to make will ever be worth it!"

"Why are you taking their side?! Are you turning on me as well, Miku?!"

That final question was delivered with such anguish the black-haired girl could not possibly ignore it. The look on Hibiki's face as she asked it, her gaze pleading and astounded, almost as if trying to deny reality.

"I promised you I'd never turn on you, remember?! But that does not mean I will just stand aside and do nothing! You're my best friend, and it is _my job _to set you straight if I see you are losing your way! This is you losing your way Hibiki! Stop doing this!"

Miku was no longer asking her. A combination of nerves, exhaustion, sorrow, and anger fused together to make her lose her cool, a very rare occasion in the girl.

She was now _demanding _her to stop, and she would be damned if Hibiki did not stop right now!

Hibiki tried to answer back. "I'm trying to make a better world for us, Miku! A world like that doesn't need people like them—!"

"TO HELL WITH YOUR WORLD!"

_(Play: The Color of Depression - Nier Automata OST)_

Miku's scream was so unexpected everyone immediately went quiet, even the members of S.O.N.G who had tried to give the Adaptors instructions as to what to do. The general chaos of the situation, however, caused them to be completely ignored, and even now the background noise they had provided was gone like the wind.

It was ironic, Miku noticed. Last time, their positions were reversed, and it was she who was babbling about some perfect world and how she would protect her. Last time, Hibiki reacted calmly and resolutely, taking the fight to her despite her reluctance to do so.

And it was only thanks to that resolve that she managed to save her.

Then, she will be the one to do it this time, for Hibiki's sake.

"I don't care about some paradise or perfect world! I'm just fine with this one! I don't care if sinful people exist! I don't care about any of that! The only world that I want... the only one that I dream of... is one where you are with me, where we can be happy together again, and everyone, and I mean _everyone, _is there as well! Anything less than that doesn't interest me in the slightest!"

She was panting so hard she was sure she was hyperventilating. Adrenaline rushed through her nonstop, and she started seeing red in her vision from the sheer anger in her voice. The gun was shaking in her hands madly, and she was struggling to keep it up and aimed at her best friend.

"So stop this nonsense right now, HIBIKI!"

Her voice echoed in the track field, and four pairs of eyes went from being locked onto her to gaze at Hibiki, awaiting some sort of response from her.

The rogue wielder clenched her free hand and her teeth gritted against each other. She stared down at the ground, and Chris could swear she could see some sort of aura emanating from her. She didn't know what it was and she really couldn't care less, however it was an observation made on the spur of a tense moment.

Hibiki let out a breath after a brief contemplation and raised her head to meet Miku's gaze. "I see what this is," she suddenly said, and Miku's eyes narrowed in astonishment. No, she was— "They've been influencing you, haven't they? Just like back then. Who is it this time? Master? I'll make sure he pays for this. There is no way you wouldn't support me. That is the only explanation. I'll make sure to fix this as soon as I can."

Miku nearly dropped the gun from the absolutely appalling response Hibiki gave her. And then, she remembered: of course, Hibiki, as she is, will always without fail jump to her own conclusions. Her mind was set on something and she would not budge from it no matter what. Her annoying yet heroic stubbornness had turned into nothing short of madness.

Hibiki turned to the reeling Symphogear wielders and advanced on them. "But first I'll get them out of the way, so nobody can try and stop me."

There was no way she was going to listen.

So Miku, in a bout of her own madness born of days of nothing but stress and exhaustion, decided to act in extreme.

"Hibiki, in that case..." She began to say. Hibiki looked to her with narrowed her, waiting for her to finish.

And promptly stopped everything she was doing.

Another tense silence fell on them, and the four wielders let out horrified gasps at Miku's action.

The gun was no longer pointed at Hibiki. It was not pointed to the ground nor was it pointed at any of them.

No, in that small window...

Miku turned the gun on herself, placing it right under her chin.

It was such an insane course of action to take that the girl couldn't believe she was going through with it.

But desperate times called for desperate measures, and this was the only way she knew Hibiki would _definitely _stop everything. If she made her such a huge part of her crusade... then if she was gone, Hibiki would lose the drive to continue.

"OI! MIKU! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Chris screamed at her. "DROP IT RIGHT NOW!"

Saint-Germain, having regained consciousness, weakly turned around in the crater to see Miku turn the gun on herself. She found it hard to focus through the pain, and she was not sure what exactly were the circumstances behind that action were, but she could clearly understand why the girl would make such a decision, all things considered. Had she been in better form, Saint-Germain doubted she would have stopped her.

"I will not!" Miku answered, still staring at Hibiki. "Hibiki, let them go!"

"Miku, what are you—"

"I am done asking!" Miku interrupted her. "Let them go now! If the world you want demands that you kill them, then I do not wish to be a part of it! I'd rather shoot myself right now than see you spiral down a path of insanity, evil and regret! If this is what it takes to make you stop, then I will do so every single time!"

The gun was still shaking in her hands, and she could feel the end of the barrel dug into her chin. But she couldn't back down now. She had to see this through to the end.

And luckily enough for her, it seemed that Hibiki did not suddenly develop telekinetic abilities that would have allowed her to take the gun from her hands. If she made any moves to try and stop her, then she might inadvertently press the trigger anyway.

For the first time since she had fused with the divine power, Hibiki found herself on the defensive.

"Miku... why are you doing this? Why would you go this far for them? Why... won't you do it for me?" Hibiki asked her.

"I am doing it for you, Hibiki, and that is why I'm not backing down. I don't want to see you lose yourself. I wouldn't be able to bear it. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that you would have to live with this burden for the rest of your life." Miku answered, the tension rising. "Just... let go of that divine power. You don't need it. You never needed it. Just... cast it away and come back."

'_To me,' _she wanted to add, but out of all the things she had the courage to do, this was not one of them.

She could hear her heartbeat in her ears, and all sounds seemed to be muffled as she tried to concentrate on Hibiki's gaze. The emerald glowing eyes were disconcerting as always, but she did not fear them as she did in the courtyard. Now that they have entered this situation, she had to keep her composure as much as she could.

And it seemed that for once, _something _finally got through to Hibiki. The rogue wielder, in compliance with Miku's demands, took several steps backward from the injured and defenseless Symphogear users, keeping her eyes on Miku at all times.

"Are you satisfied now, Miku?" She asked.

"No," her friend responded honestly. "Please Hibiki, let go of that power and let's go back to our happy days."

It was such a dirty tactic to use to get what she wanted, but Miku knew that there was nothing else she could do. To use her own life in order to pacify Hibiki was nothing short of despicable.

She knew she would regret it in the future, but right now she couldn't care less.

There was a long and tense moment as the two stared at each other. Miku's arms started to ache and burn from the continuous grip on the huge and heavy gun, and she could feel that she might drop it at any moment.

But a tiny bubble of hope welled up within her. If she managed to get this far, then maybe...

"I refuse."

And the bubble popped as fast as it was formed. Miku's eyes widened in shock.

"Just like you have something that you can't turn away from, I also have such a thing. I won't stop until I get exactly what I want. I'm done doing what other people want. I'm living for my own beliefs now, no one else's. I tolerated everything that has happened because of my promise to Kanade-san... but now, I'm not so sure just how much I care about that. So from here on out, I'm doing exactly what I wish to do, and get the results that I want, with my own strength."

Miku was utterly and summarily denied.

Hibiki turned around, facing away from them all. Raising her spear, she swiped it through the air.

And just as she finished her swing, space itself shattered like glass, and from beyond the tear in reality there lay a dark void that not a single one of them could ever dream of.

An ability that is exclusive to those who hold divine strength. Adam Weishaupt had used it to return to the battlefield upon seeing what Hibiki had become, and now she was capable of the very same feat.

She walked towards the void, looking back over her shoulder to the Symphogear users. "This is not over, Maria-san," she said, looking straight into the elder user's eyes. "I'll make you all pay for this. Nobody turns Miku against me. _No one."_

But Maria simply narrowed her eyes, steeling her resolve. "You fool, you have done that yourself, just like I told you."

Hibiki did not grace her with a response. Leaving Maria with the last words, Hibiki walked into the void, vanishing in the darkness. Reality then reasserted itself as the tear in the air reformed and folded in on itself, and all that remained was thin air.

A second later, Miku crumpled to her knees. The gun fell from her hands and clattered to the ground heavily by her side. At that moment, Saint-Germain's Ignite Module finally ran out, and the Faust Rone shattered, leaving her in her casual clothes. The gun's dark coloring washed away, returning it to its original Spellcaster form.

Miku breathed heavily, sweat dripping down from her face. The tension that had threatened to choke her was released all at once and trying to catch her breath felt like an impossible effort.

But that paled in comparison to her heart-breaking realization.

Now no longer fearing for their lives, Chris allowed herself to let out a sigh of relief. She looked around, grimacing at the staggering destruction wrought upon the school. The track field might as well be nonexistent, having been completely and utterly devastated in the chaos. The school building itself was torn down and broken in various places, and shards of glass littered the ground beneath it. Smoke rose from within some of the more faraway windows, indicating that a fire might have started as a result of the fighting.

It wouldn't take a genius to understand that as it was now, classes could not be held until the damage was repaired, and who knew how long that would take. But Chris' thoughts wandered to something else: what will she tell the three girls? Kuriyo had pretty much demanded an explanation. Nothing would stop her from coming to the school and seeing the destruction personally, and then she would run to her and demands answers. Keeping secrets was already hard enough, but to tell them that Hibiki, along with themselves were the ones responsible?

No way. No way she could tell them that. The entire world just went to shit in less than a day, and there was nothing she could do about it. She had never felt so helpless since the time she was under Fine's thumb.

The Ichaival user briefly looked to her three teammates. The sound of helicopters filled the air, drowning out everything else around her. She couldn't hear what the three were talking about, but right now it didn't matter in the least.

Instead, she looked towards the fallen Miku, who was on her hands and knees on the ground. Working through the pain in her arms, Chris walked slowly to her. A whole squadron of helicopters began to land on the ruined grounds, but Chris ignored them. She continued her stride, and once she reached her friend she kneeled down, putting a hand on her shoulder in sympathy.

"Miku..."

"I... couldn't get her back," she muttered in anguish. Once more, fresh tears began to fall from her eyes. "She... she's not listening to me anymore. It hasn't even been a day and... and I already can't do anything. I couldn't do anything! Even betting my life... was not enough to get her back..."

There were no words she could give her.

Her best friend refused to take her extended hand, even after she begged her to take it.

Chris knew that it was just the beginning. That before long...

Hibiki would turn her blade against Miku as well.

-!-

"Young lady, I suggest that this time you don't turn down my offer," The doctor said with a stern expression as he stared at the forlorn girl sitting on the chair before him. "Maybe last time you got off easy, but now is not the same. Let me take a look at you, for your own sake."

Miku couldn't bring herself to argue, so she let the doctor do as he pleased, taking her vitals and looking her over for any wounds or lacerations that were urgent to take care of.

Seven hours have passed since they were brought back from the ruined school grounds. With all of them sporting several kinds of injuries, some more grave than the others, it took an extremely long time to look over all of the girls. Saint-Germain was essentially rushed to the medical room, having received the worst injuries and going through over four hours of surgery in order to stitch up and repair her stomach.

They didn't know if her alchemical knowledge could make the recovery faster, but in the situation she was in, barely holding herself together, then they had to rely on the traditional methods. In the end, she was saved and was left to rest in the medical room, in the very same bed she had occupied earlier in the day.

After that, the four Symphogear users were treated as well, the seniors and Kirika in particular. Maria had been the most resilient of them all, having taken on Hibiki initially, was summarily defeated and tortured, had to fight off the beasts at the same time, and even had enough energy left in her to perform a last-ditch killer combo to slay them.

Due to this fact, she was the next one to be treated, as they figured that the adrenaline that was pumping through her systems was numbing the pain to such an extent that she was just not feeling it. But once that effect passes, it all comes back in full swing, so they had to prepare for the eventual break down that would occur. Naturally, it did, but in the end, they managed to treat the worst of her injuries before she could suffer too much.

Next was Kirika, who had a huge hole in her shoulder. That was a cakewalk in regards to treatment since it was all focused on a single spot. They patched up the hole and then treated her for anything else.

After her was Chris. She had suffered considerable damage to her arms, rendering her hands numb for quite some time. At first, the doctors didn't quite understand how the girl still managed to hold anything, but they gave the Symphogear credit where credit was due. Ichaival took the brunt of the strike and had protected all major tendons and nerves in her arms. Given time, she will get back full motor control of them. At the moment they will be numb and have her grip strength considerably weakened, but it was better than nothing.

Then came Shirabe, who had a grazed hip that bled slightly which they patched up quite quickly. Other than that, she turned out to be the most well off out of the Symphogear users just from looking at the small number of injuries she had sustained. She had several more cuts and bruises all over her that required disinfection, but otherwise was fine.

And then came Miku's turn, who despite being at ground zero the entire time, had managed to avoid being significantly injured. The doctor noticed she too had sustained a few cuts and bruises here and there, but from what he could tell none of it came from direct fighting, just from debris.

It didn't take him more than twenty minutes to give her the all-clear. Genjuro, who had stayed on his hospital bed during the commotion, had personally taken care to make sure every single one of the girls was okay, and not just from a physical perspective.

From the answers they gave him, they were not.

Morale had dropped to an all-time low. Never before had the girls ever suffered a defeat as grave as this one. They were left completely helpless in the hands of an enemy, who was their friend. Worst of all, they were only saved when the one person who should not have been involved threatened to _kill herself _in order to make her back off.

Nobody in S.O.N.G took that threat lightly. Even if it was to get Hibiki to spare the Adaptors, such threats to one's own life could not be ignored. He had to make sure that repeat events would not take place. The last thing he needed was for her to start wallowing in despair, despite how difficult that seemed.

Because her presence was still needed, contrary to what she may believe.

Much more than she could possibly believe...

Fujitaka, Tomosato, and Elfnein all came to the medical room as soon as the Adaptors had been brought back. Elfnein had also left Adam behind, more so because he seemed to be deep in thought when the fighting ended, so she didn't want to disturb him.

"Very well, you are free to go," The doctor said to Miku, who nodded in response. She got up from her seat to Tomosato's surprise, who half-expected her to remain catatonic just like last time. However, everyone deals with the stages of grief differently, and if her outburst in the field was any indication, she was sure that at this point she was at the anger stage.

The Symphogear wielders waited by the door for her. She walked over to them, her head downcast, her expression unreadable.

"You should go eat something," Genjuro suddenly said. "None of you have eaten anything since yesterday, and you are likewise exhausted and lack energy. I suggest you try to get something to eat, even a little bit."

Maria looked to him sadly, understanding where he was coming from. He was worried about their well being, especially their mental health. In that regard, Maria decided to take command. As their teammate and the eldest of the group, she took it upon herself to direct them in these troubled times.

"He's right, everyone," she said. "Let's go to the cafeteria. Hopefully, the others left us something."

None of the girls answered her. Rather, they gave her some weak nods with their heads, and even Kirika found herself at a loss for words. Dragging their feet, Chris, Kirika, and Shirabe exited the medical room.

Maria was about to follow after them when she noticed that Miku was once again unresponsive. Looking to her in sympathy, she grabbed her hand gently and took her outside to follow the others.

The door closed behind the girls, and only the doctor and the bridge members of S.O.N.G remained. "Thank you for your help as always, doctor," Tomosato said.

"Again, it's no problem Ms. Tomosato. However," he said grimly, adjusting his glasses. "I doubt we can allow a repeat. Out of the two battles that were fought, I was brought two almost fatally injured patients. I truly do not want any more here, for all of our sakes."

"I wholeheartedly agree with you," Tomosato responded. "We really are doing all we can."

"I know you are, which is why I'm worried. Never before had we been so thoroughly challenged in all of our fields. Perhaps this is just a sign that we were not ready."

It was a grim message to give, but one that had a basis in reality. Tomosato fell silent, saying nothing more.

Realizing the conversation had come to an end, the doctor went towards the door. "Now, if you'll excuse me," he said, then left.

The door closed, and Genjuro immediately spoke up. "Fujitaka, Tomosato. Please go back to the bridge and continue your research."

"But commander—"

"I understand your concerns, but right now we need all the information we can get. There were far too many changes that took place that we just do not understand, and I want to make sure we are not caught off-guard again," he answered.

"But commander," Fujitaka interjected. "Just how much will that really help us?"

"I don't know. For now, we can only hope it will serve its purpose. Please, go back to the bridge and do what you can," he simply said.

Seeing that their commander was not relenting, the two bridge members sighed as one and headed for the door. "Alright," Tomosato said. "We'll do our best."

And the two left as well, leaving Genjuro alone with Elfnein, just as he wanted.

"Genjuro-san..." The homunculus began to say, not able to find her words.

Genjuro rubbed his forehead in contemplation. "The situation is deteriorating faster than we can follow. It's imperative you have it ready as soon as possible."

"Yes, it's almost ready. I just need to make the final adjustments... but... do you really think she'll accept it? That she'll use it again?" She asked him.

"I'd be surprised if she won't. Today she has reached a sort of breaking point. After what happened today, and from seeing her actions, I doubt she'll be opposed to the idea if we present it correctly. I just hope Hibiki-kun doesn't come knocking at our door before we are ready."

Elfnein put a hand on her chin in thought. "I see...so in that case—"

And she was cut off by a voice from the bed opposite to them.

"So this is what you have been hiding," Saint-Germain said, raising herself sitting position. How laughable she'd find herself in the exact same bed twice in a row. But that's far from what's important right now. She just heard something very interesting, and if her guess was correct, she was also going to demand some explanations. "I had a hunch there was something amiss here, considering the information you sent the Symphogears to collect and what I have recently discovered. Everything came together far too conveniently for this to be a coincidence."

"Saint-Germain," Genjuro said evenly. "I thought you were asleep."

"I was, until a moment ago," she answered. "Despite my injuries, my body is not so fragile. I did not live for hundreds of years by remaining unmarred after all. Imagine my surprise when I heard your discussion, and I could no longer turn a blind eye to it. From your expressions, you seem to have realized that I may have very well come to the correct conclusion, in which case I'll simply ask upfront."

Genjuro narrowed his eyes at her. He briefly glanced to Elfnein, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights. He knew she felt terrible about this secret colluding they were having, but it was a necessity in this case. He knew he could not avoid telling her the truth, knowing that she was smart enough to know if he was lying or not. "Very well, ask."

The alchemist let out a huff and took a moment to collect her thoughts. She closed her eyes briefly, then met the commander's gaze with a strong one of her own.

"Then tell me, Kazanari Genjuro," she began. "Just how long..."

The sound of a heartbeat monitor pulsing lightly filled the air.

A figure stirred within its enclosure, its senses returning slowly.

"Just how long have you been planning to have Kohinata Miku wield the Shenshoujing?"


	10. Chapter 10: The Sun Shines Here

There was a tense moment of silence between the two of them. It completely contrasted the surreal atmosphere, of the two of them both being bound to their hospital beds, staring at each other from different sides of the medical room. The full weight of Saint-Germain's question had hit full force, and now she was waiting for the S.O.N.G commander to provide an explanation.

Genjuro contemplated the best way to answer the alchemist. He was only mildly surprised that she had correctly guessed his intentions, seeing as she had managed to piece it together all on her own just from a short piece of his conversation with Elfnein.

But there was something more she said that caught his interest.

She said that she had discovered something and that something helped her come to this conclusion. He was curious to know what it was, but any attempts to divert the conversation would be futile. He didn't have to know her for long to know that she was hard-headed and would not allow him to steer the conversation away from the topic at hand.

After all, what he had talked about with Elfnein was top-secret, known only to the two of them.

And if this conversation would go the way he was predicting, another person might join that circle soon.

Saint-Germain began growing slightly impatient and spoke up. "Well? Will you answer?"

He blinked once and gave her an even stare. "That depends. How did you come to this conclusion?"

"Easily enough," she responded quickly. "As I said, what you said and what I discovered helped me make an educated guess."

She was about to let him speak when she realized his intention. "Ah, I see. You are interested in this information I have."

Genjuro let out a small huff. Elfnein looked between the two of them worriedly. "Hmph, you can see right through me, can't you? Yes, I am indeed curious. I want to know what it is you have to offer."

"Then what are you going to do about it?"

He met her piercing gaze with a calm one of his own. "We exchange information, of course. An equivalent exchange, as you are familiar with. I do indeed extend the courtesies I have offered to Adam Weishaupt to you as well. Any information that can resolve this crisis is welcome and I will attempt to meet your demands to the best of my abilities."

Saint-Germain raised an eyebrow, surprised by his swift yielding. "Why are you so quick to comply with my demands?"

"Because what you have to offer will probably change the way we approach this incident, as well as bring us closer to bringing Hibiki-kun back. For that goal, I will do what I must, no matter what it entails," he answered.

The alchemist closed her eyes momentarily, a bit touched by his loyalty. "You care for your subordinates that much, I see."

"Of course I do. Without them, I would not be half the man I am today. I owe them a lot, especially to the girls... and especially to Hibiki-kun. I will not allow my pride to cloud my judgment and prevent me from doing all I can to pay back my debts to her, and to them," he said.

She could see his answer was honest and resolute. She briefly found herself staring deep into his eyes, seeing herself in his position. She had indeed been in similar situations in the past, but not with nearly as much regard to others' well-being. She killed and deceived her way through life, and here he was, simply forcing his way through everything.

It became very clear to her now why Tachibana Hibiki turned out the way she did.

"Is that so..." She said. "Very well, I will accept your proposal. Besides, we are allies in this endeavor. It would be unbecoming of me to deny you important assets for our combined success. In that case, my only demand would be your explanation."

He let out a small laugh at her response. "And here I thought I succeeded in diverting your attention away. Too bad I guess."

And in an instant, his goofy expression changed, becoming far more serious and deep. "Then, I ask that you present your question again, Count Saint-Germain."

His usage of her age-old title caught her slightly off guard, and she raised an eyebrow, but let it slide. "Then, I shall repeat myself: Do explain just how long have you been planning to have Kohinata Miku use the Shenshoujing."

She did as he asked, and said nothing more. She instantly began to come to her own conclusions, trying to find the one that seemed to be more realistic in her eyes. There were many answers he could give, but only one of them was the truth.

His voice was calm as he answered. "Since the day the Frontier was unearthed."

Saint-Germain narrowed her eyes at his response. Of course, she remembered Frontier, seeing as she was one of the parties that invested in FIS, allowing them to begin their plans. As a member of the Illuminati, she was aware of many, many secret dealings that occurred in the underground part of the world, and what that entailed.

"I assume you have gone over Hibiki-kun's personal records, haven't you?" He asked, and she nodded quietly, letting him speak. "Then you probably know that during the incident, Miku-kun was persuaded by Dr. Ver to wield a Symphogear to save Hibiki-kun from her inevitable death. That Symphogear obviously being the Shenshoujing; legends said that it had the property of driving away curses and purifying bad luck, and as a Symphogear, it can destroy relics. That power was only amplified by Miku-kun's desires, making it extremely powerful despite her lack of experience in combat. While Ver's mind control was potent, it did not, however, allow her to match up to the more experienced users in terms of skill."

She continued listening attentively. In the corner of her eye, she saw how Elfnein fidgeted nervously. "The rest is history, as they say. Hibiki-kun and Miku-kun fought, and as a result, both the fragment of Gungnir, along with the Shenshoujing, were destroyed in the light that unearthed the Frontier."

The alchemist kept quiet in this part of his explanation. Amusingly enough, her own discovery was related to that incident as well.

"From then on, we thought that the Shenshoujing, as well as everything related to it, were no longer relevant. But that was not true. I, at the time, could not turn a blind eye to it. One cannot simply ignore the existence, or the possibility of existence, of another Symphogear. The one that Ver had used was originally excavated by Ryoko-kun, or as you probably know her, Fine. But that was not the only one we had in our possession, as the Shenshoujing is, in fact, a collection of identical relics rather than a unique one like the ones the girls have. We always had another one, but we never gave any real thought to its abilities."

She was seeing where he was going with this. "But that changed."

"Yes," he said while nodding. "That changed when it made its appearance as a Symphogear. Once the incident was resolved, you can bet we gave it far more attention than ever before. Then we began to finally understand its potential and how we could use it to defend mankind."

The last sentence he said was rife with disgust, she noticed. As if he didn't completely believe it himself. "As a Symphogear, it could be used to combat the Noise as well as swell our forces. Until Nastassja's girls joined us, we were operating with only three Adaptors. Before that, only with two, and before that, just one. It was increasingly difficult for the girls to protect the population with such limited numbers, we brought the Shenshoujing to headquarters and turned it into a Symphogear. Ryoko-kun, as always, did a fantastic job, but we never found the appropriate wielder for it. We never thought that we'd need to use it. Once we discovered its potential, I indeed thought about approaching Miku-kun and asking her to join us as the seventh Adaptor. However, several factors became known to me that threw that idea out of the window."

His expression changed into one of quiet fury. "The first was bad enough: Kazanari Fudou showed interest in the Shenshoujing and Miku-kun. I do not exactly know the reason as to why that is, but I can make a very good guess due to my familiarity with him; first was the objective point of just having more Symphogear wielders. That was a point I could get behind, as it never hurt to have more. It was the second however that called off the deal, and that was his desire to... have her as a spy."

Saint-Germain's eyes widened at the revelation, not expecting his explanation to go in this direction. She wanted to ask what he meant, but he beat her to the chase.

"He even ordered me to hand her over. Had I done as he asked and he managed to get his hands on her, he would have employed the same methods Ver used to control her or worse, and have her not only spy on us and the wielders but also use her to... police them, so to say. That if any one of them turned rogue or went against his wishes, she could be sent to subdue them, to put it lightly. That is the reason why he was so angry when he bore witness to Hibiki-kun's... transformation. From his point of view, the entire incident could have been avoided had I just obeyed him from the start, as the Shenshoujing's power would have been able to remove Gungnir before everything deteriorated."

She put a hand on her chin in thought. "But wouldn't that have been counterproductive? What would be the point in increasing the number of wielders if her primary usage was to decrease them if they went out of line?"

"It would be a means to bind me to his will further," he answered. "Which led me to the second factor why I overturned my decision to approach her: the simple reason that she is supposed to remain uninvolved and that she is a civilian, from a legal standpoint. Miku-kun was not even meant to know who the wielders were, but after Hibiki-kun had inadvertently revealed it to her, she had become a sort of honorary member in our Section in order to curb the spread of the information. And she held onto that secret very faithfully, if for no reason other than her loyalty to Hibiki-kun. That was the case I presented to him. Despite everything, it wasn't easy to convince him to relent. He just didn't care that she was just a civilian who was involved through extenuating circumstances. It didn't matter to him that she was essentially coerced into wielding it. In fact, he claimed that since she was already involved simply through her connection to Hibiki-kun."

He grabbed his head, thinking back to all those political conflicts in the past. "It was one hell of a tough period and one I'm glad ended in our favor. In order to call him off, we assembled a meeting with various ministers from all over the country, something I knew he wouldn't like. We discussed this matter, amongst other things, for over ten hours before finally reaching a decision, which as you can tell ended with him relenting. Since then, he hasn't held me in a very favorable light, although not without reason. I'm not exactly trying to get on his good side after all. I'm only trying to fulfill my duty so he would shut up and leave us alone."

Saint-Germain blinked a few times at the manner he delivered his story. "You seem to hold no love for your father," she said.

How oddly familiar.

"Of course I don't," he responded matter-of-factly. "I never loved him, even as a child. I respected him for his unwavering duty and loyalty to the country, but as a father and a person he is far too ambitious and manipulative for me to get along with, and not forgetting overly traditional. Any semblance of respect I had for him was summarily thrown out the window once I found out what he did to our family, and since then I've only worked with him because I know he can pull strings in our favor when it actually matters."

He shook his head. "Ah, it seems I'm getting off track. Back to Miku-kun. The reason that I wanted Miku-kun to remain a civilian was that I didn't want to involve her in more fighting, especially since the last time she did, she raised her weapon against the ones she loved. But... there was one other reason that was far more important than that."

He closed his eyes for a moment, recalling the exact line of thought he had in the past that led to this decision. "In my opinion at least, it was far more important that Miku-kun serves as an anchor for Hibiki-kun to her normal life."

This was the part Saint-Germain realized he would be getting to the heart of his explanation, his reasons, and overall the true answer to her question.

Elfnein looked very uncomfortable. She was twitching nervously and cowered under Saint-Germain's curious stare. The alchemist was not sure why she was so fidgety, but she put it aside for now, more interested in what he had to say.

"You see, Saint-Germain... the girls were never meant to be Adaptors in the first place. With the exception of Tsubasa, who was raised from a very young age to be the wielder of the Ame-no-Habakiri, not a single one of the girls, including Kanade-kun, were supposed to be wielding Symphogears. Chris-kun, Maria-kun, Kirika-kun, and Shirabe-kun, in particular, were forced into this world against their will, taken hostage and used to further their captors' ambitions. Chris-kun was kidnapped by human traffickers after the death of her parents, only to be saved and then kidnapped again by Fine. The others you already know that they were taken in by FIS after being orphaned and were experimented on to be her successors, with the result being the deaths of countless children. However, you could argue that since they had entered this world at a young age that they were already involved and thus their fate was sealed."

He took another breath and leaned back on the wall, looking down at his hands. He clenched them into tight fists. "But Hibiki-kun is the exception here. Her becoming an Adaptor not only happened when she was already a teenager, but it was also completely an accident. She was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time, and as a result, inherited Kanade-kun's position after her death. And she accepted that position with a smile on her face, vowing to uphold Kanade's heroic ideals and create a world of happiness. She jumped at the call to save the world, knowing she was not going to be rewarded for it."

He released his fists and looked back up at the alchemist. "It was entirely a coincidence, but her particular coincidence left particularly deep scars. I originally thought it was part of her personality, but after a talk with Miku-kun, I finally got the full picture: that Hibiki-kun is a distorted individual. Her entire way of thinking is flawed and she is aware of that. She is more often than not disturbingly cheery, but with her history, I know that a lot more lies under the surface than she lets on. I assume that whatever is kept hidden in Lydian expands on that more. In essence, Hibiki-kun is a complicated person masquerading as a simple one. Under those circumstances, I could not just allow such an individual to serve as a protector of mankind without something that will keep her grounded. I believe that if Miku-kun did not exist, or for one reason or another did not serve as support for her, Hibiki-kun would be a very, very different person than what we know today."

It didn't take long for Saint-Germain to think up the scenario in her head. After reading Hibiki's records, she was more than aware of how vital Kohinata Miku was to her sanity during the most difficult part of her life. Without her influence, it was not hard for Saint-Germain to imagine that Hibiki would have become bitter, aggressive, and overall a loner who would have eventually destroyed herself.

"I could not allow her to suffer more than she already had. I could not suddenly take her one link to a normal life, the one thing more dear to her than anything else, and put that thing in danger. Hibiki-kun has achieved far too much for me to allow such a thing to happen. She means far too much to all of us to just take advantage of. As a result, I didn't do anything, and well, here we are now. Before you say anything else, I do not regret making that decision, not even in hindsight. I made it fully aware of what it would mean. The fact that last night happened does not change that, as we had no possible way of knowing that would be the result. We had specific calculations, made carefully over those tense couple of days, yet in an instant everything we did turned out to be worthless."

And here it was, the change in circumstances.

"Just so you know, when Elfnein-kun originally came to join us and I saw that she had the ability to alter and modify existing Symphogears, I made her aware of the fact that the Shenshoujing was a thing that exists and that we would do nothing with it. However, during the events of last night as we were desperately trying to formulate some sort of plan of action was when the thought came to me. I confided in Elfnein-kun in secret during the two-day wait, and when the worst-case scenario came to pass, I realized I could not deny it any longer. Today just sealed the deal for my course of action, as much as I did not want to do it, so after our debriefing last night I instructed Elfnein-kun to start the modification and have her install absolutely everything on it."

Saint-Germain kept her gaze even but could sympathize with his plight. "I understand that this decision did not come easily."

"Of course not. It meant going back on my promise to Hibiki-kun. Not many know this, but she did indeed approach me at one point and made me promise that I don't involve Miku-kun in what we do. But we just don't have a choice in the matter now. Not only is the Shenshoujing the only Symphogear, no, the only thing that we have that can remove the Gungnir... I also know that Hibiki-kun would hold back against her. Hibiki-kun could never bring herself to harm or endanger the one thing she cares about more than anything else. So what I am essentially planning to do is use her own weakness against her. I plan to have Miku-kun wield the Shenshoujing _willingly _and use it to bring Hibiki-kun back. That is the plan I've come up with. Elfnein-kun has only been following my orders in the matter," he answered.

"Genjuro-san..." Elfnein let out, saddened by the burden he was forcing himself to bear.

The alchemist, however, narrowed her eyes, a piece of the puzzle still missing in her mind. "But that does not explain how are you going to make her use it. She likely holds the Symphogears themselves in disdain. It is doubtful she will agree to use it even if faced with such circumstances."

"That is correct, and that is something I have taken into consideration. However, today's events brought to light an interesting fact: that Miku-kun is on the verge of a breaking point. She is about to reach the threshold of her patience, and so I've used the day's events as a method to fester her feelings of helplessness, knowing that the eventual result would be her desire for power. That is when I will approach her and offer her the Shenshoujing. Even if she hates it, she knows it is the only thing that will give her the ability to confront Hibiki-kun directly," he said, looking to the side. "Of course, I never imagined she would go so far, and I must admit her threatening to take her own life made me nervous, but I am glad it did not come to that."

For the first time in a long while, Saint-Germain found herself absolutely perplexed. The fact that this commander, this man that had an air of honesty, an in-your-face attitude and a boisterous personality would use such underhanded and despicable tactics in order to ensure the world's survival.

He pretty much admitted it. He was using Kohinata Miku for his own ends.

"You would go that far to do so? You know what this means, I assume," she told him, blatant in her accusation.

"Of course. It means being no better than Dr. Ver or my father. It means taking advantage of her love for Hibiki-kun to bring about a result that I want under the veil of telling her it's what she wants. Of course, I don't know how much of a veil it can be if our goals pretty much exactly align _unlike _Ver and my father, but it's still deception and manipulation no matter what way you look at it," he answered firmly, and neither his voice or frame shook as he spoke.

He let out another breath. "You are probably wondering _why _I would go this far. Why, under these circumstances, I would induct Miku-kun into this world and go against a long-standing belief and a promise. The reason? Simply because I know Hibiki-kun can be saved. I know we can save her. Don't misunderstand, more than once last night I have considered that we might have to kill her, but after my fight against her and her subsequent sparing of my life, I know more than anyone that she is _not _gone yet, no matter how bleak it seems."

His fists clenched tight, and Saint-Germain watched his expressions. The subtle way he bit his lip, and the tone of his voice... she has yet to see any deception written on his face.

I owe her... no, the _world _owes her far too much for me to forsake her to this torture. That is why I will go this far. I will do whatever it takes, even if it means she will hate me, to bring her back. After everything is finished, I don't mind being sentenced to Hell for my crimes. It is the only thing I have to offer the two of them in recompense."

In the end, that is what he was. A criminal who had forsaken good people time and time again, who had sacrificed others for the sake of a greater goal. A man who had lived in the shadows and paid evil unto evil... and then finally stepped into the light, having finally found something that he would not dare forsake, in the form of six valkyries who sing to save the world.

And then he sighed, taking a deep breath. "I suppose that is everything from my end. I do believe that answered your question and more, and I even added a bit more as a show of good faith. Will that be enough?"

She closed her eyes briefly and spoke softly. "Yes, that will be enough. I am satisfied."

She realized she would need to give this new information some time to sink in. It was indeed a lot to take in at once, and it was far more than she had expected when she originally asked him that question.

But then she wondered, why does she care? They are only her _allies. _They are not her friends or comrades like Cagliostro and Prelati were. They were just...accomplices to achieve a similar goal. Yet, she was becoming more involved with them every passing hour. She was finding herself _caring _about their circumstances, and about how they are responding to current events.

Maybe it was because the Ignite Module shed some light on their experiences. It is after all made of a cursed blade that draws out the evils in one's heart, feeding on primal instincts. Perhaps it is because she had gone through what they have, that she understood where they were coming from.

And that even if the amount of life experience they have is different... She found that they were far more similar than ever.

"I thank you for sharing this with me," she said humbly. "I understand it's not something that is easy to talk about."

Genjuro let out a huff. "And I thank you for your understanding. It is indeed difficult to talk about, but I know you more than anyone can relate to it."

She let out her own huff in response. "Indeed, I can relate. Far more than I would have liked."

Yes, living a life of deception and manipulation, all for the sake of the greater good. No, this man's goals were far purer than hers. To him, saving the world was a side effect of saving Tachibana Hibiki, and as a result, it kept him focused. Kept him from losing himself while looking at the bigger picture.

But it was different for her. Throughout the centuries she had done so many despicable and savage acts that she knew Hell was the only place she would end up. Nobody could truly understand this burden of hers except her comrades, yet here she was, conversing with the one she once considered the enemy, and realizing that once again, they are far more similar than she ever knew.

Perhaps it would have been better to ally with them from the start than with a delusional doll-like Adam Weishaupt.

"Then, I believe it is time I uphold my end of the bargain," she said. "You have given me your piece, and now I will give you mine."

There was no reason for him to stop her, so he nodded and let her speak. She thought for a second, contemplating on how to present it.

"Very well then. Interestingly enough, my discovery also takes place during the Frontier incident, and even more coincidentally, focusing on the Shenshoujing. It is strange, how all the answers we seek somehow bring us back to it," she said.

He answered with a laugh. "Yes, that is indeed very strange. But do tell me, what is it that you have discovered?"

Her gaze became sharp and mysterious, and he arched his eyebrows.

"The reason why Tachibana Hibiki could harness the divine power, and..."

The heart monitor in the corner of the room beeped once again.

The encased figure once more stirred within its confinement.

"And how she is not the only one capable of doing so."

That announcement caused Elfnein to shoot up from her chair, and Genjuro to straighten himself on the bed.

"What?!"

Saint-Germain narrowed her eyes. "Since you gave me a long introduction to your answer, I believe it is my duty to do so as well. But first, let me explain something very simple that you must know about before anything else: The Original Sin."

The commander and homunculus listened attentively.

And Saint-Germain began recounting her story.

-!-

The cafeteria was as empty as usual when the girls entered it. It was around six in the evening, and it was the first time they realized they really haven't eaten anything in nearly a day. Not only that, they were all collectively exhausted, having gotten zero sleep the night before and having been fighting essentially non-stop since then.

This dreamlike peace felt almost out of place in the current circumstances.

They were silent as they went through the usual procedure of taking cutlery and trays and filling their plates up with food. The three FIS girls never really admitted it, but this generic cafeteria food, which turned out to be far more nutritious and delicious than what they had back then, was some of their favorites.

It invoked a sense of belonging, of a fresh start.

And also because of the fact it was what they ate while jailed, and that left them with a deep impression.

Today's meal was a simple spaghetti with meatballs. As usual, the amount each put on their plate accentuated their personalities, with Chris and Kirika piling on the food without end while Maria, Shirabe, and Miku took a far more humble portion for themselves.

Thanking the kindly, elderly chef, the group went over to their usual table and sat down. Almost instantly, and without the usual ritual, the two ravenous pits known as Chris and Kirika began to chow down mercilessly. Shirabe sent her usual stare Kirika's way, but ignored it and began eating slowly, taking the time to enjoy every bite. Maria, who wanted to make sure everyone was getting their fill, began nibbling on the food as she watched them.

Which was then she noticed that Miku, who sat across from her, was not touching her food at all. Her gaze was downcast, and her knife and fork remained exactly where she had placed them earlier.

'_Did... she fall asleep?' _Maria wondered, but that thought proved false when she saw her stir slightly, although did not move an inch more than that.

That wouldn't do at all. "Miku-san, you need to eat," she said softly to her.

Initially, Miku made no motion to acknowledge the fact that she was being spoken to. She remained silent for a moment, lost in her own thoughts. "I'm not hungry," she then said.

Maria studied her for a moment. She figured that Miku wouldn't eat, considering the events of the day. Oh, how she remembered those god awful days, working alongside Ver in a misguided attempt to save the world. Her most egregious example was after she was forced to kill in order to rescue Mom from the Tokyo Tower, and her subsequent spiraling down to almost full-blown villainy. She looked back at that moment with absolute disgust, as right now she couldn't understand how she could allow herself to fall so low.

Chris, who up until now had been eating quietly, looked to Miku in sympathy. Her kind stare was slightly ruined by the endless amount of bolognese stuck around her mouth, and she seemed to have no idea it was even there. Sticking her fork into a meatball from her own plate, she raised it and placed it before Miku's face. "Here."

"I just said that I'm not—"

"I heard what you said," Chris interrupted her. "But eat anyway. The last thing we need is for the idiot to come after us if she ever saw that you collapsed because of hunger and we did nothing about it."

"Chris!" Maria exclaimed, shocked at Chris' lack of tact.

"What? I'm only trying to take care of her. It won't do good for any of us to collapse because our bodies betrayed us first," she simply answered, still dangling the fork in front of Miku.

Maria narrowed her eyes at her. Then, taking a napkin, reached over the table to the Ichaival user. "Well, if you want to take care of anyone first take care of yourself," she said, and then wiped away the sauce on Chris' face. Chris flushed slightly at the unexpected contact but kept her grip on the fork. Once finished, Maria sat back down in her seat and stared worriedly at Miku. "But she's right, Miku-san. It wouldn't do if you don't eat anything. You need some energy. You've been through a lot in the past few days."

"I can't focus on eating," the girl said shakily. "I just... can't..."

In response, Chris tapped the meatball against Miku's lips. "Open your mouth."

Realizing that they won't leave her alone until she complied, Miku reluctantly opened her mouth and allowed Chris to feed her the meatball. She chewed on it slowly, and Chris continued speaking. "If you can't feed yourself then I'll help you," she said, her face once again slightly flushed as she stabbed her fork into another meatball. "As thanks... for back then."

It took a moment for Miku to understand what she was talking about, but then remembered the incident. Way back then, when they first met, Miku found the injured Chris in an alleyway and nursed her back to health. The Ichaival user had never forgotten that kindness, so she would do all she can to help her in return.

Chris really wished that Hibiki was here to cheer the girl up...But that was kind of ironic seeing as Hibiki _was _the reason Miku was depressed in the first place.

Maria smiled and went back to her own food. Chris continued feeding Miku, taking her own bites in between from her own plate and Miku's. They fell into a serene silence, simply enjoying each other's company and eating their meals.

About ten minutes later, the group of girls finished their food despite everything, and even Miku who had been constantly fed by Chris managed to finish her plate. Their plates now empty, the Symphogear users got up from the table, with Maria taking Miku's tray with her, seeing as upon finishing her meal she remained downcast.

The elder sighed. She didn't expect Miku to get over it quickly, and she knew it would take some time for her to go back to herself.

But she just wasn't sure if they had the luxury to wind down. Hibiki could reappear at ANY moment anywhere in the world, and once she did, they would have to face her again...

Or at least, that's what she thought. The battle today had turned out worse than the one before, and now all of them were injured in such a manner that even thinking of confronting her was suicidal. It took Miku threatening to kill herself to force her to back off, and Maria just wasn't sure such a tactic would work again.

And even if it did come to that... Maria wasn't sure Miku wouldn't pull the trigger anyway. Perhaps it was just her being overly concerned, but she could see that Miku's mental strength was sapping away with every second she had to dwell on the subject.

It wasn't like she couldn't understand her plight. Her best friend became their worst enemy, and one they couldn't just defeat with brute force. Smacking her upside the head won't bring her back, and now they regretfully realized that they couldn't talk her out of it either. The only way would be to overpower her, but good luck with that. If Genjuro and Saint-Germain failed, if Adam failed, and if they, the Symphogear wielders failed... then just who remained in the world that could possibly challenge her?

There was a point in the past, Maria remembered, that she had a strange thought. She wondered what would have happened if out of nowhere Serena would suddenly rise from the grave and declare her intention to destroy the world. It came to her after she watched a silly movie with Kirika and Shirabe, and that night she had sort of dwelled on it for a bit.

Never before had she shuddered so fearfully from just her imagination, but she figured that if that had happened... she would have reacted the same way Miku did. It just made her sympathize more with the gentle girl. Something that was supposed to be just a nightmare became reality, and they had absolutely no way to dispel it.

Just as Maria placed the tray back, she could hear the sounds of soft whimpering from behind her. She looked back, and the others turned around with her. She saw Miku still in her seat, and her frame slightly shuddering every so often. From her angle, it was hard to catch, but the glistening shine of something falling from her eyes told Maria everything she needed.

'_This is going to be a frequent occurrence,' _she realized, and slowly made her way to the girl. Miku once again made no motion to acknowledge her approach or any of the others' as they congregated around her silently.

Her breakdown intensified, and she raised her arms and buried her face in her hands. The tears continued to fall without end, and the whimpering became a sorrowful cry as the full brunt of everything that happened in the last few days crashed down on her all at once.

The girls just watched her sadly, having no words to offer her. Even the kindly elderly chef who had given them the food earlier stopped everything to just watch silently. She didn't know exactly what happened, she did notice that Hibiki, the most energetic of the bunch, was not around. And that...told her more than anything else.

There was only the sound of Miku's cries filling the cafeteria. Her grief was oh so great that Chris and Kirika's eyes started to shine as well, their emotions slowly overwhelming them.

As her laments continued to intensify, Maria came to a decision. Having served as Kirika and Shirabe's caretaker for many years and having comforted them whenever their spirits fell, she knew what she had to do.

So silently as to not disturb her, Maria walked behind Miku and very gently hugged her from behind. She said nothing as her arms wrapped around her, and she could feel as Miku almost instinctively used her enveloping presence as a lifeline. Maria closed her eyes, simply listening to her moans and sniffles. She knew that if Hibiki saw them like this, she would have a much bigger incentive to kill her than ever before.

Well, she was already on her hit list, so what she does now won't change that. And besides, she vowed to take care of the girl in her stead, as penance for the crimes she committed against them both in the past.

No one was sure how much time had passed since Maria embraced the girl. Was it five minutes? Was it an hour? No one knew, and no one cared. A dear friend of theirs was grieving in a heartbreaking manner, and they were unsure what to do. Only Chris, who had been around her since the conflict with Fine, could compare it. After all, following the destruction of the moon fragment and their subsequent disappearance from the public, Miku came to believe that Hibiki was dead. She could not even fathom what sort of hardship and sorrow plagued her during that time, but if today was any indication... it probably looked something like this.

No, it was even worse than that. The present situation was akin to being a parent whose child had disappeared, or a wife whose husband was missing in action. No one knew if they were alive or dead, and that uncertainty only made everything far more difficult.

At least previously, Miku would eventually heal in time had Hibiki actually been dead. Now, she was right in the middle of it all, and the object of her sorrow was not only very much alive but also oh so very out of reach.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Miku began speaking. "I-I couldn't... I couldn't do anything," she wept. "She-she was right there... and I couldn't bring her back! She-she... my voice... my voice can't reach her anymore!"

Maria remained quiet. Sometimes, a person just needed a shoulder to lean on.

"Why... why did this have to happen? Why to her? What-what did she do wrong to deserve this?! We-we just wanted to live happily... and now I have to watch as she... as she—"

Her cry was interrupted by another bout of uncontrollable weeping, and Maria just hugged her tighter.

She knew Miku could not be comforted. Logic, sense, none of these could offer her what she needed, what she desired.

So Maria presented her one question.

"You love her a lot, don't you?"

It was a question Maria already knew the answer to. It was like asking the grass if it was green or the Sun if it was hot. The answer was obvious... but the depth of it was what truly mattered.

It seemed that just thinking about it gave Miku pause, and she began to breathe in and out in an attempt to calm herself.

And gathering up the rest of her strength, she gave Maria her answer.

"With all of my heart."

As the words left her mouth, Miku's emotions once again swelled and the tears returned in full force. And Maria held her tighter, unwilling to leave her alone for even a moment. It was ironic, but despite the sadness, despite the overwhelming grief... Maria could find some beauty in it.

It was the beauty of a broken heart, and the desire to mend it and give it back its luster.

And Maria whispered softly in her ear. "Never let that feeling go," she said. "Keep it close and hold it tight. Make it your strength... because I know that eventually, no matter what happens... it is that feeling that will bring back the light."

It only served to make Miku's cries deeper and louder, her voice becoming hoarse as time dragged on. It may have had an intense effect, but at least Maria knew she had heard her and took it to heart.

"Never lose hope, Miku-san. I know everything seems hopeless, but the moment you give up is the moment you'll truly lose her forever. So don't give up," she said, hugging her even tighter, so tight she would crush her if she kept it on. "Because we will get her back... no, it is you who will, I know it."

"B-but I can't do anything! I'm powerless! I-I can't save her!"

"You're not powerless," Maria responded. "You are not. Don't think you are for even a second. You can do a lot... much more than we can. Some problems can't be solved just by fighting... so I know that as long as you never lose hope... I know that eventually, your feelings will reach her."

It was a lesson they had all learned the hard way and one that Hibiki had the most difficult time accepting. As the one who used her fists to fight and was used to holding her hand out to others, she just never knew what to do when they refused to take her hand. It most prominently happened with Carol, who had preferred death and revenge over siding with them.

But one failure does not erase the records of countless successes. The very fact that the four Symphogear users currently trying to comfort Miku were here and now was proof of that. Proof of the infinite good that Hibiki did and could do, and was the one thing she excelled at more than anyone.

"So please, Miku-san, do not lose hope. We will save her, together. She is a very important friend to us, someone who we cannot turn our backs on. Do not lose heart."

Miku's cries echoed in the cafeteria.

"Because we will bring her back," Maria said with a small smile."To the place she belongs, right by your side."

-!-

By the time Saint-Germain finished her explanation, Elfnein was out of her seat, gaping at her with her eyes as wide as saucers. Genjuro too had straightened out in the bed as much as he could, absolutely dumbfounded by what Saint-Germain had just told them.

"That's everything from my end," she said calmly. "I do hope that assists us in troubled times to come."

It took a moment for either of them to respond to her. Elfnein crashed back into her seat, looking to the ground, her eyes still wide as she processed the information. "This... this changes everything! Genjuro-san, we—"

"I know, Elfnein-kun," he interrupted her. "It changes a lot, especially our approach to this incident, just like I thought. Unfortunately, it has the unintended side effect of just increasing her burden even more."

"I don't understand why you are so surprised," Saint-Germain commented. "You were prepared to have her shoulder it, so why does this suddenly change your intentions?"

"It doesn't, but it makes me feel all the more guilty. This is becoming less of her assisting us and more of us being reliant on her. Without her, there is absolutely nothing we can do. Your information just turned my lack of choice into an absolute requirement. Now it doesn't matter if she wants to or not... it's more like she has to, lest we lose absolutely everything," Genjuro answered. "And that doesn't make it any easier to bear."

The alchemist closed her eyes for a moment. "I understand that, so as thanks for the information and your assistance, I am willing to lend you my own."

She opened her eyes to meet his own narrowed ones. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"It means I will put all the resources I have to spare into helping you. I had a heavy hand in causing this incident so it is only right I help you fix it. You have so far given me care and support without asking for anything in return, and I cannot stand for it. I will not abuse the hospitality I have been given, so I will do all in my power to pay that debt back," she said resolutely.

Genjuro let out an amused chuckle, and she raised an eyebrow. "You sure are an honorable one."

"Of course," she replied. "Anything less will tarnish my name and all the sacrifices I had to make to reach this point."

The commander crossed his arms over his chest. "So it's a matter of pride, then?"

"Only partially," she answered. "Pride, and the weight of the sins on my shoulders. If you say you deserve to be sent to Hell for your crimes, then I too deserve the very same fate. I have claimed 73,808 lives over the centuries, and I remember each and every one of them. I could not allow myself to forget. Each person that I killed is a person who would not live to see the perfect world I was trying to create."

She let out a heavy sigh, and her shoulders slumped forward. "And to think that at the end of the road, all of my efforts have been for naught. All of the lives I have taken... All of the crimes I have committed... Were all for nothing. I have lost my goal and my comrades. I have nothing left to lose now, so it's only fitting I fix a costly mistake that I made."

Genjuro studied her for a moment, his eyes still narrowed. Then suddenly he threw the blanket off of him, eliciting a yelp from Elfnein, and stood up to his feet. He walked towards the alchemist's bed, appearing as if he hadn't been injured at all. He stood by her side, and she opened her eyes and looked up at him.

"You seem to believe that we blame you for what has happened," he said.

"How could I not? Was it not my actions that spurred the descent of the divine power? Was it not through me that Adam Weishaupt nearly achieved his objective?" She asked honestly.

He crossed his arms over his chest again. "That may be, but that's different from what we are going through right now. There is a reason why I told you that we never saw this coming, simply because I did not want you to blame yourself. It could have ended any other way, and it could have not happened at all, but in the end, you are _not _responsible for what happened to Hibiki-kun, not even a little bit. Do not dwell on it without due cause. We do not blame you, so I ask that you also do not blame yourself. That will be the first step in our true alliance, Ms. Saint-Germain."

And he extended his hand to her. She simply stared at the big, burly hand hanging in the air in front of her, contemplating how she should respond.

She turned her gaze away, looking to the pod at the other end of the room. The pod in which Kazanari Tsubasa was still encased in. "You are far too kind for your own good," he said, turning back to look at him.

"I've been told that before. You have no idea how long it took for me to get to that pointת" יe answered with a wide grin.

Her eyes widened at the casual response he gave her.

And then she sighed. "You really are a group of strange people."

Then, in a single motion, raised her hand and took his in her own, giving it a firm shake.

His grin only widened further. "Welcome aboard, Saint-Germain."

Their handshake lasted for a mere three seconds, but it was more than enough to get the point across. Both their hands lowered back to their original positions, and they continued staring at each other. "There are still some things I need to get from the villa I used to live in, so for now I don't have much to offer except information. I will also require my own living quarters and somewhere I can quietly research and develop."

"Deal," he said quickly. "But for now, rest. You are still injured after all. Can't have my new ally expire on me just after I obtained her."

She let out a sarcastic huff. "As if I would die that quickly. I've had worse in the past."

"I don't doubt it."

He turned around and headed towards the door of the medical room, ready to leave. He stopped right in front of it, and it slid open to let him through. However, he did not exit just yet. "One more thing, Saint-Germain, in case you think I may be too kind," he said.

She looked to him, saying nothing. "We do not require your apologies. Do not act out of pity or remorse or anything like that. The only thing we need is your invaluable assistance. That is all. Please keep that in mind."

And with that said, he left the medical room, heading back to his quarters to change. Only Elfnein remained with her, and she watched quietly as the homunculus approached and bowed to her. "I look forward to working with you, St. Germain-san."

The alchemist's expression softened. "Likewise."

Elfnein gave her a big, sunny smile, then also headed towards the door. "Then, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work. I'll see you later then, St. Germain-san. Please sleep well."

Saint-Germain gave her an acknowledging nod, and then Elfnein left the medical room.

And the alchemist was left alone with her thoughts.


	11. Chapter 11: Balance of Love and Sorrow

For the first time in a while, it was fairly quiet in S.O.N.G's bridge. The various members worked slowly and silently, and only the sound of tapping keyboards echoed in the small space.

Or, it should have been. But there was one person there, or in this case a head, that would not keep quiet.

"Play it again," he said, instructing the member he was paired up with.

For the last few hours, Adam Weishaupt has been engrossed in exactly one thing: watching clips of Tachibana Hibiki on repeat. The confused crewmember had seen this particular one dozens of times by now, and he could by heart recite every single action and word those onscreen had said.

However, he could not understand what exactly the defeated leader of the Illuminati could possibly be gaining from watching this video so many times. What was he trying to understand? What sort of information was he trying to glean from it?

The man had asked him a few times, but Adam simply ignored him and kept on watching the clip. Every so often, Adam would instruct him to stop the video at a certain point, and he could see as the head's eyes narrowed at several particular instances.

A few minutes later, the clip ended. The man let out a sigh, finally hoping to get his rest.

"Play it again," Adam simply said. The man's eyes widened, but he let out another sigh, this one defeated, and went on to play the clip again.

Adam for his part found every viewing of the video slightly more enlightening. He was rewatching the clip of the battle in the school, and every time he made another interesting observation, whether it was about the Symphogears themselves, their dynamics with each other, or even Saint-Germain's sudden power up and abilities.

But there was one thing that constantly stumped him: Tachibana Hibiki herself. It seemed that no matter how many times he rewatched, he just could _not _come to an understanding as to what she _was_.

He knew exactly what happened to her: she fused with the divine power, prompting the god-slaying one from Gungnir to burst out and bring out the curses with it, which corrupted her mind. But that did not explain why she was _transforming. _It did not explain why she was suddenly becoming stronger by the minute, and why she seemingly started developing abilities out of nowhere. Teleportation, creation of life, and tearing holes in reality are all-natural abilities of the divine power, as it uses the logic of the universe that is not understood by humans.

But that did not explain how she was learning how to use it so quickly. He himself was a creation of divine beings. Their knowledge and power took him decades to master, and he was made to be an absolute genius. Yet, Tachibana Hibiki managed to use and understand them in _less than twenty-four hours! _And not just any abilities, but some of the most difficult ones as well.

That was the part that made no sense to him. It was just not possible she was talented or smart enough to fully control it. He knew about the extent of her cleverness and her ability to seemingly destroy logic or reason with her fists, but such a thing cannot be applied to divine power. As a human, her limits lay only in what humanity as a whole is capable of understanding.

In essence, humanity has the ability to observe the entire universe down to its most basic particles. In time, they will freely roam the stars and the galaxies and be able to discover the innermost secret of the atom. However, all of that lies on the physical plane of the universe, the one that is governed by physics and logic. No matter how advanced they become, that will be their boundary.

The divine, along with its power, lies on a plane far too out of reach for humanity to comprehend. It is an existence that predates the universe and is, in fact, part of what gave birth to it in the first place. After all, the Big Bang could not have possibly occurred if there hadn't been something to cause it in the first place. And that something was the divine power, the power wielded by the gods themselves. Only something as potent as that could cause a reaction so tremendous it would form a universe.

It is something so beyond human understanding that simply observing it should render them speechless and drive them to madness due to its otherworldliness. It would be akin to laying eyes on cosmic horrors from the beyond.

Yet here was Tachibana Hibiki, wielding it like it was a playground toy!

It was blasphemy! Something like this should have destroyed her in an instant! Even if she was somehow free of sin and could harness it, that does not mean she should have done so!

So why, _why _was she so strong?! Why was she stronger than himself?! And why is she becoming even stronger?!

That was the only conclusion he could reach from watching the same clip on repeat for the past few hours. But he could not obtain any _answers_ from it. It did, however, give him a focus.

He just needed more evidence. He needed more clips, he needed more readings. He needed her to appear again and he needed to study her as thoroughly as he could. The strange mutation the Aufwachen wavelength underwent was the first hint to his answer. He had also gone over the records from last night, and he had to admit it was truly something to look at. He compared it to the usual one, and there were so many differences it was hard to believe it was the same relic.

But at its core, it was. As if the divine power, along with the curses were interposing themselves on top of it. Yet, because of the sheer contradiction between the two powers, it caused the signal itself to warp under the stress.

And that brought him to the second, unexplainable phenomena he witnessed: he had earlier told the commander, as well as the Adaptors, that the two powers were in a chaotic harmony within her being.

But when he looked at the patterns again... it seemed like the black hole, which indicated the god-slaying power, was _expanding._ It was covering more and more of the limited area on the screen, and in contrast, the blue veins that indicated the divine power were... slowly disappearing?

And that was just another aspect that left him confused. If the divine power is vanishing, then why is she not becoming weaker? Just what is going on here? And why is it happening so soon?

So many questions, so little answers, and so little time. It's been a while since Adam had ever found himself being challenged like this. In some ways it is refreshing, yet in others disconcerting. But he could not allow that to keep him down. Even in a situation as dire as this, he knew that in the end, he's the one who's going to win.

So for now, cooperate. Use them to find the answers he required, and when Tachibana Hibiki is stripped of the divine power, snatch it when their guard is down. But first, he had to make sure they actually succeeded in doing so... which proved to be the hard part.

As Adam continued contemplating and formulating plans in his head, the door to the bridge slid open. Tomosato turned her head around, her eyes heavy from fatigue and constantly looking at the screen.

And then they lit up in surprise. "Commander?!"

Then as one all of the bridge members turned around to look at the door, and they smiled as they saw Genjuro, seemingly none the worse for wear, walking in wearing a new set of his red collared shirt and khaki pants.

They cheered as he sat down in his chair, and he smiled widely. "Yo, looks like I've worried you."

"Nah," one of the members yelled. "We knew you'll be okay after a few hours of rest. Nothing can keep you down."

"Heh, I appreciate the concern," Genjuro responded. He looked back to the screen before him, going over the displayed readings. "Now get back to work you fools, the celebrations can come later."

They nodded with a grin on their faces, and then turned back to their consoles, their spirits renewed. Adam raised an eyebrow as even the man he was stuck to somehow became more energetic than before. He typed away rapidly at his console as he went between assisting the severed head and doing his own work.

Adam stopped his work to speak up for a moment. "You sure are an appreciated commander," he said.

"Hmph, if I wasn't, I'd already be dead," Genjuro responded. "But enough about that. What did you find so far?"

Adam looked momentarily back to the screen he had been studying for the past few hours. "Plenty and nothing at all at the same time, I have to say."

Genjuro raised an eyebrow at the strange response. "Meaning?"

"Meaning that even though I might have obtained some answers, it only raised more questions. More questions that can be answered if we had a bit more data, which unfortunately you don't. Quite a shame." Adam answered.

Genjuro narrowed his eyes. Ah, so he was trying to take a dig at them. Well, whatever. "It is indeed quite a shame," he responded. "Maybe next time we'll get some more. Who knows? That largely depends on you and what you share."

The leader of the Illuminati huffed and looked back to his screen. "Well, then let me tell you what I have discovered so far, oh great venerated commander," he said mockingly. "First, it seems there is a lot more going on here than we initially believed. There is a contradiction between what should be happening to the god-slayer and what actually is happening."

"What do you mean?" Genjuro asked. The other bridge members stopped their typing to listen to Adam as well.

Adam nodded to the man he worked with, and he promptly transferred the Aufwachen data to the giant display on the front of the bridge. Gungnir's original signal flashed orange as it spun in place. "As you know, this is the original Aufwachen signal belonging to Tachibana Hibiki's Gungnir," he said. He gestured to the man, who tapped away on his keyboard. A second screen appeared next to the first. "And this is the same signal that you detected when she first hatched from the cocoon. As you can see, there are major changes to it, although the original is still coherent underneath."

Genjuro studied the two signals before him, successfully following Adam's explanation. The original signal was an orange-colored flower with spearlike formations protruding from it. It was nothing special to look at, about as exceptional as the others. It was the new one that gave him pause. He had seen it that night but did not give it too much thought as they were far too busy being shocked to study it right away. However, now that they finally had the time to go over their data... the severity of it all dawned on him.

The black hole that rested in the center of the signal was the worrying part. Genjuro didn't need to be a genius to understand what it was. That dark abyss was none other than the god-slaying power...the very same one that twisted Hibiki's mind. He could see how black veins leaked out from the black hole to the flower at large, and how some of them were touching the blue veins signifying the divine power. All in all, it looked like the flower was diseased and being eaten alive by two different yet potent pathogens at once.

"How did we always miss this?" He asked, his eyes narrowed. Since Val Verde where they first fought against a divine presence, they have never, _ever_ bothered to look at the Aufwachen signal. If they had, they might have been able to isolate it before this incident ever took place.

"Because as I told you, the god-slaying power reacts proportionally to the amount of divine presence that it discovers. It only makes sense that when confronted by such a huge concentration of divine power, it will react far more viciously and violently. And what's more, it will not regress until the divine power disappears first," Adam explained, throwing Genjuro's assumption out of the window. "But here is where things become interesting."

He nodded to the man again, who brought up another recorded signal.

And this time, Genjuro noticed with wide eyes, that it was not nearly as pretty.

The first thing he noticed was the black hole in the center had become bigger than before, having taken over the entire middle section of the flower. But even worse than that, the entire structure of it, particularly the spearlike protrusions were being warped inwardly _towards_ the darkness itself. Even more interestingly the blue veins of the divine power were far fewer in number, and there were many more of the black veins in their stead. They too were leaking out of the flower itself and began to fill in the empty space on the screen.

"This is the signal recorded after her first outburst in the courtyard of the school. In almost an instant, the area of effect of the curses had dramatically increased. They began to take over more of the original signal, not to mention that it is now also breaking its shape," Adam continued. Now the three iterations of Gungnir's Aufwachen wavelengths were displayed side by side on the screen, accentuating the radical changes it has undergone in the past twenty-four hours.

It was incredibly disturbing to look at.

"This is messed up," Fujitaka commented.

"Messed up is putting it lightly," Genjuro added. "This is a very important and curious find, but what exactly does it mean and what can we do about it?"

Adam smirked. "For starters, there's nothing you can do about it. At least, not you _yourself,_" he said. Genjuro glared at him in response, causing Tomosato to look at him curiously. "What does it mean exactly? Several things, in fact. The first is the fairly obvious one: the influence of the curses is spreading further every time you fight her. I assume it happened because she experienced emotional trauma when the little lady confronted her. As the curses are primarily composed of raw emotion, it is only logical they would react when their user enters the same wavelength as them. This is however when it becomes dangerous."

The three signals swirled slowly on the screen, their hypnotizing movements adding more to the mysterious atmosphere that had fallen on the bridge. "It becomes a vicious cycle. Every time she has a strong emotional reaction, the curses spread more, twisting her mind further. That makes her susceptible to more breakdowns, which then cause the curses to spread more. You can understand where that leads from here," Adam said.

Genjuro indeed understood where it leads. Ultimately, Hibiki will get swallowed up by the curses themselves as she will lose control over them. If the Aufwachen signal is any indication, Gungnir itself is also slowly losing cohesion as a Symphogear. The curses will eventually become so powerful that Hibiki will be reduced to nothing short of a raging berserker, just like during the time she was fused with the fragment from Kanade.

But it won't be the same as before. No, it will be much, _much _worse, as it might become a state that she will _never_ return from.

However... something seemed to be missing.

"Hold on," Genjuro said. "Where does the divine power factor into all of this?"

That was the moment Adam's expression hardened, and he glared at the display above him. "That is a good question and one that has trumped me until now. As you can see on the third display, there are more of the black veins and fewer of the blue ones. What I can infer from that is that the divine power is... disappearing, so to say. That the curses, the god-slaying power, is finally doing what it's supposed to and is eradicating it."

The commander, however, realized that something was amiss in his explanation. "You don't seem very convinced."

"No," Adam replied. "And that is because if it's supposed to be erasing the divine power... why is she not getting any weaker? No, she's actually getting stronger as the curses spread, and that is the reason why she spontaneously started developing abilities that she should not have for centuries. That is the exact part of it that confuses me, and that is why I require another observation. I need her to reappear so I can see the signal again. I am sure that once I have that final piece, I will be able to formulate an answer."

Genjuro put a hand on his chin in contemplation. "I'm afraid that if she reappears now, it will be over for us. We just do not have the manpower to confront her now that the wielders are all injured and cannot fight with their full potential. We have to hope that she does not appear until they recover, at the very least."

The commander crossed his arms over his chest. Adam just smiled at what he said.

"Do you now?" Adam asked completely unconvinced but decided to say nothing more. If Genjuro thought he could hide his intentions from him then he is sadly mistaken. Adam knew exactly what Genjuro's plan was from the very beginning. But he figured it did not matter if he publicly revealed it or not, since once the time comes he'll know when to apply it.

Genjuro did not respond to him, indicating the end of their conversation. "Tomosato, Fujitaka, have a full scan of the city active at all times. We are looking for everything, especially Aufwachen. If she decides to reappear now we have to be able to know instantly where she is and how we will respond. Assign everyone a section that they must watch over with real-time visuals. It's entirely possible we might miss it somehow, so don't lose focus," he commanded.

His two direct subordinates acknowledged his orders and immediately went to fulfilling them. He continued. "Furthermore, we must—"

And then the sound of a call rose his Fujitaka's terminal. "Commander..." He said reluctantly. "It's... from Kamakura."

There was a collective groan from pretty much everyone on the bridge. Genjuro sighed in defeat. "What timing," he said, mentally preparing himself. "Put him through."

Fujitaka nodded.

A few button presses later, the video call display lit up.

Showing the face of a very angry Kazanari Fudou.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS, GENJURO?!" He screamed, slamming his fist onto his table on the other end. Several bridge members flinched at the sudden noise. "How will you explain this humiliation?! You have done nothing but fail constantly!"

The mentioned commander steeled himself, keeping calm in the face of his father's outburst. "We are facing more difficulties than we could have expected. This is a field we are not familiar with, so we can't just—"

"You said that the moment you have the information, you will pass it on to me. I did not receive an update even after your battle in the school grounds ended. It is your duty to keep me informed, Genjuro! Do not think that you are allowed to overstep your boundaries!"

"Sir, with all due respect, I did not—"

"Furthermore, your subordinates have failed in taking down the enemy as they should have, and they have returned empty-handed and injured as well! Are they so incompetent that they cannot take down a single opponent despite the power they were constantly granted?!" Fudou yelled, making sure his complaints and superiority were on full display here.

Genjuro narrowed his eyes. If there was one thing that Fudou could have done to cause his anger to rise, it was insulting the girls. But he couldn't allow it to show on his face or in his speech in any manner. It would be the exact reaction that Fudou was trying to get out of him.

"The problem lies not in their own abilities, but with the enemy's," Genjuro said, biting back his frustration at having to refer to Hibiki as such. "The problem is that she is just too strong. I was not lying when I said we are dealing with something we have absolutely no experience in. She has abilities that defy reason and as a result, makes it very difficult to form an effective plan of action against her."

Fudou slammed his fist onto his table again. "That is nothing but an excuse! Do you truly believe those foreigners will accept such a thing?! They've already attempted to drop their bomb once, what makes you believe they won't try to do so again?! Do you want the country to burn, Genjuro?!"

"Of course I don't!" Genjuro answered, his tone slightly more elevated. He rose from his chair and stared the head of the Kazanari agency straight in the eyes. "But everyone saw how that bomb had absolutely no effect. Even if they drop thousands of them and erase the country from the face of the map, that does not guarantee it will succeed in taking her down! She cannot be defeated by conventional means, and that includes nuclear bombs AND Symphogear!"

Fudou grit his teeth in fury. "And that is why you should have handed over the girl when I ordered you to! Had you simply done as you were told, we wouldn't be in this crisis! This entire incident is on _your _shoulders, Genjuro! How do you plan to answer for that?"

Ah, of course. The regular 'This is your fault' routine. How many times had he heard that in the past? It was easy for Fudou to blame him for everything, although not without good reason. Despite his unlikability, the Kazanari head was no fool. If Fudou said that you messed up, you _really _messed up. And Genjuro already knew this whole thing was on his shoulders.

But that was the one thing he wouldn't budge on, no matter what his father says. "I already told you why I couldn't hand her over and I will not change my mind on the subject."

"Do not think you can fool me, Genjuro! I can read you like an open book. You plan on using her anyway now that you have run out of options, don't you?" Fudou said in a surprising moment of calmness.

Genjuro grit his teeth in frustration, working hard to make sure his shock was not shown.

'_Shit, he figured that out already?' _Genjuro thought through his clenched teeth. This was bad. He wanted to hide this fact from him. Even if tried to deny it, Fudou will see right through him.

"In that case, Genjuro, do as you will... for now," Fudou suddenly announced, forcing the entire bridge to stare at him in shock. What was this sudden change of heart? No, he couldn't. He was planning to— "But make no mistake, once this incident is resolved, you will hand them _both _over to me. That is an _order. _Should you fail to obey, I cannot guarantee the safety of your subordinates... or their families."

A sudden rush of fear and anxiety swept through every single person on the bridge, their horror openly expressed. Several shivered in place at his threat and refused to look at his face any further. "Take that into consideration. Until then, you will provide me with the information I desire. Is that understood?"

Genjuro put his hands to his sides and bowed formally. "Yes, sir."

Fudou humphed one last time, and then the connection cut, restoring the screen. Genjuro raised himself back to normal position, stared hard at the display, and let out the one word fitting to convey his thoughts.

"Shit."

A very uncomfortable silence fell on the bridge as the crew members dwelled on Fudou's warning. Despite their lack of formal contact with him, they knew he was _not _playing around. His influence in the country and the cabinet was well known to them, and they knew that if he desired he could have them all charged with treason, arrested, and then finally executed. And after that, their families would follow. That was the old traditional method of discipline that Fudou favored, even though modern laws prohibited much of that.

It just didn't matter with him. He could just have them all assassinated and declare it as a work accident, and nobody in the court would believe them if they tried to persecute him. His pull in the government was far too strong and far too deep to just ignore.

And that made the situation all the more difficult.

Not only that, Fudou made Genjuro's plan clear as day to all of his subordinates, so any element of surprise he had was now lost. With more people in on the secret, it would be harder to keep it from the one person who should not know about it: Hibiki. If she ever found out what he was planning before they were ready, nothing would stop her from coming to HQ personally and blowing them all up to smithereens.

As the commander was contemplating his next move, something caught his hearing. It was a rising sound as if someone was breathing out of their nose and huffing constantly.

Then, the sound rose, and he could start hearing chuckling. That sound caught the attention of everyone else on the bridge, and they looked around to find the source.

It wasn't very difficult to locate.

Adam, having remained exactly where he was the entire time, was desperately trying to hold back his laughter. The crew members looked at him with eyes wide and stared at him hard, yet he ignored their appalled gazes and simply continued chuckling to himself.

And then he just let it all go and let out a burst of full-blown laughter that echoed throughout the bridge. He laughed and laughed and laughed, and nobody seemed to dare to try and stop him. So shocked were they by the fact that he found their situation amusing that they were frozen in place, unable to move.

He laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

An eternity seemed to pass by the time his maddened cackling lowered, and he finally began to form coherent words. "This is far too priceless! To think...To think such a man could exist in the present world! I have not seen or heard something so amusing in centuries!"

Genjuro sent him a piercing glare, but Adam simply ignored it. "A true oppressor in the modern age! And to think you fools are actually terrified! What an absolute farce! I cannot believe that Fine and Carol Malus Dienheim lost to the likes of you!"

His derisive laughter continued, and the bridge members cringed at the stinging words.

But Genjuro was far, far from amused. "So I see you think this is funny."

"Of course it is!" The head of the Illuminati answered. "You have the power of the old world in the palm of your hand, and yet you cower in fear before this nobody. Please, even a schoolchild would know to not take him seriously. His empty threats are only to be ignored, nothing more than that."

"You don't seem to be very knowledgeable about what kind of influence he holds in this country. He was not making his threats lightly. He can and will have us all killed if we dare cross him, as much as I loathe to admit it."

"And what of it?" Adam asked. "Need I remind you that you are the one who holds the reins for those girls, not him? It would be quite easy for you to just let them loose on him and his supporters and get rid of what you declare is a problem."

"That is not something I can do," Genjuro responded. "Don't get me wrong, I did think about it in the past—"

"Good."

"—but that would only backfire on us. I can't brute force my way through this problem, not this time. I do appreciate your _concern_ but I'll have to pass on that. Right now, we have a much bigger problem we have to deal with. There would be no point plotting his downfall if Hibiki-kun wipes us all out before that," Genjuro said with a slight smirk. A moment later his expression changed to one of deep thought, contemplating his next course of action.

"Well then, it would be prudent to thoroughly investigate that _arm_ we managed to obtain, is it not? As I told you, it holds the key to holding her back, or at the very least, her quite fascinating creations. I am quite sure it will extend the Symphogears' lifespan by a significant margin." Adam commented, reminding Genjuro of their interesting find.

Yes, _that _arm. Following the battle in the school, the Adaptors, along with Saint-Germain and Miku were airlifted back to headquarters for treatment. Several teams, however, remained behind to secure the area, making sure that no one had accidentally been caught in the fighting. As they were making their rounds, they found something extremely peculiar: a severed arm from one of the beasts. For some reason, that arm did not disappear along with its owner and had somehow survived the intense fighting and had been overlooked by Hibiki completely.

Almost immediately they placed it into a safe container and shipped it off to headquarters, and it was currently residing in Elfnein's lab. To Genjuro's surprise, when the arm was delivered to her lab she had declared that she had finished ALL of the necessary adjustments and upgrades for the Shenshoujing, a fact that he appreciated. With this, they could focus on studying the arm. However, the reason to do so eluded him for the first few hours, but then Adam Weishaupt claimed something incredibly ridiculous:

That the arm could be used for their benefit. How? They had no idea, but that was exactly what Elfnein was investigating.

Genjuro had to commend the homunculus for her hard and invaluable work. From the day she had joined them, she has done nothing but benefit them and help them as much as she could. She would work day and night while foregoing sleep and hunger to give them the best possible results. She had delivered the Ignite Module and the Fool's Stone upgrades, both of which helped the wielders gain the upper hand against their opponents.

She was also the one who had come up with the original calculations and predictions as to how Hibiki would turn out once the cocoon would hatch, and how exactly they would tackle it and get her back. The very fact that not only did her predictions fail, but the eventual result was way beyond what any of them could have imagined. It was a hard blow to her pride both as a scientist and an alchemist, and since then she had done nothing but try her hardest to give true, undeniably real results.

She is a genius stuck in the body of a small, insecure child, yet when push comes to shove she has the courage to pull off anything. She did not flinch at all when Chris grabbed her by the collar the first time she introduced the Ignite Module and announced they would be tapping into the berserk state. She stood against Carol even finding out she was an unwitting mole and had continued to help them without any expected rewards.

And Genjuro knew that the very reason she joined them in the first place was because of the girls. '_I just can't measure up,' _he told himself. They may gather under him, but in the end, these girls were the ones who are the pride and joy of the section and the entire reason for its existence. Without them, the country and the world would no longer exist.

He had taken them completely for granted, especially Hibiki-kun.

And now he found himself in an inescapable dilemma and that for the first time in a very long time, he was at his wits' end. His only use now was to serve as the command for them... and hope they could do what he could not.

"Why do you think that arm will be useful?" Genjuro asked Adam, who continued watching the earlier clip he had paused.

"The god-slaying power, if nothing else," Adam answered nonchalantly.

That answer was enough for Genjuro to slam his hands on his console, jolting everyone from their deep concentration and fear. They all turned to look at him in surprise, as his reaction came completely out of left-field.

"The god-slaying power?! Are you mad?!"

"I am not," Adam said calmly. "What exactly do you think those beasts were made of?" He asked Genjuro, waiting to see if he knew the correct answer.

Genjuro answered from memory. "From what we gathered, a combination of her blood and those curses. Our reading on them showed a deep concentration of them at their core and branching out to the form of a human."

"You are correct, but not completely. Those beasts are indeed composed of her blood, and are essentially the curses given form... but that is not all. For you see, in their core lies an abundance of divine power. It is through that from which they are formed, and that power does not reside in the arm any longer," Adam explained, motioning for the man helping him to bring up the initial scans and images of the arm. "Meaning it is just a cluster of curses right now. Nothing but pure god-slaying power given form. That could be very useful, don't you think?"

But Genjuro merely narrowed his eyes, not completely convinced. "You want to expose the Adaptors to this thing without the proper means to control it? We don't know what kind of effect it will have now that it's out in the open. Trying to incorporate it into the gears might have them all give into madness, and then our hope will be lost. And nothing says Hibiki-kun won't just be able to take it from them the moment she sees them."

"See, that's where you are wrong," Adam corrected him. "Those curses seek only to destroy one thing: any and all semblances of divine power. With their intended opponents pretty much composed of it, its effectiveness will be unmatched. Of course, with the divine power supposedly disappearing from Tachibana Hibiki, it is safe to assume that her beasts will eventually be rid of it as well. But I believe as a start it will be enough. Enough to put your special plan into action."

The special plan... Genjuro grimaced. How many times did he feel that he lacked control over the situation? Way too many, that's for sure. It really came down to just her, didn't it? "We'll think it over and see what we can do. Right now, with all of the wielders injured they are not going to be fighting anything."

"Well then, I guess you should hurry," Adam said. "Never know when she'll show up again. I do hope quite soon. It will be boring otherwise."

-!-

Saint-Germain clicked away at the keyboard of the laptop she had borrowed from S.O.N.G. Still too weakened to be up and about, she had decided to contribute in her own way by doing more research and mapping theoretical battle plans they could use. Never one to stay still for even a moment, working her brain was another manner by which to keep active, as otherwise, she'd have found herself dwelling on meaningless things.

It was deathly quiet in the medical room, save for the occasional beeping from the machine monitoring Tsubasa's vital signs. The doctor was out, and none of the other beds were occupied by patients like herself. It was shameful, she thought to herself, to constantly be stuck in the medical room due to her injuries. This was the second time already, making her feel like a burden. She knew they didn't consider her one, but still...it was an unpleasant feeling, one she wished to be rid of by providing an additional layer to their methods lacking in detail.

While they technically already had an alchemist in their midst in the form of Elfnein, the homunculus was too much of a gentle soul. She wouldn't be able to bring herself to delve into the more dangerous and volatile aspects of alchemy, of which the Alca-Noise were a part of.

That was part of what Saint-Germain was doing. If nothing else, providing S.O.N.G with an army may prove useful. It wasn't the only plan she had in mind though. However, she doubted they had the materials necessary to make them in the first place. They had never gotten their hands on the crystals in order to analyze them, therefore they had no clue what they were made of. She had quite a large number of materials awaiting her in the villa, so once her condition improved, she'd head out to take them.

She sighed as she came to the end of the paragraph she was writing. '_Blooming courage, huh?' _

Not everything she had been writing was strictly business. Back when she was still a part of the Illuminati, both Cagliostro and Prelati were surprised to discover that the stern Saint-Germain had secretly been keeping a diary. A diary she had been filling for centuries, with each entry meticulously detailing every step she had taken towards her goal, as well as her personal thoughts on it.

Oh, how filled with regrets it was. 73,808 of them, to be precise. That number had become so large over the years that she feared that it would devolve into a mere statistic in her mind. That's why she was writing a diary in the first place.

To never forget what she had done, and to never forgive herself for it.

As she mused to herself, the door suddenly slid open. To her surprise, none other than Tomosato Aoi entered, carrying a tray of food in hand.

"Hey Saint-Germain," the crewmember said. "How are you feeling?"

The alchemist raised her head from the laptop, momentarily puzzled by the woman's arrival. "I am... well," she replied. "What brings you here?"

"Thought you'd be hungry, so I brought you some food. The cafeteria was about to close down for the day, but I made sure to grab some leftovers for you," Tomosato said with a smile.

"Food..." Saint-Germain mumbled to herself. She hadn't really... thought about food at all for the past few days. She hadn't even noticed her hunger in all of the commotion and madness that took place. To her, hunger was a lifelong companion, accompanying her since childhood. Nutrition and consumption became secondary concerns for her, especially after she had prolonged her lifespan beyond the natural limits. It felt...weirdly grounded, to think about it.

"I'm fine," she said firmly. "You need not concern yourself with me. I refuse to become a burden."

Tomosato briefly tilted her head and then chuckled. Confused, Saint-Germain furrowed her brows. "What is so amusing?" she asked.

"Nothing," the bridge crew member replied, approaching the nightstand by the bed. She placed the tray down on it. "The commander said you might be stubborn, but that's alright. I dare say that all of us here are somewhat headstrong like that. It's what got us this far after all."

Saint-Germain could not help but be puzzled by the woman's words. "I do not understand."

"Nobody considers you a burden, and nobody blames you for anything," Tomosato said. "It's natural to help each other now that we're allies, right? So doing something this simple is not a problem for anyone."

"But I—"

"No buts," Tomosato interrupted her, heading to the door in the meantime. "Make sure to finish the entire plate, yeah? Our lunch lady will be sad if you don't eat it. And get some sleep too; you have bags under your eyes."

Before Saint-Germain could even respond, Tomosato was already heading out the door. Before she stepped out, she turned to the alchemist and smiled. "Make sure to take care of yourself, okay?" She said. "See you tomorrow."

And at that, she left, as fast as she had come. Left stupefied by the woman's strange actions, Saint-Germain turned her head to stare at the tray of food Tomosato left for her. It was a simple meal, consisting of spaghetti and meatballs, accompanied by a cup of a warm drink she assumed was tea.

A warm meal... it made her recall a few bizarre, yet fond memories. While she was still part of the Illuminati, together with Cagliostro and Prelati, the three of them had always ended up somehow eating outdoors. Even though the mansion had a kitchen, Cagliostro was a disaster, and Prelati wasn't allowed to cook anymore after that one incident with the squid. Saint-Germain herself had never bothered learning how to cook, leaving the three of them with no option but to wander outside when they had time.

She shook her head. No point in reminiscing about times that will never come again. She briefly wondered if she should bother humoring the bridge woman, but then thought that it'd be... discourteous, to leave it behind. And she was also told that she had bags under her eyes... she hadn't even noticed.

'_I wonder... if this will become commonplace...'_

She huffed. She put the laptop aside and reached out to take the tray, putting it on her lap. She took the provided fork and poked one of the meatballs, studying it thoroughly with her stare. After a short delay, she plopped it in her mouth.

'_It's good... how strange. How truly... peculiar...'_

And once again, Saint-Germain was left alone with her thoughts.

-!-

Maria wiped her brow with her sleeve after putting Miku down on the bed in their shared quarters. The girl had cried herself to sleep, and the four of them had watched her and stayed with her the entire time. So exhausted was she that she did not stir at all the entire time Maria carried her. The elder was mildly surprised by how light she was.

She covered Miku up with the blanket and switched off the lamp, basking the room in comfortable darkness. Maria could feel the exhaustion creeping up on her as well, but she couldn't allow herself to sleep just yet. She first had to make sure that Chris, Kirika, and Shirabe went getting tucked in and resting as well. It wouldn't do if she fell asleep and then discovered that one of them did not.

She looked at Miku's sleeping face, watching her breath in and out slowly now that she calmed down a bit. The scene in the cafeteria was one of the most heartbreaking moments she had ever seen in her life, and being a significant part of it only made her all the more emotional. It took all of her willpower to not start crying as well, something that both Chris and Kirika failed in doing.

There was no blaming them. It wasn't just Miku who felt helpless and powerless in the face of such overwhelming despair. It was also time for them to finally understand what kind of situation they found themselves in, and it didn't surprise Maria that they got emotional and distressed quickly.

That was why she was adamant about getting some sleep. Sleep helps a muddled mind relax and restart, and upon waking up they'll be feeling much better and have a far clearer outlook on current events.

At least, that's what she hoped. The users might be able to regain their bearings, but Miku was most definitely not. Not any time soon. Her love ran deep, and as such, she was the one most affected by this change.

Yet Maria knew... she just knew... that Miku would be the one to bring salvation. She didn't know how, but she just had a _feeling._ Like it was a primal, animalistic instinct that screamed at her that she must do all she can to support her, and that's how everything will work out in the end.

Realizing she had wandered off, Maria shook her head and turned back to the door, leaving the quarters behind. The door closed behind her, and she leaned on the nearest wall and sighed.

No, she had to stay strong. Every moment that she was worried about herself she could be worried about the others.

"Maria?" She heard a soft, reluctant voice ask.

She lifted her head up, and spotted Kirika, in her pajamas, peering around the corner. "Kirika? What's wrong? You should be sleeping."

The Ig-Alima user turned to the side sheepishly. "I... couldn't fall asleep. Maybe it's because it's... not really bedtime yet? But I dunno. Shirabe was sleeping and it was kind of cold and..."

Maria blinked a few times, and let out an amused sigh. She walked up to Kirika and held her hand. "Come on, let's go back to bed."

Blushing lightly, Kirika nodded and went quiet, following after her elder.

A few moments later, the two of them entered Kirika's and Shirabe's shared quarters. Leading the girl to her bed, Maria took over and tucked her in, covering her up all the way to her neck. "I'll stay with you until you fall asleep, okay?" She said, listening with one ear to Shirabe's soft breaths. Good, she was in a deep sleep right now. She didn't want to wake her up by accident.

Kirika nodded, which Maria found very cute while she was covered up by the blanket. But then, a small slender hand peeked from under it. Maria noticed it, gave Kirika a small smile, then took the offered hand in her own.

"It's been a while since I've done this for you, hasn't it?" She said softly. "You've always slept with Shirabe, but whenever you were feeling sad and distressed you always came to me. I guess old habits die hard, right?"

"Yes..." Kirika responded. "I just... couldn't stop thinking about Hibiki-san... and Miku-san. I still can't believe everything that happened. It just... doesn't feel real, y'know? I wish I could go to sleep, wake up, and everything will be fine."

Maria gripped her hand tightly as she kept on speaking. "But I know that's not how it works. I know I'm naive, but I'm not delusional. I just... want everything to go back to normal. Why can't we just have that?"

The elder rubbed the back of Kirika's hand, and she could see tears begin to swell up in her eyes again. '_She really is too emotional sometimes,' _she told herself but figured such a thing will never change. That's just how Kirika was; she got emotionally invested in the things she cared about, which leads to these sort of episodes.

Maria wouldn't exchange it for anything in the world.

"I agree, Kirika, But things won't go back to normal just because we wish for it," Maria said solemnly. "The only way to do so will be to take it back with our own hands."

"But we couldn't do anything! Everything we tried to do ended up in failu—"

"Shhhhh..." Maria whispered, putting a finger on her lips to quiet her down. Her voice rose a bit too much and it might wake Shirabe up. She looked behind her, seeing the petite girl stir slightly, but otherwise, remain unaffected.

Kirika put her free hand on her mouth to stop any more noise escaping, and Maria smiled. "It's just like I told Miku-san. Please, don't lose hope. I know things look bleak and dark, but we can't allow ourselves to fall into despair. So long as we stay strong, I know we can overcome any obstacle. Even one as great as this."

The blonde petite girl thought for a moment. "Do you really believe Miku-san will be the one to bring her back?" She asked, curious.

"I don't believe so," Maria answered confidently. "I _know _so. She knows her better than any of us do, and she is the only one among us Hibiki is not willing to risk losing. I am more than certain that Miku-san's feelings are reciprocated. It's up to us to give her the opportunity to confess them."

Kirika gave her a wide grin. "And the power of love trumps all evil!" She exclaimed, but quietly this time.

The elder couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "Yes, the power of love does indeed defeat all evils, so I know someone like Miku-san will be able to it. Love like hers is hard to come by."

"Hey! Shirabe and I love each other a lot too! We won't be outdone!" Kirika said excitedly, her previous downed mood all but forgotten.

"Fufu," Maria let out involuntarily at Kirika's adorable boast. "I don't doubt that. But right now it's our duty and responsibility to help a friend that is hurting. It will be best to just focus on that."

"Hmm... I guess you're right." Kirika agreed and fell silent. Maria was like a mom all the time, making sure they were alright as if they were her own children. She is not that much older than them, yet she still acts while considering the two of them before anything else. She held an unyielding and forever strong motherly love towards them.

Which then brought an interesting question to her mind, one which she felt she had to ask. "Hey Maria, I have a question."

Maria tilted her head. "Yes?"

"I have to ask..."

"Hm?"

"Do you... also have someone you love like that?"

Maria's eyes widened in response to the strange and surprising question. It came so out of nowhere that it took her a moment to process the fact that Kirika asked it.

And then a flash of blue passed through her mind, and instantly her face reddened to the point she had to hide her blush with her free hand. She tilted her head down at the intrusive thoughts.

Kirika grinned triumphantly, happy she managed to catch the usually calm Maria off guard. "Maria," she prodded on. "Your face is as red as the tomatoes the nice old lady gave us."

The elder removed her hand and pouted, her face still flushed. Then, she grabbed the blanket with both hands and pulled it over Kirika's grinning face, making sure she couldn't see her face anymore.

She couldn't believe she fell for that. It was such a dirty move, asking something like that of her. Especially since it garnered the reaction Kirika had been hoping for.

It wasn't like Maria _hadn't_ thought about such things. She was a person as much as the rest of them, and she was prone to her own fantasizing and imagination as well. But love? As in the feeling of desiring someone else and all of its implications? No way. No way she could allow herself to—

_Silky blue hair fluttering in the wind._

She shook her head at the scandalous thought. She could never admit it. Never ever ever ever ever ever ever. It was bad enough to have these thoughts run through her head, but to actually try and act on them? No way. She couldn't be like Kirika and Shirabe, or Miku and Hibiki. No way. She had to think about other things. There were more important things to worry about.

Her grip on the blanket loosened, and her blush receded somewhat. Kirika looked up at her with a curious smile. "Did... did I say something wrong?"

"No, you just... caught me by surprise is all. To answer your question... hmmm..."

She tapped her lips with her finger.

"That's a secret."

Kirika pouted in response. "Hey, that's not fair! I want to know about Maria's love too!"

"Well, maybe one day. Right now we have more important things to worry about, like you getting some rest," Maria responded, slightly chiding her junior.

Kirika pursed her lips. "Alright alright, fine," she said while smiling.

Maria sent her a smile back and tucked her in once again. "Good night Kirika, sleep well," she said, and reached over and gave her a peck on the forehead. Kirika giggled in response.

"Yes, good night Maria. You sleep well too."

And with that said, Maria left the girl's room.

Making a beeline for one exact location.

It took her about a minute of walking, but eventually, she reached her destination: the medical room. She entered, treading quietly as she noticed that Saint-Germain was fast asleep in the bed closest to the door. She momentarily eyed the empty plate of food on the nightstand beside her, but then turned her attention forward again.

She wasn't here for Saint-Germain after all.

She passed by the alchemist's bed, silently grabbing the one chair that still remained by Genjuro's former bed, and placed it beside the encased pod-shaped bed at the far corner of the room. She sat down and took a good look at the figure resting within it.

The figure of Kazanari Tsubasa, who had remained in stasis since the previous night.

Maria, for her part, could not believe how lonely she felt without the sentinel's constant presence around her. She knew for a fact that the blue flash she had seen in her mind after Kirika's question undoubtedly belonged to her. She was no fool, she knew exactly what that meant.

But she knew that nothing would come out of it. She was content as she was, simply being able to be together with everyone. Ever since Mom died, Maria had felt like a fish out of water, being forced to act as an idol to keep up a charade while also having her duties as a Symphogear user. Yet eventually she found that she was starting to enjoy it, being able to take up Kanade's place next to Tsubasa.

Yes, take up. Maria knew that everything she has... initially belonged to someone else. Airgetlam belonged to Serena. Her job as Tsubasa's partner belonged to Kanade. A vast majority of her techniques and abilities... were simply copied from the others. So many of the things that she held dear to her, that she felt were precious, were simply leftovers from other people. She knew it was a very pessimistic way of looking at it, but she couldn't help it. Her life as an incessant worry-wart only strengthened these kinds of feelings without her consent, and she found it difficult to steer away from them.

Except for one thing. She knew the feeling she has, directed at the blue-haired girl that declared herself a blade, was her own. It was the one thing that was truly hers, belonged to her, and would remain hers forever.

And that is why she would do nothing. She was content in having, in relishing in that feeling. She knew that if anything in that dynamic change, that feeling might also change. That what she holds precious might once again... slip through her fingers.

She couldn't allow that. There was no way she could allow that.

Maria leaned her head against the pod, appreciating the cool feeling coming off the glass. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander. She had a few things to say to the girl. It was best to keep her updated on what's been going on.

"Hey Tsubasa," she said, her eyes still closed. "I don't know if you can hear me, but a lot has been going on lately. I thought you'd want to know."

No response came from the unconscious idol within.

She didn't expect any. Well, as they say, the best way to confront your problems is to talk about them.

"Well, after you blacked out, things went south very quickly..."

-!-

Elfnein had completely lost track of time and for good reason. Doing maintenance on the relics was always a long process, even if it was a simple one. The four users had handed them over to her for the checkup after the battle, Saint-Germain's Spellcaster included. The gun-shaped trinket stood out among the simple pendants.

It almost made her forget that one of these pendants was not like the others. Her face fell as she realized that in place of the Gungnir, now rested the Shenshoujing. A Gear that should not have seen the light of day was now going to become a part, and if she was not wrong, the very center of their force.

The divine spear was gone, replaced by a simple ancient mirror.

Yet that mirror did not reflect despair and evil like the last time it was used. No, this time it reflected hope, and strength, and camaraderie. This time, it would be truly used for the sake of the world.

At least, that's what she hoped.

She had finished her work on the Gears and the Spellcaster earlier in the day, freeing up her time to study the pitch-black arm that rested within the glass container before her. It was a nasty thing to look at, but Elfnein knew exactly what she expected of it. The minds of alchemists work very similarly in their approach to the world, so it was no surprise that she came to the same hypothesis Adam did.

He just didn't have the skills nor the limbs to do anything about it.

Various readings popped up on her terminal as she prodded, turned over, and chipped away at the arm. She was slightly afraid it might come to life all of a sudden and jump out at her from the container, but so far it seemed dormant.

Well, might as well take advantage of that.

She took out a very small piece of the darkness with her tweezers, somehow surprised it was not breaking apart or turning into smoke by the slightest touch. She placed it carefully onto the scale, measuring its weight. To her surprise, it was heavier than expected for such a tiny piece. Over 500 grams for a piece as small as a diamond on a ring. That was quite peculiar.

Several beeps came from her terminal as the computer scanned the piece. The homunculus went over to it to see the results.

And her face beamed as she read them.

"This-this is it!"

It seemed fate shone a light on them after all.

She pressed the comm button, connecting her to Genjuro's terminal.

"Genjuro-san!" She exclaimed in happiness. "Great success!"


	12. Chapter 12: The Abyss

_The full moon shone above, its light illuminating the room. _

_It was a quiet, mysterious night, one that gave Miku goosebumps for reasons she could not understand. Today, just like many days before, she was alone in her bed, seeking the warmth that she had gotten used to. But the source of it was missing, gone to whatever place it had been sent to. A place she did not know and did not know if it would come back from._

_Those were the feelings she had kept secret, hidden underneath layers of confidence and trust. She couldn't help it. It was natural for her to worry, to wonder when and if that warmth would ever return again._

_But she was used to it by now. Today, just like many days before, she would fall asleep, and wake up to see the warmth beside her, then rouse it, telling it they are going to be late if they don't wake up._

_That was the usual yet unnatural routine that had been introduced into their lives._

_Seeing that nothing was going to change this time, MIku closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep._

_Until the door clicked open, and the familiar sound of footsteps began to ring through the room._

_Miku's heart raced, facing the wall. It was an infrequent occurrence that she would still be awake when the warmth came back, and now she was excited. Ecstatic even. There was no way she was going to sleep now._

_She could hear her heartbeat in her ears as the steps led into the room proper, only to stop by the ladder that led to the upper bunk. Then, the sound changed as it began to climb, and Miku had to fight her desire to turn around and greet it. It wouldn't do to make the warmth worry, so she had to pretend she was asleep until it too succumbed to Morpheus' embrace._

_Eventually, she heard the sound of climbing stop... and then she could feel the gaze on her back. She swallowed, half nervous half excited now, waiting to see if it noticed she was awake—_

"_Miku."_

_Instantly all of her thought processes seized at hearing the warmth call her name. She could feel her body burn up and her cheeks flush just from hearing it call her name in such a soft, gentle manner. Like a warm embrace that held her tight, like she was being carried by a shining knight._

"_You're awake, right Miku?" it asked._

_Ah, it seems she was noticed after all. She turned around, and her eyes fell upon those warm, gentle orbs. __**Not an alien, shining emerald, **__but a deep amber that she found herself drowning in every time she laid her own eyes upon them. Oh just looking at those eyes entranced her completely, her body paralyzed just by their presence._

"_Yes," she answered, her mind floating._

_The warmth smiled. It rose all the way up into the bed and lay on its side, one arm supporting its head as it looked at her fondly. _

"_I'm sorry I made you worry, Miku. But it's alright now. I'm here. I'm not leaving your side again," it said, and Miku could feel her heart skip a beat at its declaration. Oh, why was it able to capture her heart so, to make it soar just with its words? It was not fair. How could it make her love it so much she couldn't stand it._

_But the warmth had a name. A name she could never bring herself to forget._

"_Hibiki..." She uttered, still fixated on those amber orbs. _

_Hibiki's smile grew, and in a single, swift motion, placed her arms around Miku and drew her into a tight embrace._

_The girl felt as if she could die on the spot, not believing her fantasies were coming true. To be held like this by the one she loved was happiness beyond description, one that could not be conveyed with simple words. Her body felt like it was on fire, and she was sure Hibiki would notice. It was as if they were affected by a magic spell, falling into a trance of serene quiet and affection._

_An eternity passed, and Miku could feel her mind swim in clear, warm waters that engulfed her completely. Her head was pressed to Hibiki's chest, and with her ear against her ribcage, she could hear her warmth's heartbeat as one with her own. Half excited, half nervous._

_And then she drew a sharp intake of breath as a warm hand slithered underneath her clothes, tenderly rising and lowering over her bare back. Her mind was filled with colors and warmth she could not explain, and as the hand continued going back and forth, she rubbed her legs together, feeling a very undignified hotness gathering between them._

_No, that was naughty. She couldn't let that happen now. She had dreamt and imagined such a scenario in the past, but to experience it, in reality, was simply out of this world._

"_Oh, Hibiki..." She sighed, her voice coming out in a manner she only heard whenever she was on her own. A voice unheard by anyone else, and one she wanted only one person to hear._

_Hibiki's hand continued exploring her, causing her back to arch involuntarily as she felt herself succumbing to the colors. Her eyes closed, letting her desires drive her forward. _

"_Take me..."_

_Her face was now up against Hibiki's own, and she could feel it coming closer with every moment. First, she felt their foreheads press together, and her own breathing quickened in anticipation and impatience. _

_Slowly, Hibiki moved her head down, and Miku felt a hot breath on her nose. _

_It was so close. Was she teasing her? That was just mean. She couldn't take it a second more._

_Then, finally, she could feel their breaths mingle, their lips barely an inch from each other. Hibiki came in closer, their bottom lips touchin—_

_A black hole erupted in the very center of the room, bringing with it a storm of chaos and ruin. Instantly Miku was jolted awake, watching in horror as the contents of their shared home were tossed about in every direction in the raging winds that it had brought with it. _

_Hibiki was with her back to the tear in reality, and Miku stared her straight in the eyes, fear creeping up into her being every second. The chestnut-haired girl did not turn around to face the storm. She only kept on gazing back at her with a smile on her face as if she was disregarding the destruction happening behind her back. _

_Miku's confused and worried look did not phase her in the slightest, and her smile only widened._

_And then a horrifying scream got caught in her throat. She watched with wide and frightened eyes as Hibiki was slowly being torn apart by the severe gravitational forces of the black hole behind her. _

_First, her skin was peeled off of her frame, revealing the muscles beneath. _

_Her smile did not waver._

_Then, the muscles were ripped apart, and a sea of blood followed after them, leaving behind nothing but a shining white skeleton._

_**Her smile did not waver.**_

_And finally, the last vestiges of Hibiki were drawn into the black hole, disappearing into an endless abyss. It grew in size and strength, and the entire world around her shook and quaked. _

_There was nowhere for her to run. There was only staying exactly where she was and await the end that comes._

_The black hole grew and intensified with each second that passed until its sheer size began to consume even the bed she still lay in. She backed up against the wall as much as she could, but there was no escaping it. She tried to close her eyes but found that they wouldn't, refusing to obey her commands in order to avoid seeing her own violent end._

_She could not move. She could not blink. __**She could not escape.**_

_Only one word left her lips before she was consumed._

"_Hibiki..."_

_And then, darkness._

-!-

Miku woke up panting, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.

She immediately threw off her blanket, tilted her head towards the ground and...

Proceeded to empty the contents of her stomach.

The digested remains of yesterday's dinner gushed out of her mouth in a waterfall. Tears and snot joined in on the flow, and both her throat and stomach burned as she continued to puke uncontrollably. Her mind and body felt as heavy as iron, and just trying to breath felt like an impossible task.

She didn't know just how long she had been vomiting, but eventually to her relief it stopped, leaving a nasty mess on the floor next to her bed. Was blood mixed in there as well? She didn't know. Her mind was so muddled and swirling she didn't know the difference between it and the tomato sauce. She took hackneyed breaths, letting out painful coughs in between. Her mouth tasted like bile and ground beef, a combination only worse than the smell of blue cheese in her opinion.

'_When was the last time this happened?' _She asked herself, unable to recall if there was ever such a circumstance. Maybe when she started getting her periods and she was unused to it, and the pain was so overwhelming she couldn't handle it. But that was a long time ago, and by now it went almost unnoticed.

She recalled the dream that led to this in vivid detail. The first part of it, the part she usually liked, was nothing new to her. Those dreams came to her sometimes, and at first, they embarrassed her greatly. She couldn't look at Hibiki's face the entire morning after, eliciting a confused reaction from her roommate. In time she got used to it and realized she should just let it happen.

The second part, however, was new. Never before had a black hole suddenly appeared in her dreams and swallowed everything up in its darkness. Just the sight of Hibiki being torn to shreds was enough to—

She quickly put a hand over her mouth as she felt the bile rise again, desperately trying to push it back. Realizing she couldn't hold it in, she removed her hand and once again puked. Once it was over, she took deep breaths, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. Everything hurt and everything was not okay, and that terrified her.

_*KNOCK KNOCK*_

"_Miku-san? It's Shirabe. Is everything okay?"_

Miku slowly turned her head towards the door upon hearing Shirabe's voice. "_I came to see if everything is alright. Can I come in?" _The underclassmen asked, her voice muffled slightly by the steel door.

Miku didn't want to let her in. She didn't want her to see her in such a miserable state, barely five minutes after it happened. The nasty stench of stomach acid crept up her nose, and she realized the entire room probably stank of it as well. But she couldn't bring herself to talk. Just breathing was difficult, so forming words was nothing short of impossible.

A silent minute passed, and Shirabe once again spoke up, "_Miku-san, I'm coming in."_

There was a sound of a click, and the door slid open.

"Please pardon me for my intrusion—Miku-san?!"

The twin-tailed girl immediately ran to Miku upon seeing the vomit on the floor, carefully avoiding the mess. "Miku-san, are you alright?! Are you feeling sick?!" Shirabe asked worriedly.

'_Damn,' _Miku thought. So much for not letting her in. "I'm... fine," she said weakly. "I just... sorry for the mess. I'll get right on cleaning it up."

Shirabe shook her head forcefully. She wanted to ask a few more questions but knew that Miku would not appreciate it right now. "No, don't worry about it. I'll take care of it. You should go clean yourself up, okay? Maybe take a shower. It might make you feel better."

Miku opened her mouth to argue but realized there was no argument to make. She sighed in defeat. "Okay...I will. But I don't have a change of clothes here."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of that too. You just take care of yourself, alright?" Shirabe said, almost begging. "Please."

Miku's eyes widened for a moment. She hung her head and carefully left the bed as to not step on any of the mess. She reached the door and looked behind her to Shirabe, who already went to the closest closet to retrieve some cleaning equipment.

There was no reason for her to stay any longer. She should just do as her underclassman said. She has been unwell for a few days now, both physically and mentally. The first step towards cleaning your mind was first cleaning your body, she recalled.

With a click, the door slid open and Miku stepped outside, leaving Shirabe alone in the room. She felt her stomach still churn painfully because of earlier, and it was making walking a bit more difficult. She looked left and right, vaguely recalling where the showers were. She's only ever used them once before, so her memory was kind of blurry.

And so, she began the trek that felt endless. Completely alone in the early morning hallways, the cool ambiance of the submarine's steel felt suffocating. It did not help her already feeling weak and tired, and halfway through her walk she had to put a hand on the wall for support. A simple, less than a minute walk became akin to climbing a mountain. She was supposed to be the epitome of endurance and stamina, having had track and field experience for years. She used to be independent, caring nothing but for her own victory, seeing everyone else as rivals for her glory. Others did not matter in the least, and neither did their feelings.

And then Hibiki showed her that even though she, who had more reason to be angry, bitter, and sad than anyone else, still worked tirelessly to help others. Nothing Miku ever went through could compare to what Hibiki had suffered, and yet she could somehow still keep her head up and could still care about others. From then on, Miku changed her mindset. How ironic that Hibiki, the one who needed more support than anyone else, would end up the one who would cause the previously fiercely competitive Miku to start caring for others.

Such a change in herself would never have happened had Hibiki not changed herself. The aftermath of the disastrous Zwei Wing concert was something she could never forget. She vividly remembered hearing about it while on the road to visit her aunt, and how her heart sank when Hibiki did not answer her phone. How they turned back and headed to Hibiki's home, and together with her family went to the hospital. She could never forget her own grief and horrified expression upon seeing the barely-alive Hibiki lying on the hospital bed unconscious. Of seeing her chest still bandaged from the surgery done to remove the metal pieces that were lodged within it. Of how the doctors said they could not remove the ones in her heart because of how dangerous it was.

Yes, that was the moment everything changed. Their lives as they led them were over and were taken over by a bleak reality they did not want and could not face. People she once called friends turned their backs on her, society itself ostracized her, and even her own father abandoned her.

After all that, it was only logical that Hibiki would be the weak one.

Yet, she wasn't. In fact, she grew even stronger than ever, and Miku had never seen so much life in her eyes. Ever since Hibiki had taken up the Symphogear, she smiled and laughed like never before.

And no matter how much Miku hated the Symphogear for taking her away, she could not deny her the happiness that had been stolen from her for two long years.

'_Why am I thinking about this now?' _She wondered to herself. Was she so weak she was becoming delirious? Did she throw up her sanity along with the food? No, she had to stay focused on what's ahead. Hibiki wouldn't let such a thing stop her, so she shouldn't either.

MIku swallowed and pushed as much strength as she could to her legs. She's just going to take a shower, nothing more than that. It's a very simple thing to do.

Somehow her legs had taken her all the way while she was lost in thought, and soon enough the girl found herself right where she wanted to be. She entered the girl's showers and threw her clothes off, not even bothering to put them in the basket. She entered the showers proper and turned on the water, shivering slightly as the cold stream washed over her. She coughed a bit more, allowing the last chunks of the puke to trickle down to the floor and be washed away, along with the dirt and dust and blood that coated her whole being.

Shirabe wasn't kidding when she said she'll feel better once she cleaned herself up. Just watching the swirling mix of foreign materials disappear into the drain was soothing in more ways than one. Her body felt lighter already, and she could finally stand up straight, raising her head towards the showerhead above.

She closed her eyes and allowed the water to flow over her, letting her mind wander once more. She needed to be focused, and not become a crumbling mess again. She didn't like being pitied, even if she knew that the others were doing their best to support and comfort her during these trying times.

But no matter what she did, her mind always led back to one thing: Hibiki. It was difficult not to think about her. It was difficult not to feel the pain she must be going through at the moment, even if she didn't know to what extent. She imagined it was as if Hibiki was held down by thousands of shadowy figures, all screaming and begging and cursing for salvation, for vengeance, for _death. _To have their grudges fulfilled, and to lay waste to the world by the hand of their hatred.

And she imagined how their endless cursing started affecting Hibiki herself, slowly becoming part of that faceless shadowy mass. Just thinking about it made her heart clench tightly, and she leaned forward, putting her hands on the wall and her head downcast. It wasn't supposed to be like this... all of this... it shouldn't have... and the concert...

Miku began to reminisce of past times. Of the days before that fateful day, and everything leading up to it. But more particularly, everything that had happened right after it.

And the time the secret feeling in her heart blossomed, and how she had dealt with it. In retrospect, she realized that even before the concert, something was bubbling underneath the surface. A glance here and a glance there in Hibiki's direction, thinking about her more than usual.

Yeah, the foundation was already there. She wasn't even sure of _when _it started. It just... started to happen. A slow, unexplainable process that picked up gas soon after the concert, and from then on bloomed completely. When she was taking care of Hibiki, she began to realize something was happening there. It wasn't because she looked pitiful, and it wasn't because she looked like she was about to cry and break.

It was because the moment she started to pick herself up and regain her confidence, she became incredibly _beautiful. _Like a shining diamond that had withstood the pressure of the earth to finally gain its shape and luster. It was brittle, yet it was so dazzling, and at that moment Miku knew exactly what had occurred.

She had fallen in love with Hibiki.

And it was the biggest challenge she ever faced in her life.

Miku became an existence that was so wracked with worry she was sure she would go bald by the time she was thirty, just like her grandfather. Be it from Hibiki's frustrating stubbornness and forgetfulness, or her initial attempts to hide her new occupation.

But she did not regret even a single minute of it. Every day was such a dream, and the warmth Hibiki brought with her was so addicting she could never have enough of it. She felt privileged to be the person who knows Hibiki the most, and the one she went to sleep with every night. She was there for her always, through thick and thin. Hibiki had always spoken so warmly about how she loved saving and helping others, and Miku had always cracked a smile at her enthusiasm.

And then out of nowhere she suddenly declares her intention to cleanse the world of the sinful, and go on and on about how she will get revenge on everyone who has ever harmed her. And what was the reason for that change? A bunch of hatreds and curses of people from a long time ago. Curses and grudges that are no longer relevant in the present world.

_That _was what took Hibiki from her? A whole bunch of restless spirits who just cannot let go of the past?

'_What a load of bull,' _she said to herself, clenching her hands and her teeth tightly. There was absolutely no way she could let this continue.

But what could she do? She was powerless. Her words no longer held any weight, and Hibiki was not just going to stop everything and come back. She made that abundantly clear yesterday.

She was going to have to bring her back by force.

But how?

Miku suddenly jumped and lost her focus when she heard the sound of rushing water start to her right. She raised her head to see long, cascading silver hair fluttering down, water rushing through it. A tall, lithe figure stood with her head raised upwards, her eyes closed, appreciating the warm water.

"St. Germain-san?" Miku said, baffled by the alchemist's sudden appearance.

The former enemy opened her eyes and looked to her. "Kohinata Miku. I apologize for surprising you," she said, having noticed Miku's shock.

Miku's cheeks reddened slightly in response, and she waved her hands in front of her. "N-no, it's fine! I was just... lost in thought. I didn't expect anyone else to come in this early. And you can call me Miku if you want. It's easier, I think."

"I see. I shall do so," she replied. "I do not mean to pry, but I would like to ask what is it that so enraptured your mind?"

The question caught Miku off guard, leaving her momentarily silent. Saint-Germain had just recently been cleared and released from the medical room, and thus was probably still injured. Miku studied the woman's body with her eyes, catching sight of several faded scars running along her sides and her back, along with a few fresher ones. She was curious as to what caused the older ones but brushed it off when she realized she was staring. She turned back to the wall, thinking about what Saint-Germain asked. "It's just... everything that happened recently. It's all so... overwhelming."

"I can understand," the alchemist said. "From what I gathered, you are the one who is closest to her, are you not?"

MIku answered her with a simple nod of her head. "In that case, let me ask you one thing," she added, making Miku turn back to her. "What do you intend to do now?"

The alchemist presented another question that left speechless and cause the gears in her head to whirl once again. "I think... I think I need to go back home first and... get some of my things. I... don't think I can stay there now that the school is in ruins."

"I see. And after that?"

"After that... I don't know. I don't know what it is I should do, or what it is I can do. Everything seems to be so... so much bigger than me, and even though I want to do _something, _I can't. It's frustrating." Miku said, grabbing her own arm tightly.

"I see," the alchemist said. "In that case, let me just say one thing that you should always remember:"

Miku looked up at her curiously, and she continued. "Always remember that you are fighting for the sake of reclaiming your happiness. Do not fight out of vengeance or hatred. Fight in order to take back what is rightfully yours. It would be prudent of you to remember that."

The girl narrowed her eyes at the alchemist, not understanding where that came from. But, she knew that there was truth to her words, as little relevancy they had to her. "Alright... I'll remember."

"Good," Saint-Germain answered. "Now I have another question for you: when do you plan to head back home?"

And Miku was once again taken aback. '_I should really get a grip.' _

"Ah, I was thinking maybe after the shower. I figured I should go there as soon as possible," she answered.

"I see. In that case, would you mind if I joined you?" The alchemist asked in an even voice. It was a simple question, nothing more than that. "There is something that interests me that I would like to see."

"A-Ah," Miku mumbled. "I guess... that would be okay."

"If it bothers you then I—"

"No, it's fine," Miku said quickly. "It's fine. You can come. I think it will be better if I have an escort, I guess. In case... something happens."

She let the rest of the sentence go unsaid. No need for more heartache and suffering this morning.

The two of them then finally went back to what they came here to do in the first place: shower. Miku rinsed herself off, having let the water soak her for a little too long. There was only generic shampoo to use, but that was fine. She wasn't that picky anyway.

Five minutes later, Miku finished her shower. It was the fastest she had ever done so, maybe because she had spent much longer than she planned in the shower thinking and speaking with Saint-Germain. The alchemist, interestingly, finished her own showering right after her despite her waterfall of a hair. Miku could never understand how people with long hair had the patience to deal with it every time in the shower and making sure it stayed clean every day. That was the reason she kept it short, and probably why Hibiki did also. The two of them were just too impatient to spend hours on just cleaning hair.

Heading back to the clothes room, Miku was surprised to see that her discarded clothes were no longer on the floor, but rather folded up neatly in the laundry basket next to the door. What's more, there was now a basket with a pile of fresh clothes she had not seen before. She reached out and took it, and she tilted her head in confusion when she noticed it was a S.O.N.G uniform. Why would anyone give her such a thing?

It was then she noticed the small folded paper resting on top of the pile. She took it and unfolded it and began reading.

'_These were the only clean clothes I could find for you. These belong to Hibiki-san. I'm sorry, Miku-san if it was not my place to give these to you. Shirabe."_

Oh.

'_That explains a lot,' _Miku realized. These belonged to her. And it was the only thing Shirabe had to give her. She didn't like the way she had presented it, as if it was a sort of memento. Hibiki was not dying, so why present it like that. It almost made her not want to wear it.

But still...It was the only clothes she could give her, and Miku wasn't going to walk around naked if she could help it.

She sighed, and Saint-Germain raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Miku dressed herself, getting exactly what she expected from the uniform: it was too big for her. While Hibiki and her were similar heights, the exact same if she remembered correctly, Hibiki was still the bustier of the two. She never held any real envy for those with a bigger bust, so it didn't bother her. She knew it was because Hibiki just ate more and so more went there, and she always loved her flustered expressions when she teased her about it. She was also more muscular than her, and all in all was more in shape due to all of the training and fighting she did, while Miku stopped running in track and field, focusing more on piano lately.

When she finally put on the uniform, she had to tighten the accompanying belt more so neither the pants nor the shirt would be too loose and just fall off. She looked in the mirror once she was done, and she had to admit it was strange, seeing herself dressed like this. She almost felt like she was really a part of S.O.N.G in this, but knew she wasn't. This was Hibiki's, not hers.

'_It also smells like her,'_ she noticed. It was the scent of a generic brand detergent, yet for some reason, she associated it with Hibiki since she sometimes came home smelling like it.

It was maddening. She was surrounded by things that Hibiki was more used to, yet now she was the one neck-deep in all this business.

"Are you ready now?" Saint-Germain asked, having dressed herself with alchemy in the meantime. Miku looked to her in surprise, then her face flushed in embarrassment at having been caught daydreaming.

"Ah, yes, sorry. We can go now," Miku answered. Looking down at the uniform she was wearing one last time, Miku and Saint-Germain both headed out.

-!-

After informing the appropriate parties of their departure and taking anything else she needed, for now, both Miku and Saint-Germain left the submarine. Miku was surprised to find that the very same driver that had brought her to and from the school twice now was once again at the ready. She thanked him for his help, learned his name was Motoyasu, and she also formally introduced herself, Saint-Germain following suit.

The drive back to the school was... strange, to say the least. Miku was in the company of someone who was originally an enemy, and a strange one to boot. Saint-Germain was a silent presence, always strictly business. Miku could appreciate that, having been used to the liveliness and antics that being with Hibiki always brought. Someone with a level head was always nice to hang around in case things became too hectic. At school, Tsubasa had served that role until she graduated, and as much Chris wanted to serve it as well, it didn't quite pan out with Hibiki glomping her at every opportunity.

There was something that interested her. "Um, St. Germain-san, may I ask a question?"

"You may," the alchemist answered swiftly.

Miku rubbed her neck. "Um, I was wondering, how did you heal so fast after what happened yesterday? I remember you were in really bad shape and had to be rushed to get treatment. I kind of wanted to know how you are up and about so quickly."

The silver-haired woman looked out the window as she answered, watching the moving scenery. "Healing alchemy. It's a bit too complicated to explain, but it has been what has been allowing me to live for so long, as well as allow me to survive such debilitating injuries. When you get hurt and injured so often and suffer wounds regular people immediately expire from, you realize some way to regenerate and heal your broken body quickly is a valuable asset. The only drawback is that it requires absolute focus, something you don't usually have on the battlefield, so I took the opportunity to treat myself while in the medical room."

Miku nodded in understanding, kind of fascinated by her explanation. "In case you were wondering, I, unfortunately, cannot teach it to you. It would take too long to perfect and under our current circumstances it would be counterproductive."

Her eyes widened and her cheeks reddened again. "Ah! That wasn't... that's not what I meant. I was just... curious," Miku responded, looking out her own window. She was just a bit interested to see if such a thing was possible, but if Saint-Germain said it wouldn't be a good idea, then it probably wasn't. She was the one with experience after all.

The rest of the ride continued in silence, and before long the duo reached the school grounds. It was almost strange, Miku noticed. She was here just yesterday, but the difference was astounding. Rather than a multitude of students walking and talking and smiling, it was now filled to the brim with suit-wearing agents and construction workers, all surveying the damage and making calls and whatnot.

Just that fact confirmed to Miku that yesterday was not a dream or a figment of her imagination. The battle yesterday really did happen, and the biggest casualty was the building, rather than any living person.

She thanked the driver once more, and the two exited the vehicle.

Only to have a familiar person walk up to them.

"Miku-san," Ogawa Shinji said. "It's nice to see you again."

"Ogawa-san! It's nice to see you too. I thought you were in London," she answered, truly happy to see him. He had saved her once in the past, and he tended to serve as a fairly reasonable figure from what she understood. She never _really _had any long interaction with him, but Hibiki always shared what was going on so she knew more or less the state of affairs.

"Yes, I just got back yesterday. The commander called me over after explaining what happened," he said. His expression then became solemn. "I offer you my condolences, Miku-san."

Miku found herself flustered by his words. It seemed that anyone who heard of the incident came straight to her first. She doubted even Hibiki's family knew what happened, even if her father had been involved in the incident with Carol. From what Hibiki had told her, S.O.N.G explained everything to him and he accepted it with a proud smile.

Her heart clenched again. How could she ever face Hibiki's family and tell them what has happened? It would be far too heartbreaking. No, she had to get her back before that. There is no way she could let them know.

"Thank you, Ogawa-san," she simply said.

The man rose back again and smiled. Rather than continue, he turned to the taller woman by her side. "You must be St. Germain-san. I'm Ogawa Shinji, direct subordinate to Commander Kazanari Genjuro. I've heard you'll be working with us from now on," he said formally, holding out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance."

'_So he must be the descendant of the ninjas. A reliable ally,' _the alchemist thought to herself. Following the courtesy, she accepted his handshake. "The pleasure is mine."

Ogawa nodded his head in acknowledgment, then released her hand. He turned to Miku once again. "I assume you are here to get some of your things, correct? Then allow me to escort you. Even with the uniform you are wearing right now—" he began, having noticed what Miku was wearing. He was quite curious as to what was the reason but figured it was because she had nothing else. "—they might not let you in without proper clearance. No one is sure yet as to the stability of the building, so we have to be careful."

Miku looked to Saint-Germain for a moment, who met her gaze evenly. "I see, thank you Ogawa-san. Please lead the way."

Ogawa smiled. "Well then, follow me."

-!-

The trek through the building didn't take very long. Miku was surprised to see so many parts of the building so ruined, owing to the fact that she didn't see it happen with her own eyes. Only Saint-Germain really knew what had occurred inside the building, and so far she had remained silent, simply studying her surroundings and possibly recalling certain events or locations from her final fight with Hibiki. She hasn't talked about it once since yesterday, but Miku figured no one really wanted to remember how badly they were beaten by an opponent despite their best efforts.

'_I wonder if I ever made anyone else feel this way.'_

Soon enough, the trio reached the door to her room. Surprisingly, it wasn't bashed in or broken into pieces like the other doors along the hallway. When she peered through one, she could see just how much damage the room itself had incurred, and she was slightly afraid that her own had suffered the same fate. She gave the handle an experimental tug, and to her surprise, the door opened with the need to unlock it.

As soon as it opened, she froze in place. The room, including everything in it...

Was completely untouched and in one piece.

"She pushed me out of here almost instantly," Saint-Germain suddenly said, walking around Miku to enter the room proper. "She did not even give me time to respond or do anything else. She grabbed me by my head and threw me out. That's why the opposite wall has an indentation in it."

Ah, so that was the reason. Miku noticed that but figured it was just another random broken piece of a wall. "I do not understand the reason as to why she did that," the alchemist continued. Ogawa also walked around Miku to enter the room, heading to the kitchen. "Every moment we fought she gave the impression that she couldn't care less about this place anymore, so why...?"

She walked further into the room, leaving Miku alone stunned in the doorway. Hibiki had... actively protected the room? "No, I presume the answer is obvious," the alchemist added and said nothing more.

Miku walked in as well, truly confirming with her eyes that absolutely nothing was out of place. The room had stayed exactly as she left it the last time she was here. It was so surreal compared to the other rooms she saw that were wrecked and broken. This room had truly remained the only undamaged part of the school.

"Miku-san," Ogawa said. "I see you have some ingredients left in the fridge, so if you'd like I'll make us some lunch. Is that alright with you?"

"Ah, yes, that is fine. Thank you."

He smiled. "You're welcome. Please take your time."

And so she did.

The entire room went quiet as Miku packed up her belongings into a large, cyan suitcase. Maria was the one who recommended she prepare for an extended stay in S.O.N.G headquarters, partially because going back to the school every time could be dangerous.

And partially because nobody wanted Hibiki to once again appear and involve bystanders in her rampage. Miku found it a bit odd that despite all of the hate she harbored, Hibiki really...didn't do much. She had kept on facing the same opponents every time and thankfully did not involve anyone else in her vendetta. Other than the poor soldiers who were killed in her initial appearance, no one else was hurt.

But Miku knew it was only a matter of time. Just a matter of time until Hibiki would lose herself completely and go on a killing spree, just like Adam had said.

She had to prevent that from happening. There was no way she was going to let Hibiki become a murderer. She would not let her sins continue to pile on and for her regrets to tear away at her further.

Lunch had come and gone in a flash. Ogawa's food turned out to be delicious, despite the age of the ingredients, and the three of them ate in a strange yet comfortable silence. Miku never could have imagined that she would ever find herself eating with these two, especially in the room she shared with Hibiki.

A pang of guilt ran through her. Once again she had brought someone who was not her into the home without her knowledge. Once again, the feeling that she was betraying her gnawed at her heart, but she forced it down as soon as they finished eating. Ogawa had then cleaned up the kitchenware and informed them he would be back later to pick them up and return to headquarters. Once he left, only the two women remained, and Saint-Germain went back to standing in front of the large window and stare outside to the city, watching as the sun slowly lowered on the horizon.

Miku didn't really know what was Saint-Germain's true purpose in joining her. She said there was something that interested her but never elaborated on what it was. She was curious but did not want to pry into the alchemist's personal affairs, so she continued packing up her things in silence.

That was when she looked to the bunk bed, or more specifically, the floor under it. Thoughts of the box and Hibiki's reaction to her knowing about it raced back into her mind. It was the first major extreme reaction she had seen from Hibiki in recent times, and she was determined to find out why that happened. It was so personal for Hibiki she kept it a secret from absolutely everyone, even herself.

Maria's words about the room and the box's role in it also surfaced, and despite her earlier agreement with the elder's thoughts, she now began to question them. In her eyes, now at least, the box was nothing but a burden. It was because of it that Hibiki had a harder time letting go of the past, making it much easier for the curses to affect her, just like those restless spirits she had imagined.

Miku wasn't sure what she should do with the box, but anything was better than leaving it in the room. She was almost afraid it would start staining it as well. Resolved, the girl reached below the beds and took the box out from its hiding place, putting it inside her almost completely full suitcase.

"Why is she so contradictory?" Saint-Germain said completely out of nowhere, still staring out the window at the city bathed into the light afternoon glow. Miku rose from the floor to stare at her back, listening to her. "She said she will give all of this up, yet still fiercely protected it when she felt it was being invaded. No, the bigger question is how could she even consider giving this up in the first place?"

The alchemist turned to Miku, who had her eyes wide at the sudden liveliness the woman was showing. "I will repeat what I said to her to you, as her significant other. This place, this room, stands more than just a place for you and her to call home. No, this room stands as a beacon, as a wish, and as a desire that humanity shares. Such warmth can only be found in truly unique circumstances, and even I am not exempt from understanding that. It is something I truly wish I had and had I had it in life, I would not be the person I am today. I would be someone much different and perhaps... much happier. Only a place like this can make you feel so welcome and free of any burden. Yet, she claimed that she would throw it all away, that she would sacrifice it as another stepping stone in her path to creating a better world... better humanity."

She turned back to the window, watching as evening began to set slowly. Had they really spent so much time here? How peculiar. The alchemist let out a sigh. "Humanity, huh? That's a big word. A far bigger word than any of us can comprehend. Just like the sea of stars above, it is far too large for a single person to grasp. I suppose that is why my path was always meant to end in failure, for I too am much too small to be able to save everything. And she too will not be able to, no matter what kind of power she obtains or what kind of wish she has. A single person... cannot save everything and everyone. I suppose that is why I am envious of you. You do not look to the stars, nor do you look to the world at large. No, the only thing you look for... is the simple and small share of happiness... that belongs to you. And that is why I know you, above all others... will be able to grant your wish."

Miku's mouth gaped at Saint-Germain's confession. That's right, she had believed so as well. One person cannot be there to make everyone happy, which is why they should focus on what's close and important to them.

But...

"I don't understand," Miku said. "Why you also... think I'll be able to do something. I don't have any power, nor can I give anything to make things right, so why?"

"You'll know in time," Saint-Germain answered. "I won't say anything more for now, just that when the time comes... be ready."

Miku stared at her back incredulously, confused as to what she meant.

And then the door opened of its own accord, and Ogawa walked into the room, a serious expression etched on his face. "Sorry to barge in like this Miku-san, but we have to go."

Both alchemist and student turned to him with narrowed eyes. "Ogawa-san, what happened?"

He closed his eyes momentarily. "Hibiki-san has reappeared."

A sense of dread and foreboding fell upon the room, and Miku could feel her pulse quicken with every second she thought about it. She swallowed hard. "W-where?"

Ogawa let out a heavy breath as he answered. "The ruins of Kadingir."

Miku's breath got caught in her throat, and she turned her head to stare at the now concerned face the alchemist was wearing.

And briefly wondered... if this was what she meant.

-!-

_(Play: Midnight Interval - Fate/Stay Night OST)_

"Someone shut off this alarm!" Fujitaka yelled over the noise and blaring red lights in the bridge of S.O.N.G headquarters.

A crew member worked earnestly to fulfill his superior's orders. Genjuro sat with his arms crossed and his brows furrowed, looking ahead at the data pouring in on the main screen. "I want everything! Record and archive all the data you find! Abarai! Take note of the Aufwachen signal! Tomosato! Bring me some visual, any visual! I want to see what she's doing at all times! We won't let her catch us off guard if we can help it!"

Throwing orders around like a madman, the commander was restless. The worst-case scenario took place once again, and Hibiki has shown up while their fighting force was more or less completely incapacitated. However, this time something was odd, as she appeared in a place that nobody had expected.

Adam narrowed his eyes as the crew member next to him, apparently called Abarai, brought up all the data he could record about the Aufwachen signal, letting Adam study it in depth as much as possible. Now having obtained the last piece of the puzzle, Adam began to draw his conclusions.

Tomosato worked tirelessly, sweat dripping down her brows as she tried to connect to the mostly inoperational security cameras installed within the ruins. "Any time now, Tomosato!" Genjuro bellowed.

"I'm trying!" She answered. "But it's giving me a—"

A sudden ting from her console confirmed she had in fact succeeded. "Alright, got it!"

"On screen, now!"

Doing as she was told, Tomosato hurriedly brought the visuals to the main screen so everyone could see just as the four still conscious Symphogear wielders ran into the bridge.

"You're just in time," Genjuro said over his shoulder. "Be ready for anything."

They nodded as one, and Chris swallowed. The screen before them lit up, showing a black and white image of the insides of the corridor that led to the main tower that made up the bulk of Kadingir, indicating there was a complete lack of light inside.

But that did not bother Hibiki, who walked through the halls of the abandoned relic tower without a care in the world. She could see everything clearly with her enhanced eyes as if a light was permanently cast on wherever she looked. Had she been her normal self, she would be completely blind in this darkness.

Everyone on the bridge followed her slow movements carefully, waiting for any sign of a change in attitude or action. Every signal she gave out was closely monitored, the numbers crunching up and appearing automatically on their consoles. They all held their breath, as if afraid she'd notice their presence through the cameras.

Luckily, it seemed she didn't.

They watched as Hibiki continued her stride, stopping for absolutely nothing. A wall of rubble stood in her way, but just with her approach, it was blown away like leaves on the wind, leaving nothing behind. Tomosato gulped, and once Hibiki disappeared from the current camera's view, she switched to the next one and they continued to watch closely.

Unbeknownst to them Hibiki did, in fact, know they were watching. The cameras weren't exactly subtle in the way the lenses within expanded and contracted as they focused on her as she walked, but she paid them no heed. It's not like they could stop her even if they tried. She knew that the wielders were injured and in no way could challenge her.

As she was right now, she was invincible. Absolutely no one on the planet could match her, meaning she had free rein wherever she wanted to go.

Finally, she reached the main chamber. A small amount of light flooded through its broken ceiling, giving her a nice view of the sky. The high tower that had made up the elevator of the original S.O.N.G headquarters somehow remained standing to this day after Fine was defeated. However, it was left as nothing more than abandoned wreckage whose purpose was lost along with its creator. Still, she had thought that she could find what she was looking for here, but it looked like she was mistaken.

"Hmm, I guess it was a longshot to think it was here," she said, looking up at the darkening sky. "I guess there is only one other place it could be. Oh well."

And the entirety of the bridge watched as she launched herself upwards, her dark wings flapping behind her. She streaked across the air, rising and rising more with each second, going as fast as a rocket.

"Hurry! Get us some visual on the outside! Use the satellite if you have to!" Genjuro ordered. Tomosato worked quickly, doing all she can to make sure they could still follow Hibiki's movements.

The screen flashed for a moment, and they watched from above the Earth through the eyes of their satellite as Hibiki broke through the stratosphere, heading higher than any human should possibly be able to on their own. The temperature dropped rapidly as she ascended, but in her current form, she did not feel it even a little bit. Hibiki rose, and slowly the shine of the blue sky disappeared from her vision, leaving nothing but the vast expanse of space and the twinkling of the stars.

After about a minute of ascending, Hibiki finally stopped, floating above the blue marble known as the Earth for the third time in her life. She looked down at the planet with a small smile on her face, then began to look around, left and right, seeking something that remained unseen for the members on the bridge.

"What... is she doing?" Chris asked with her eyes wide. "What... what is she looking for?"

Genjuro grumbled. "We don't know," he answered. "Fujitaka! Link up to the rest of our satellites! Scan the entirety of Earth's orbit and try to see if you can locate whatever it is she is looking for!"

"Roger!" The man answered, and began to work in earnest to accomplish his mission.

Instantly numbers began to flow in from every corner, the feedback from the command he gave to the satellites already in motion. They continued to watch as Hibiki slowly hovered, her head turning in all directions.

"Hmmm... where was it again? It was above an ocean... I think?" She said to herself, going unheard by headquarters. Even with the naked eye, they tried to see through the camera's lens anything that could look like an object that might catch her attention.

Unluckily for them, however, what she was looking for... was not as corporeal as that.

After about ten minutes of seemingly aimless searching, Hibiki finally stopped at a certain spot above the world. She looked down and smiled, having finally found what she was looking for. Instantly Genjuro was already giving out orders to everyone to scan everything in her vision, wanting to make sure they did not miss anything in their initial scans.

And then everything stopped when Hibiki thrust both of her hands forward into thin air and...

Began to pull something apart.

There was a collective gasp from the Symphogear wielders as Hibiki's face scrunched up in effort as she continued her earlier action. It seemed like she was trying to tear through an invisible screen with her bare hands. They watched in shock and awe as the space her hands touched began to shimmer and expand, a translucent barrier appearing before her. She poured more power into her arms, and the hole continued to expand under her strength.

The alarms began to blare again, and instantly Tomosato was upon it.

But then her breath got caught in her throat as she saw a signal... that they haven't seen in a very long time.

"What is it, Tomosato?!" Genjuro asked loudly.

"Commander! It's... no, that's not possible! This is a Noise signal!" She answered.

He raised an eyebrow in question. "But this is nothing new to us."

"This is not Alca-Noise!" She said in horror. "This... belongs to the regular ones!"

"What?!"

Maria looked up stupefied. "No... there is no way," she began to say, causing everyone else to turn to look at her. "There is absolutely no way. The Noise can't reach this world anymore without Solomon's Cane. Not only that, there should be none left! When the Nephilim exploded it should have taken every other Noise down with it! If any survived then..."

She gasped audibly. "She's breaking into the Treasury of Babylon!"

Many, many more gasps rose from the various crew members on the bridge at her insinuation. If what she was saying was true, then it presented a much bigger problem than they could ever hope to solve.

Hibiki was intent... on bringing back the Noise!

"We have to stop her!" Genjuro bellowed. "Fujitaka! Arm the satellite and turn it on her! We have to stop her at all costs!"

"It can't be done, Commander! She's too far out of range for a clear shot!"

Genjuro slammed his hand onto his console. "Is there nothing we can do?!"

There was indeed nothing they could do.

They were forced to continue watching as Hibiki tore open the entrance to the Treasury with her bare hands, a feat that should have been impossible. Ever so slowly the hole enlarged enough until she could pass through it, and she smiled at her handiwork. Throwing one final glance towards the camera on the satellite, Hibiki charged into the hole, and immediately the entrance sealed behind her, dissipating into nothingness.

And the members of S.O.N.G were left gaping at the sight, contemplating their fate.


	13. Chapter 13: Fire with Fire

Miku opened her eyes, staring at the silver ceiling she thought she was used to by now.

A whole week had passed since Hibiki disappeared into the Treasury of Babylon. She did not appear once since then, keeping the entirety of S.O.N.G, as well as the rest of the world on edge. She wasn't sure how much other countries knew, but Maria did tell her that sometimes Genjuro disappeared for hours at a time, only to come out exhausted and sighing. Probably meetings without end he had to deal with and trying to explain exactly what was going on.

Yes, a full week. A week full of nothing but worry and tension that bore down on everyone. There were some rumors that Hibiki might have locked herself inside the Treasury with no way out, but Chris was quick to remind them that if she managed to force her way in, she could most definitely force her way out. And that it could happen anywhere and at any time.

It didn't help to make the situation any better, but it's always better to be safe than sorry.

She rose, putting her feet down on the metallic floor. Shirabe had indeed cleaned the mess just like she promised, and Miku spent no small amount of time thanking her for her help. Shirabe just responded with a smile and said: '_We are all friends here. We need to look out for each other, especially now.'_

That sat well with Miku, who really began to appreciate the helping hands from everyone, including the submarine's staff. Rising to her feet, Miku headed to the closet, taking out some clothes to wear and dressed herself. Unlike in her room, she couldn't walk around in her pajamas freely. It wasn't a written rule, but seeing as it was a co-ed base, it might be a better idea to dress a little more normally.

She took the keycard she was provided from her nightstand and left the room, heading to the cafeteria to have breakfast. Seeing as she could not cook for herself here, she made do with eating the food they were providing.

It was a shame she couldn't enjoy the first meal she had here a week ago due to her depression. She managed to avoid any more sorrowful episodes since making her resolution, much to Maria's surprise. The elder confessed that she thought that Miku would be having a much harder time, and felt a bit remorseful for doubting her so. Miku simply responded with a heartfelt thanks for her worry, which cheered up the Airgetlam user.

It was amazing how much they all connected due to the circumstances. Other than Kirika, Shirabe, and Chris, who she went to school with, Miku did not have too much of a relationship with Maria, and neither with Tsubasa now that she graduated.

All in all, Miku managed to find a grasp on a measure of happiness. She had allies, friends, and comrades who shared her desires and vowed to help her in all of her endeavors. But she doubted her role in the bigger picture here. A week had passed and nothing of note had happened except the wielders finally having recovered enough. They had used this downtime to train as much as they could in the simulator, to varying degrees of success.

The one thing they had to wait for was for the briefing that was scheduled for later today, at Elfnein's insistence. She had claimed that she had something important to announce and required all of the wielders, including Saint-Germain to attend. Strangely enough, Miku had also been invited to this briefing even though she was not a wielder. She initially wanted to remind them of that but knew that if Elfnein of all people asked for her to come, then it was better to see what it was all about with her own eyes.

Other than that, the days have been fairly peaceful. A sort of halcyon days in tumultuous times, something that everyone agreed was appreciated. An opportunity to unwind slightly, to finally catch their breath and to be able to sit quietly and comfortably on what they know and what they should do.

A minute later, Miku reached the cafeteria, finding it as lively as the days before. Various staff members sat in their usual group, chatting about inane things that Miku never bothered to listen to. She headed to the empty line, grabbing a tray and cutlery. Once in line, she met the head chef's smile with one of her own. "Good morning, Ma'am," she said.

"Oh my, good morning Miku-chan. How are you today?" The lunch lady asked in her usual amiable tone.

"I'm better, thank you. It's all thanks to your help," Miku answered humbly, bowing her head slightly.

The lady laughed. "You are always so polite Miku-chan," she said, causing the girl's cheek to redden slightly in embarrassment. "You can be a little more relaxed here. We're all friends here as you know."

Miku rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Yes, I know. It's a force of habit."

"Oh, I understand. Anyway, make sure to eat well, okay?" The lady said, placing a very humble portion of this morning's meal, scrambled eggs, into Miku's plate. "I know things have been tense lately, but do try to keep your spirits up. Everything will get better, I promise."

Miku nodded her head, giving one last smile to the chef. From what she understood, by now everyone on board knew exactly what sort of situation they found themselves in. Of how one of their own was now the enemy, sending waves of shock through the regular staff. It was then that Miku discovered that Hibiki made herself quite popular with them, especially the kitchen staff because of her appreciation for food and almost insatiable appetite. For them to find out that she became an enemy that wanted to destroy the world was nothing short of a blow to the heart, for all of them.

It was then that Miku also discovered that somehow she herself had somewhat of a reputation among them, as the 'sunshine that Tachibana-san would go on about for hours at a time'. It was a very embarrassing moment for the girl, considering she didn't know them all that well. It was weird seeing as all of them had been exposed and knew of her actions during the whole Frontier incident, yet none of them judged her for it or even brought it up. They all simply gave her their own words of sympathy and motivation.

She found it extremely heartwarming and thanked them for their kindness.

It surprised her to find out that S.O.N.G, despite its government connections, ended up being something akin to a small community, with all the regular drama and gossip that goes around in one. Seeing as the entire Section was pretty much built around the six Symphogear users, they ended up being extremely popular with the general staff.

It warmed her heart to know that Hibiki was so appreciated by so many people, especially after what she went through. That fact only ignited Miku's resolve further, as she truly wanted to remind her that there were many, many people who liked her and wanted to be friends with her. It was entirely possible she didn't notice, didn't know, or simply didn't care, but Miku wanted her to know nonetheless.

Now just to find a way to hammer it into her skull. That was the real challenge.

Miku looked around the cafeteria, hoping to find somewhere to sit. It was then her eyes fell upon a familiar figure, one whose back she had seen plenty of times already.

"Motoyasu-san," she said, walking up to him. The older man smiled up at her from his seat. "May I join you?"

"Ah, yes of course Kohinata-san," he answered. She smiled, and placed her tray down across from him and took a seat. "I see you are alone this morning."

Miku took a bite of the eggs. "Yes. They said they had some training to do, and right after that, there is a briefing that we all must attend. I still don't really understand where I fit into this equation."

Motoyasu took a bite of his food, chewing slowly. "Well, you said it yourself two days ago that it would be better to find out for yourself rather than just not attend. They have been keeping it under wraps for a while now, so not one of us really knows exactly what is going on. I guess once the briefing ends, they'll let us in on it as well, as usual."

Miku poked a cherry tomato with her fork. "I know, but still..."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much right now. It's important, but there is no use wracking your brain over it. Jumping to wild conclusions won't do you any good," he said.

Miku cringed internally. Yeah, jumping to wild conclusions. How she wished Hibiki would understand that already.

"Yeah... I know..."

The man smiled again, realizing that it would be better to drop the subject for now. He should strike up a conversation about something that she would appreciate far more. And he had the perfect idea.

"Oh, by the way, Kohinata-san," he said, causing Miku to look at him. "We've all been wondering, but how exactly did you meet Tachibana-san?"

Her eyes widened, surprised by his sudden question. Memories of her childhood surfaced, and she found herself smiling and blushing lightly. "Well," she began. "It's kind of a long story..."

-!-

"Ow ow ow ow ow!" Kirika exclaimed as the hot shower stream washed over her and her newly acquired bruises.

"Kiri-chan, please settle down," Shirabe told her, joining her in the showers. The four Symphogear wielders, as well as Saint-Germain, had just finished a very intense training exercise, one that caught them all by surprise. They managed to defeat all of the spawned enemies, but that did not make it any better.

"But it hurts Shirabe! He could have at least told us it was coming!" Kirika complained, nursing her wounds. There wasn't anything life-threatening or even anything that was bleeding, but the blue patches over her skin were really, really annoying.

"It was part of the surprise," Maria said upon walking into the showers as well. Once their training had finished, they realized all of them reeked from sweat. It wouldn't do to go to the briefing smelling like a rotten sock, so they all agreed to go take a shower first. "I have to admit it was quite a challenge even for a simulation. If we want to get better, we need to make sure we complete it without being hurt in the process."

"After all, that's what training is for," Chris added as she walked in as well. Four of the six of the available showerheads were now occupied by the Symphogear wielders as they washed away the grime, sweat, and dirt off their bodies.

"All this dirt is annoying too! Can't Elfnein add something to the Gears that can get rid of that as well?!" Kirika said loudly. Shirabe facepalmed at her childish suggestion.

But Chris grinned. "Of course, why doesn't she make them so they can make us some coffee too?"

Maria found Chris' answer hilarious, and she involuntarily let out an amused chuckle. As the four of them chatted amongst themselves, the door to the showers slid open again, and Saint-Germain quietly joined in as well, taking the spot to Chris' left.

The first to acknowledge her entry was Kirika. "Let's see what St. Germain-san has to say!" She said. The alchemist remained unmoving as she cleaned herself off. "What did you think about the training?" Kirika asked her.

"It was challenging," she answered. "But not all that unpleasant."

Kirika found her response surprising somehow. "Wha—!"

"See Kirika, even she agrees," Maria said to her younger, causing the blonde girl to pout to herself, eliciting a laugh from Chris and Maria. Shirabe patted her back gently.

As the girls continued talking, Saint-Germain at some point drowned them out as her mind wandered. She remembered the girl as the one who had teamed up with Hibiki to defeat her that fateful night, pulling off a Unison combination that knocked her to the ground. She remembered her courage as she stood against Adam's blast all on her own, pumping herself full of LiNKER and tanking the blast by using her Superb Song. She remembered that the girl very nearly died from the endeavor as well.

It was strange to suddenly have her be friendly with her. No, it was strange to be friendly with all of them. A week ago she had agreed to work with S.O.N.G to rescue Hibiki, but she never quite imagined it looking like this, taking showers with them and cracking jokes.

Saint-Germain was never one for jokes. She led her life from peril to peril, risking everything to make sure she could accomplish her goals. Nothing about that path was amusing or funny in her eyes.

Well, she wasn't one to judge. She hasn't smiled or laughed in centuries.

But there was something else that occupied her mind. When she went back to the mansion which they used as their base to gather everything she needed, she made a very startling discovery...

-!-

_Four days ago, September 18th._

_Saint-Germain reappeared in the mansion's courtyard, having set it as the waypoint for her teleportation crystals. She made sure to make one that will bring her back to her room in S.O.N.G headquarters, giving her leeway in the time it would take to gather her things._

_The mansion was quiet. Dead quiet. No one other than the five of them had lived in it and considering three were dead and the other was a decapitated head in her now-allies' headquarters, it made sense that no one would come by this place again._

_She made the way back to her room on the eastern wing, checking to see if anything along the way had been touched while she was gone. She wasn't surprised to find out nothing was different, considering that following Prelati's death, they had already begun the ceremony to bring down the divine power and as a result never returned to the mansion. She was glad the two circular wounds she suffered on her back were already gone. She did not want the Symphogear wielders to see them._

_After a few minutes walk, she finally reached her room and headed inside. As expected, untouched. She briefly compared it to Kohinata Miku's room in her mind and found it to be extremely lacking. Maybe it was because she never spent that much time here, but in the end, it felt like a hotel room rather than a home._

_Well, last time she had a home her mother died in it, so she'd rather not experience that again._

_Saint-Germain never had that much, to begin with. She could synthesize clothes for herself almost instantly, only using this place to sleep and to research. All of her notes regarding their Faust Robes were here including other projects she had worked on over the centuries, along with classified documents from various governments. Those she should probably burn, seeing as it wouldn't be a good idea to hand them over to S.O.N.G._

_However, that reminded her of something else. Prelati had stated she was working on a new Lapis, and the last time she had seen it was before Cagliostro's death._

_Perhaps she should investigate that as well._

_She quickly packed up everything she needed into her satchel and headed towards the underground, where Prelati had worked on the Lapis. It was a secret that only the three of them shared, and it was something even Adam Weishaupt was not allowed to know. She entered Prelati's room, briefly glancing to the glasses of milk and wine on the small table sitting in the middle of the room. She made her way around and touched a very specific book on the shelf, causing a section of the wall before her to shimmer and disappear._

_She headed down towards the darkness, and the stairway lit up on its own as she descended. Prelati made sure to line the entryway with various traps if anyone other than the three of them attempted to breach this place, so of course, once she entered none of them would activate._

_She eventually reached the bottom and headed into the research room..._

_And froze._

_The Lapis, the red gem that should have been brimming with power in the very heart of the room..._

_Was gone._

_Automatically various scenarios ran in the alchemist's head, each one more unlikely than the last. Adam could not have possibly found it, as the rest of the traps that lined this room would have triggered as well. Seeing as the mansion was still standing, no one other than the three of them could have possibly taken it. _

_But that was impossible. Prelati and Cagliostro were dead. Maybe Hibiki somehow found it? Ridiculous, she didn't even know this mansion existed._

_Then who could possibly...?_

_She studied the apparatus where the Lapis had been, seeing absolutely nothing wrong with it. No, it was as if someone simply took it and left, and she had no idea who it was._

_She spent over an hour checking out the room carefully, and nothing about it seemed to indicate anything was wrong. This was far too peculiar to her liking. Everything lately was, which put her on edge. She hated being in the dark about things, considering she was used to being behind the scenes. Many times in the past had manipulated nations from the shadows and knew many leaders, some of which she helped topple. Even now she knew more than the wielders about the situation._

_So why was there a mystery she couldn't solve right in front of her eyes?_

_No, it wouldn't do to dwell on it now. In fact, Saint-Germain decided to take a much more extreme approach. Seeing as no one would ever use this mansion again, and seeing as there were far too many things in it that shouldn't be known in the world..._

_Then it was better to erase it from existence and bury everything inside it forever._

_With a newfound resolve, the alchemist chanted a spell, and instantly the entire room caught on fire. She stood in the middle of it, unphased by the flames, and headed back up to the surface. Once in Prelati's room, she chanted the same spell again, and it too began to burn bright. She repeated the process in several of the rooms, making sure enough of the mansion was burning. She would let the flames take care of the rest on their own._

_She went back to her room and stood on the balcony. She took a final glance at the room, making sure she did not forget anything important behind, and then lit it on fire as well. This was the point of no return._

_Her eyes narrowed, Saint-Germain smashed her teleportation crystal against the floor and was whisked back to S.O.N.G headquarters._

_And the mansion once used by the Pavarian Illuminati burned to the ground, leaving nothing behind._

-!-

"Sa... Main!" A voice called.

The alchemist blinked.

"St. Germain-san!" Kirika called out to her.

The older woman looked down to the Ig-Alima user. "Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

She blinked once more, surprised by Kirika's worry. "Yes, I am. Why do you ask?"

"You seemed to be a bit sad just now," the younger girl said. The alchemist raised her head and realized the other three were staring at her as well with varying degrees of concerned expressions on their faces. "Are you okay?"

Saint-Germain sighed, raising her head back to the showerhead, letting the water flow down her figure. "It's nothing," she answered. "Nothing you need to worry about. Just a few things on my mind, that is all."

She could tell the girl wouldn't buy it, but she truly did not want her to pry.

It seemed Kirika understood her intentions, to her surprise. "Okay...if you say so. I'll trust that you're fine."

The alchemist turned off the water, having had enough of the shower for now. "I'll be heading out first," she said. "Make sure you aren't late for the briefing."

Kirika saluted her comically, making the silver-haired woman huff as she left the showers, the door closing behind her.

Kirika lowered her hand and looked back to her comrades. "Do you think she's okay?" She asked.

Maria stared at the door evenly. "I don't know, but at least she answered us. It took a while to get her to open up to us even a bit. I'd say now was a step in the right direction."

"I still can't believe we're working with the people who were our enemies," Chris commented, crossing her arms.

"You could say that applies to all of us," Shirabe said. "Hibiki-san gave us all a chance, so I want to give St. Germain-san one as well. If she took Hibiki-san's hand, then I know she will be a great ally. Hibiki-san hasn't been wrong about that yet."

"She really does know how to win people over," Chris said as she washed her hair with shampoo. "That's why we can't stop. We have to bring her back no matter what. I can't sit still knowing the person who saved me is suffering."

"I agree, and we can start by getting to the briefing on time," Maria said as she turned off the water in her own shower. "We have maybe twenty minutes. We should hurry."

"Right."

-!-

"St. Germain-san," Miku said upon seeing the alchemist next by the door to the bridge. For some reason, it had an A4 paper taped to it that said '_No entry'_, puzzling the woman. "Good morning. How was your training?"

"Kohinata Miku," Saint-Germain said, acknowledging her. "It was satisfactory. It provided a challenge that we were required to improvise to surpass."

Miku pouted cutely. "I told you that you can just call me Miku. You don't need to use my full name every time," she said, then smiled. "Really? What was the challenge?"

Saint-Germain saw no point in hiding this fact from her, considering what she knew... the girl might have to undertake it as well at some point if the situation proceeded the way they planned. "The simulation first pitted us against the Noise as usual, but then to our surprise, it also included several of those black beasts that we faced in the school."

Miku's eyes narrowed slightly, then widened as wide as dinner plates when she realized what the alchemist was referring to.

They had to... fight the copies of Hibiki? In the simulation? Have they already gotten to that point? It wasn't like she hadn't thought about it. Hibiki did tell her sometimes about the training she underwent and how the commander tended to surprise them with a few missions during them to spice things up. With the way things were going, it was just logical that they would have to gain some experience fighting against them.

But it didn't sit well with Miku. She didn't like how it only further demonized Hibiki in their eyes. She knew they'd never actually look at her that way, but Miku was convinced of one thing for sure that she wouldn't budge from.

Hibiki is not the enemy.

So they shouldn't treat her like one.

"Ah... I see..." She let out, then went quiet.

The two stood by each other in awkward silence, not willing to say anything more. Saint-Germain did not quite understand why but figured she might have said something out of place. To her credit, she wasn't one for socializing.

Friends came and went as the years passed, and quite frankly she never cared about having them. She did, however, find the girl to be a reasonable person to speak with, figuring as she was the one most used to the others' antics and had a fairly level head on her shoulders.

People like that are hard to come by, especially when it comes to anything dealing with relics and world-ending catastrophes.

The sound of many footsteps signaled the arrival of the Adaptors. The two raised their heads as they watched them come down the hallway in their casual clothes. Miku smiled in their direction. "Good morning everyone. How was training?"

Chris was the first to approach. "Hey, morning. And it was fine I guess? Kind of hard but we managed to beat it in the end."

"Yeah, we were really surprised! But we are the strongest after all! There is no challenge we can't beat!" Kirika added happily.

Miku kept smiling. She could see in their expressions that they weren't talking specifics, probably trying to hide exactly what the challenge was. She knew that they were doing so for her sake... but still.

It seemed however that Saint-Germain noticed their reluctance to speak as well, and decided to comment on it. "I have already told her the details," she said, causing Kirika's face to fall and Maria shoot her a glare. "There is no point in hiding that now. Awareness is a key factor in forming a strategy and claiming victory. Withholding information because of sentimentality is a meaningless effort."

Chris wanted to argue, but she glanced to Maria, remembering what she told her a week ago and held her tongue. "The briefing is about to start," the alchemist added. "Mentally prepare yourselves for what you are about to hear."

Shirabe tilted her head in confusion. "Why? Do you know what it's going to be about?"

"I know enough. The reason I'm not telling you now is that you will be given all of this information in an orderly fashion in just a few minutes," the alchemist answered, leaving no place to argue with her. They had to admit...she was methodical.

Maria mumbled something about lack of delicacy under her breath. Right then, the door to the bridge opened. "Ah, good morning everyone," Elfnein said from the doorway. "Please come inside."

They nodded and followed after her silently. The bridge looked the same as always, except this time there was a table and chairs for everyone to sit on and get comfortable, something that was quite unusual in their eyes. There was even a pitcher of water and some glasses for them.

"Hey old man, what's with all the secrecy?" Chris asked as Genjuro got up from his seat to greet them. "You're making us all nervous."

"I know, sorry about that Chris-kun," he said. "But we had to make sure there were no information leaks. We can't have you all jump to conclusions without hearing the whole story."

Miku cringed again. How many times has she heard that this morning?

Chris didn't buy his explanation but didn't say anything more. "Alright, if you say so I guess."

He smiled and gestured to the chairs. "Take a seat, we have a lot to go over."

Heeding his words, the four Symphogear wielders, Miku, and Saint-Germain sat down and looked ahead to the large screen on the bridge. Genjuro stood at the head of the table, his arms crossed. The door to the bridge closed, locking them in.

-!-

A mysteriously heavy atmosphere fell on them as they caught Genjuro's serious expression. Elfnein came to stand by his side, placing Adam's head on the table in front of them. He was strangely quiet, something that made Saint-Germain curious. It was as if he was lost in thought.

"First, I'd like to say good morning to all of you," he began. "I know I caught you by surprise with the exercise today, but it had a purpose as you all know. I will go over this purpose today with you, so please sit tight. If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask."

Shirabe noticed that the bridge was surprisingly empty today. None of the usual crew members were down by their consoles save for Tomosato and Fujitaka.

"The first thing we'll do today is a recap. We will go over what we know so far," Genjuro stated. Images of over a week ago appeared on the screen, displaying the cocoon that Hibiki had originally been trapped in.

"As you all know, in the late-night hours of September 11th at around 11:30 PM, Hibiki-kun was engulfed by the divine power that was brought down to Earth by Adam Weishaupt's efforts," he said, making sure to lay the blame on the one truly responsible. Adam did not heed him. "After Hibiki-kun destroyed the original vessel meant to hold it, the divine power then went to her and formed this cocoon around her, trapping her inside."

Miku remembered that night vividly. She felt no joy at the fact that her prediction came true. Whenever cocoons were involved, whatever was inside would not be in its original form when it came out. "She remained in this state for roughly two days until 11 PM on September 13th."

The screen flashed again, this time showing a model of something they have not seen before. It had a feminine human shape, and its whole body grey and red. For those who had seen Tiki's form as the Divine Weapon noticed the similarities between them. "Our original calculations stated that Hibiki-kun would emerge from the cocoon in this form. We predicted she would have no control over her actions and would be essentially asleep within this giant you see on the screen; we originally believed that the god-slaying power of Gungnir would prevent the divine power from fusing with her directly. Our original plan involved arresting her movements and then injecting her with large amounts of Anti-LiNKER to separate the divine power from her. Once she was vulnerable, Miku-kun would call out to her, freeing her once and for all from it."

The girl would have blushed if there were a place and time for it, but right now she knew it was not. The screen changed again, showing the very first images they got of what Hibiki truly looked like when she emerged. "However, an unknown factor changed the outcome in a way we could not have foreseen. Rather than forming a shape around her, the divine power had indeed fused with her, eliciting a reaction from the god-slaying power of the Gear. What we did not know at the time was that that power found its origin in curses from two millennia ago; these curses overflowed from the Gear and influenced Hibiki-kun herself, bringing her to the state you are now familiar with. In this state, she manifested an Armed Gear as well as incredible amounts of power, bearing them down on all of us."

More images from that night appeared on the screen, showing exactly what he was talking about. "At around 2 AM on September 14th, after defeating me, Hibiki-kun disappeared for roughly seven hours. She reappeared in the courtyard of Lydian Academy of Music where her form changed further and engaged Maria-kun in battle."

The relevant slides appeared on the screen. "Even when Maria-kun eventually received reinforcements, Hibiki-kun was shown to be capable of holding back four Ignited Symphogears as well as a Faust Robe all by herself. Later, she showed the ability to create shadow copies of herself, codenamed 'black beasts'. After a battle that lasted roughly two hours, Hibiki-kun once again emerged victorious, only to retreat when Miku-kun presented her with an ultimatum. The next day, September 15th at around 7 PM Hibiki-kun reappeared in the ruins of Kadingir, only then to ascend to low Earth orbit and to tear her way into the Treasury of Babylon, where she supposedly remains until today, September 22nd. Does anyone have any questions about the timeline of events?"

Not one of them offered a response, and Genjuro nodded. "Good. Now, we will go over what we know of her power and abilities."

A scanned image of Hibiki from before and after the change appeared on the screen. "The Symphogear itself showed many signs of change to its shape and function, becoming far more durable and powerful than ever before. It seems that also due to this change, Hibiki-kun is not able to remove the Symphogear, or is not willing to."

A list appeared next to the scans. "In regards to what she can do, she has so far displayed the ability of: unaided flight, short-range teleportation, tearing through space, creation of black beasts, and access to sealed off dimensions. We can predict that all of these abilities can and will evolve further and that she will be able to develop even more."

The scans disappeared to show more images of Hibiki from various angles, specifically from the fight in Lydian. "In terms of her mental state, she has displayed extreme amounts of paranoia and has been shown to change moods erratically, bordering on bipolarism. She has also shown great animosity towards the world and to her allies, having no restraint in using her newfound power, bordering on sadism. We can assume that the reason she acts this way is due to the influence of the curses, twisting her mind to have her act on whatever grudges and resentments she had kept hidden under the surface."

Miku did not like where the explanation was going. Everything he described felt wrong on so many levels it began to make her physically uncomfortable. Talking about Hibiki's mental state was also a sore spot for her. If he noticed, he didn't comment on it.

"As a result, she is extremely volatile and prone to bouts of emotional outbursts. The only person she has not raised her hand against so far is Miku-kun; whether or not this is temporary is anyone's guess at this point. These outbursts also further cause deterioration of her mental state, creating a vicious cycle of her becoming more and more unhinged. As to what her goal is, she claimed that she wishes to cleanse the world of the sinful and bring about the world of understanding she desires by force, rather than benevolently as we are used to her doing. Again, whether or not the Lunar Ruins are a part of this scenario is also unknown."

He waited for the information to settle in their minds before continuing. Unbeknownst to Miku, he had noticed her discomfort with this topic, and his heart went out to her. However, she would have to deal with it for now. The wielders needed to know everything they can before they can engage Hibiki in battle again.

"Her usage of the Treasury of Babylon can be inferred to be for one of two scenarios: either she is going to simply open it up and let the Noise pour out again, or establish it as her main base. Either of these two scenarios is detrimental to us, considering we do not have Solomon's Cane to seal back the holes. We must be vigilant and see where this leads. Does anyone have questions so far?"

No hands were raised and no voices cut in. He nodded. "Good, that is all for now about Hibiki-kun herself. Next, we will talk about the divine power and Gungnir. Adam Weishaupt, you're up."

Genjuro moved aside, forcing the girls' attention to the head on the table.

Adam began speaking, a serious expression on his face.

"As you all were fighting against your dear comrade out on the battlefield, I made the effort to take a very close look into something that puzzled me for a while now. See, these Aufwachen signals that your Gears have say quite a lot about their power and the current state of your abilities. As the Symphogear evolves and changes, so does the Aufwachen signal. Of course, in the usual circumstances, these changes are almost purely cosmetic and do not actually embody anything about the Gear itself," he said, then his tone became grim. "At least, that's in the usual circumstances."

Behind him on the large screen Gungnir's Aufwachen signal appeared. "As you can see, this is Gungnir's regular signal. You Adaptors are quite familiar with it by now I assume. Make sure to remember it well."

Right then, another signal appeared right next to the first, causing the wielders to gasp in shock. Miku put her hands over her mouth and Saint-Germain narrowed her eyes, all of them responding to the twisted shape they were seeing. "And this is the same signal right after she emerged from the cocoon. As you can see, it is quite different from the normal one. For your understanding, the black hole and veins represent the curses, and the blue veins the divine power. Make sure to note their number."

Another signal appeared next to it, showing more of the radical changes. Shirabe couldn't believe what she was seeing. "And this is the signal after her emotional outburst in the school's courtyard. The black hole grew in size, the black veins grew in number, and the blue veins decreased in number. Beneath all of that, the original signal is beginning to warp."

And finally, the final signal and the answer to Adam's original dilemma appeared on the screen. "And this is the signal from when she appeared in Kadingir's ruins. While the changes are not as extreme, they still occurred, showing the same patterns as the rest. Now, if you remember what I said, the blue veins are representations of divine power within the Symphogear. Now, you might be asking yourselves why exactly the divine power is disappearing?"

They wouldn't phrase his question like that, but now that he said it they noticed the difference. There was barely half of the original amount of blue veins in the final signal while the black veins had spread out like a disease. "The divine power, according to these signals, is disappearing from Tachibana Hibiki. Following that logic, what should have happened is that her power would decrease, eventually putting all of you back on an even playing level with her. However, the exact opposite occurred; she became stronger and displayed far more abilities than usual, something that makes very little sense in the long run."

With the four signal flashing behind him on the screen, Adam finally revealed what he found out. "This final signal sheds light on what is occurring: the curses are not eliminating the divine power. They are _corrupting _it. The god-slaying power is making use of the divine power to increase its own strength. Abilities that she should not have been able to use became available to her because she became able to understand them in an instant. It brought the divinity down to Earth and used it to become more powerful."

The grimness of his explanation dawned on them, and he could see the nervousness in the younger girls' eyes. Saint-Germain merely eyed her former leader carefully, attentively listening. He smirked at the irony of her finally obeying his words. "How is this possible, you may ask? To put things into perspective, imagine the divine power as a kitchen knife. In the hands of a chef, that knife can be used to create magnificent feasts that can satisfy the greatest of kings, and could also be used to feed the hungry. However, in the hands of a killer, it becomes nothing more than a murder weapon. It is important to remember that the divine power is nothing more than a tool and has no will of its own. It will become whatever its user wishes it to become. For Tachibana Hibiki, who had her mind twisted by the curses, it became a source of ever-increasing strength, dyed in the hellish emotions that were imprinted on the spear."

Maria cradled her head with her hand, and she could see a headache starting to develop. "To think such a thing was possible..."

"It is not only possible, but it is also getting worse. It is another factor of that vicious cycle your commander mentioned. Her emotional outbursts cause the curses to react, corrupting more of the divine power every moment. No, even without that it is happening. Make no mistake, the divine power she wields is _mighty_, and she has plenty of it to spare. If left unchecked, she will become so powerful that even destroying the planet will not be enough to kill her. In fact, it would be easier to say that should such a situation arise, she'll even do so herself. Everything will be gone and we'll have a godlike entity with endless hatred prowling the universe. Not a very pretty picture to imagine I'm quite sure. Although I guess by that point she'll lose her human form and become something akin to a cosmic horror."

Not a very pretty picture to imagine, he said? What an understatement. Miku imagined it and was incredibly horrified by just the thought. She could see it in her mind: Hibiki becoming a swirling cloud of black chaos floating through the stars, devouring everything in its path. A truly living black hole.

_**Just like in the dream.**_

The girl shuddered, hugging herself in an attempt to keep calm. Just listening to these grim explanations was taking a toll on her mind. As if noticing her distress, Kirika put her hand on her leg, sympathizing with her plight. She raised her head to look at her underclassman and noticed that she too seemed to be fearful of the possibility. Kirika nodded to her and turned back to Adam.

Adam seemed to be taking joy in causing them pain, even if it's just a mental one. "Of course, that is only the very worst-case scenario, and I quite imagine that you will not allow such an outcome. Now you might be wondering what exactly you can do in order to combat this monstrous transformation she is undergoing? Well, no one other than your friend the homunculus will be able to provide you with that answer. Although I can't gauge how much you'll like it."

On cue, Elfnein took her spot in front of the table and gulped. This was beginning to look a lot like what happened during the conflict with Carol. They are definitely not going to like what she has to say.

But there was no choice. It was do or die time.

"As Adam said, we have devised a method to bring you up to level and possibly counter Hibiki-san's divine power. We came up with it after we found a severed arm of a black beast in the school's track field, and analyzed it."

Behind her, a detailed image of one of the beasts lit up the screen. "The beasts are, at their core, made of three things: divine power, the curses, and blood. As you can see on the screen, the pulsing dark blue core in the center of their chests is essentially their heart: a cluster of divine power that allows them to move. Their outer layer, or what essentially would be the skin, was found to have the remains of red blood cells, possibly due to some remaining after their original layer molted away. Everything else, from their limbs and head, is composed of nothing more than god-slaying power, or curses as we identified them. While they seem to have no mind of their own, it does look like they retain some of Hibiki-san's memories, if what happened with Miku-san is any indication."

Everyone looked to Miku, and she shrunk under their gaze. "Y-yes. The one that I met responded when I called it by Hibiki's name, and it also saved me when part of the school came down right above me. It kind of felt like it... recognized me, in some way," she explained.

Elfnein nodded. "Yes, and that confirms one of our theories. But in the long run it doesn't matter nor does it help us. That information doesn't explain how we are supposed to stand against them if she can make them in such a large number, or how we can face Hibiki-san without losing outright."

The homunculus took a deep breath and prepared herself mentally. "This is my answer."

And the screen behind her flashed, displaying three words in a huge, stylized font.

'_**CURSED EDEN PROJECT'**_

"Cursed..." Chris began.

"Eden?" Kirika finished for her.

"Yes," Elfnein responded. "This name is the most representative of what this project will entail. This will be what will help us level the playing field against Hibiki-san."

A large, detailed scan of the black arm that they had recovered appeared on screen, and Elfnein clarified what she meant. "The process is simple: we will be inserting bits and pieces of the god-slaying power that makes up this arm directly into your Gears, giving you the upper hand against the divine power that both Hibiki-san and the beasts have in their core."

She looked to Chris, who last time had responded in fury to such an announcement. The Ichaival wielder noticed her gaze and narrowed her eyes, not at all pleased by what she was suggesting. "This will work by binding that power to Dainsleif, so it will not be active until you release the Module. When you do, your power will increase and you'll find that your strikes will be much more effective against anything with divinity in it."

And then came Chris' complaint. "What's the catch?"

Everyone looked to her, but she brushed it off. "Last time there was a very, _very _big catch. What is it this time?"

This was the part that Elfnein was not looking forward to explaining, but they had the right to know. "The Module's timer stays the same, so that downside doesn't change... but everything else does. You will be subjected to a very watered-down version of the curses Hibiki-san is experiencing. If you think that what Dainsleif originally did to you was bad enough... this time I can only describe it as nothing but pure hell. It will be very, _very _bad, but the payoff, if you succeed, will give you a tremendous boost in power. Conquer it, and you'll be stronger than ever. Fail... and you will truly become raging berserkers."

Elfnein's heart was beating a mile a minute. She finished her explanation, and now she was nervous by the fact that not one of them seemed to respond. They were all thinking, dwelling on the fact, trying to determine if it was worth it.

Kirika was the first to raise her voice. "Can we... can we really handle it?" She asked. "The way you described it makes it sound really scary. Can we really use something like that?"

Despite herself, Elfnein smiled. "I think you can," she said honestly. "I might have exaggerated a little bit, but I truly believe that if all of you managed to conquer Dainsleif then you'll be able to beat this as well. I have faith in all of you that you'll succeed. Not just because you already did in the past, but because I know your will is strong and that's you'll never let something like that take you over, not when there is so much at stake."

There was a short moment of silence after she finished speaking, the girls taking the time to think over the new information. Chris continued to glare, which unnerved the homunculus. However, instead of lashing out, she sighed. "Do we really have a choice?"

Elfnein was taken aback, not expecting such a calm response. "Ah...kind of, but not really."

"Yeah, as I expected," Chris said. "Alright, I guess we'll just have to do it, right?"

She sent looks over to her comrades, and all of them sported the same, half-defeated half-resolved expression.

"If this assists us in our endeavors, then I suppose there is no place to argue," Saint-Germain said.

Elfnein beamed and continued. "Before that, we are going to do some controlled tests in the simulator. I don't want to send you out to battle with it before you are ready. What we will do is release the new Module and have you conquer it there. If you succeed, you'll know how to do it every time. If you fail, we'll have enough firepower to knock you out and try again some other time. We'll do it one by one, not all at once. Is that okay with everyone?"

Everyone nodded sans Miku, who felt more out of place than before. She did pray for their success, but the fact that she was not part of it did not help her sympathize with what they are feeling. She never used the first Ignite Module; she only ever watched when Hibiki did it and was unnerved by what it was doing.

She had faith back then when Hibiki succeeded, so she'll have faith now.

"Very well then," Genjuro said as Elfnein moved aside to give him space. "We know our plan of action. We'll begin the first test tomorrow at noon. Is there anyone here... that would like to volunteer to go first?"

Before they could even begin thinking about it, Maria raised her arm. "I will."

The commander nodded. "Good. Remember everyone, tomorrow at noon sharp we start. Don't be late," he said. "Dismissed. Be sure to sleep well tonight."

And with that, the meeting was adjourned. The Symphogear wielders, tired from the difficult training and the loaded briefing, went out first; Maria needed every bit of rest she could take if she wanted to retain her sanity during the tests. She was expecting it to be extremely tough, and she was already wracked with nerves but held her head high.

There was a goal to be achieved, and she would not falter on the path to reaching it.

Following after them was Saint-Germain. She had nothing more to say, deciding to keep quiet as she thought about what had been revealed.

And what was not. Genjuro had deliberately kept a very crucial detail out of his explanation. He had said nothing about Miku's involvement in the bigger picture, choosing to keep it a secret from pretty much everyone. She briefly questioned the wisdom of doing so but remembered what his intention was: to approach her at the right time so the impact will be much greater.

It was a tactic she was more than familiar with: by deceiving your allies you deceive your enemies. The commander's seemingly cold-hearted tactics did not feel as heartless to her anymore; she could sympathize with him, understanding his own internal turmoil at having to resort to such tactics. This situation was hard on everyone, and someone had to keep a calm mind during it.

And Saint-Germain knew that out of everyone...that was not him.

She left the bridge, leaving Miku the only one remaining of the group. The girl had remained seated, her mind swirling with the new information they received. Everything looked so bleak and hopeless, and she felt so powerless. What was she supposed to—

"We'll save her, Miku-kun. You can count on that."

Instantly the fog in her mind cleared, and she looked up at the commander as he met her gaze. His expression was warm, yet as firm as a mountain. He looked filled with resolve, and she could see the fires burn in his eyes.

He had faith. Just like she did.

The girl answered him with a nod.

She wanted to ask more. She wanted to know what he thought about all of this. What he believed the outcome would be. She had so many things to say, things to ask, and had many words she wanted to hear from him.

And he answered all of that with a single sentence.

Hope blossomed in her chest, and for the first time in a while, a genuine smile crept up to her face. "Thank you," she simply said and followed the others out of the bridge.

'_Hibiki... please, wait for me. I'll do everything I can to bring you home. I'll do everything I can... to get back our happy days.'_

And that day, she made an oath. An oath she would stand by until the day she died.


	14. Chapter 14: To Hell and Back

**AN: The recommended OST here is really loud. Make sure to turn down your volume if you decide to play it.**

**-!-**

Being the resident scientist of the Section was a job Elfnein absolutely adored doing. Ever since she joined them during the Carol Incident, the homunculus had received countless amounts of support and motivation from her friends and coworkers. Even though she loathed herself for inadvertently being Carol's mole, they still wanted her help. Locking her away or chasing her out was completely out of the question for them. And so, ever thankful for their faith in her, she vowed to assist them with all her power.

And never before had she been so challenged by an ordeal. She sat in her lab, wearing protective clothes as she made the necessary additions to each of the girls' Symphogears. Usually, she would handle everything with her bare hands, but this time she decided to go the extra mile in safety, at Tomosato's insistence. The curses that made up the arm in front of her were no laughing matter; they might have been volatile as well. So she took extra care as she slowly chipped away at it bit by bit, taking powder sized fragments from it until she was satisfied by the results.

The last time she had made such radical and major alterations to the Gears was when she added the Ignite Module to them, and even then it was not nearly as nerve-wracking. It was a simple matter of grinding up the fragments of Dainsleif, do some simple alterations to the units, and then just add it in.

Now, she had to very, VERY carefully insert the powder she had obtained into the Gears, little by little. She had so many theories about what could happen if something went wrong; from the entire submarine exploding to the curses overflowing all over the place. She knew she was being paranoid, but when dealing with something so unknown and so ancient it was impossible not to worry. The work was also stifling inside of the suit, and sweat poured down her brows without end as she continued making the adjustments.

As usual, the first time was the hardest. With delicate movements she inserted the cursed dust she collected into a tube, leaving an opening large enough so minuscule amounts would be able to escape at any time. She then carefully picked up Airgetlam's pendant with tweezers rather than her own hand and placed it on the stand, briefly admiring the crimson glow it radiated due to the desk lamp.

Now came the scary part.

She picked up the tube, hovering it closely to the pendant. Using a magnifying glass, she looked closely as she gave the tube one shake, causing a tiny bit of the powder to fall upon the pendant. The cursed dust touched the gem, and she watched as it began to be absorbed into it, disappearing as if it wasn't there at all.

She swallowed. Ok, that was just a tiny bit. It was not enough to give the desired result; she already knew what it was she needed to happen. Only once the crystal glowed did it mean that the addition was a success. Any other result would mean it was not.

So far so good.

She gave the tube another shake, and more dust fell. She repeated the process each time, careful as to give measured additions to the crystal so she could see if there was some sort of limit. She continued, surprised by the amount it could contain. Shouldn't it have glowed by now? This was leaving her very nervous. Everyone was depending on her to succeed.

After a gut-wrenching five minutes of repeating the process, the crystal finally glowed, and she let out a sigh of relief. Now just to see how much she added. She placed the tube, along with whatever was left inside on a scale and wrote down the new weight. She had already measured the starting weight, and the difference was exactly what she added.

It was an impressive 150 grams, something she did not expect. She removed the pendant from its stand, this time with her hand, and relaxed when it gave no strange reaction to her touch. It did feel a bit heavier, but in the lab, it was more noticeable than when the wielders are wearing the pendants around their necks.

She put the completed Gear to the side and moved on to the next one: Ig-Alima.

An hour later, Elfnein leaned back in her seat from exhaustion, having finally finished the additions to all the Gears, Saint-Germain's Spellcaster and Shenshoujing included. She looked to the collection of gems on the table next to her and smiled briefly, however her smile turned upside down when her vision focused on the Gear containing the Mirror.

Genjuro had not yet approached Miku about this, and she was beginning to think he might be taking too long. Now that another factor had been added to the Gears, it was more than imperative that Miku also gets some experience with it. She had only ever used it once, and the entire time her mind had not exactly been her own.

No one knows how much she actually retained in terms of battle tactics or even the Gear's abilities, and not to mention that she had never used the Ignite Module before. Such a shock could overwhelm her if they did not allow her to prepare for it. She knew that Genjuro was going for maximum impact with the reveal, but this impact could not only affect Hibiki but their own comrades and even Miku herself.

At what point will it finally become too much?

However, she trusted him. She had to believe that everything he was doing was carefully planned, even though everything seemed bleak. His tone and seriousness during the briefing were almost completely out of character for him, and when that happens she knows that he is taking something very, very seriously. There was no way he wouldn't when essentially the lives of the entire world were on the line.

But this marked the moment where he had a very personal investment in the crisis. She did not know how involved he was during the conflict with Fine, but this time his own student was the threat. He had faced her and lost and had crafted a seemingly cold-hearted plan in order to get her back.

But using Miku was just not the right way. '_Miku-san is not a tool, Genjuro-san. Please, don't lose yourself.'_

She was worried about him. Ever since this incident began he was sleeping less, he did not allow himself to rest as he should, and she could see he was starting to become fatigued. He thought nobody would notice, but she did. He was running himself ragged with worry and care, completely forgetting to be human in the process. His decisions were becoming colder and more reckless, a sure sign that he was not himself throughout this whole ordeal. The very fact that he approved something as dangerous as the Cursed Eden Project was already proof enough; he was going for the methods that had the highest chance of success regardless of what the cost was, all for the sake of taking Hibiki back.

She had spoken with Tomosato about this during this week-long period of peace, and she told her the one thing that caused her heart to sink: that it was possible that Genjuro might be remembering his failure with Kanade, and now was hellbent on not having a repeat. It was a heartbreaking realization, and she wished she could do something to help him alleviate his sorrow.

But there was really nothing she could do except helping out as best she can and do everything possible to finally get Hibiki back.

For everyone's sake.

She pressed the comm button and hailed the bridge. "Genjuro-san... it's done. We can finally get started."

He hummed approvingly. "_Good, thank you Elfnein-kun. I'll tell them to come to the simulator right way."_

"Okay, I'll be right there," she answered, and hung up.

Elfnein let out a sigh.

There was no stopping this now.

She quickly checked the lab over, making sure that nothing was out of place and that everything was secure. It wouldn't do for the arm to be out in the open without any sort of quarantine.

She then took off the protective suit, putting it back in its place. Eyeing the pendants on the table momentarily, she took them one by one and placed them in the protective case she always had with her. She then gave the lab one final look over and headed out, going straight to the simulator room.

-!-

"Good, I see that everyone is here," Genjuro said inside of the simulator. They did not begin just yet as he first had to brief them on what they'll do. "We still have ten minutes so I'll be going over how this is going to be happening."

The four wielders, as well as Miku and Saint-Germain, stood before him in a line. The alchemist had her arms crossed as she listened. "As we agreed yesterday, Maria-kun will be the first to initiate the test. What will happen is that we'll start a simulation of the city, the one you're used to. Once inside, I'll give you the signal when to activate the Module. From then on, the real test will begin. We'll be analyzing everything about what is going on in the control room, making sure to isolate anything that might help overcome the curses much easier. In case of failure, the rest of the wielders will be on standby to knock you out so we can see what the problem was. Does anyone have any questions?"

No one spoke, but he could see there was uncertainty on Kirika's face. He decided not to comment on it, but rather give them some motivation. "I know you're all scared of what could happen, but make no mistake: I have faith you all can overcome this. Remember what it is we're fighting for and don't let your past regrets consume you. As long as you stay true to your hearts, you will be victorious. Always remember that."

They gave him an acknowledging nod. "Good, then let's begin. Maria-kun, you stay here. Everyone else, with me."

He led them out of the room while Maria stayed put. The door opened behind her, and she could hear the others walk out one by one. Maria closed her eyes, trying to empty her mind. '_Focus. You can do this. Focus.'_

"Maria-san," A soft, gentle voice said behind her, one that she recognized belonged to Miku.

"Good luck."

And the door closed, leaving her alone in the simulator. She stood in silence for a minute or so, breathing in and out, preparing herself for what was to come.

No, she had already prepared herself last night. The reason she had volunteered was simple: she was the only one out of the wielders to fail the first activation of the Ignite Module, causing her to go berserk. Strangely enough, she could remember exactly how her mind clouded over and her vision turned completely red, not able to see anything other than her own rage. It was a disturbing emotion, one she had loathed feeling. She was weak, drowning in self-doubt, and it took everyone's help to take her out of that slump. The mountains of guilt and regret of her actions with FIS only added onto that feeling of powerlessness.

But that was in the past. Now, she was their comrade, someone they relied on and a dear friend to them. And she loved them for it. Despite all of her mistakes and sins they accepted her and allowed her to feel true happiness again.

"_Maria-kun, we are turning on the simulator," _she heard Genjuro say, and she responded with a nod.

At that moment, the walls around her warped, and the cold steel walls of the room suddenly turned into a vast cityscape, one she already recognized. They had used this exact simulated location many times before, and like every other time, it began in this little square next to a decorated office building. She wasn't sure which city it was emulating, but that did not matter in the least.

They would start with no enemies first, just as they planned.

"_Don your Gear, Maria-kun."_

Time for the first step.

She took a deep breath and grasped the pendant around her neck tightly, and chanted.

'_Seilin coffin Airgetlam tron'_

And with a flash of silver light, Maria wielded her Symphogear. She stood still for a moment, waiting for the next signal.

"_Okay, everything seems to be in order," _she heard Elfnein state. She was probably checking to see if the curses would affect the normal activation in any way, but it seemed like they didn't as per her hypothesis.

But now comes the hard part.

Elfnein seemed to hesitate momentarily but then continued. "_Maria-san, it's time."_

And that was it.

Maria started becoming nervous, her heart beating wildly in her chest. The first time with the normal Module was nothing short of excruciating pain; it was hell to experience and go through, with her mind drowning in darkness. Yet Elfnein said this time will be much worse.

She didn't want to know just how much... But she was about to find out.

Slowly, she raised her hand to grasp the pendant on her collarbone. "_Start on the lowest setting. Once we pass the hard part we can think about increasing the output," _Genjuro instructed.

Okay, that made her life a tiny bit easier. Just the lowest setting, nothing more than that. The very base, Phase Nigredo it was called. The setting that offers the lowest output but the highest operating time.

She shook her head. Her mind was wandering too much. '_Focus... Focus. This time, you get it on the first try. Show them you can. Prove that you have overcome your weakness.'_

Maria took a deep breath. '_Serena... please, watch me. Lend me your strength.'_

And began with a single click.

"**IGNITE MODULE! UNSHEATHE!"**

She tore the pendant away and held it aloft in one hand.

And just like the first time, it let out a mechanical voice. However, this time it was unsettling. It was much lower in pitch and sounded glitchy and broken.

"_**ddddDDDDdddddaAaAAAiNsLEIIIFfffffffFFFF"**_

The pendant hovered before her in the air, and like every time its sides extended and the crimson blade protruded from it. Maria stood before it and braced herself.

Here we go.

And in a single motion, the blade buried itself in her chest.

The effect was immediate.

"**AAGGRHRHGRHHHHHHGHHH—ARRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! KU-KUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"**

_(Play: Scream - Saya no Uta OST)_

PAIN.

**PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN pAiN **pain PaIn PAINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

Maria let out a blood-curdling shriek, feeling as if she was being stabbed with a million searing hot knives all over her body. She could physically feel the sensation of her each and every part of her body melting...

And reforming.

And melting.

And breaking and crying and her organs erupting and her brain exploding and her heart vaporizing and her lungs collapsing and her bones shattering **HER MIND FRAGMENTING HER SOUL CORRODING HER CONSCIOUSNESS BURNING EVERYTHING WAS NOTHING BUT TORTURE AND HELL AND FIRE.**

**AND SCREAMING. A MILLION VOICES SCREAMING IN TANDEM. SUFFERING BEYOND NORMAL CONCEPTION.**

She could hear something beyond everything. Was someone calling to her? Where was she? Why was she **SUFFERING TO THE BRINK OF MADNESS? **Her memory was fragmented, gone. Her entire being seemed to be in such complete agony she was sure she was losing her mind.

She fell to the floor as the strength she had in her legs drained in an instant. She squirmed in anguish, clawing at her chest, desperate to be rid of this unbearable sensation. From the rapidly blinking pendant, glowing blood-red veins expanded in all directions, running over her Symphogear and her body. They climbed onto her abdomen, limbs, neck, and face, amplifying the horrible suffering that had bound her.

Her mind had pretty much collapsed in an instant, her very existence in her own consciousness coming into question.

'_Who am I Where am I What am I When am I How am I Why am I'_

A lack of reason A lack of understanding A lack of Will A lack of Resolve **EXISTENCE ITSELF BECOMES MEANINGLESS.**

Nothing is left except **THE SCREAMS. ALL OF THEM TOGETHER DIRECTED AT HER.**

"**DIE!" "DISAPPEAR!" "HATE HATEEE" "FUCK YOU PIECE OF SHIT YOU BITCH!"**

Her blood was boiling, her heart beating faster than should ever be allowed for a human being.

And the others watched from the safety of the control room. Kirika and Shirabe huddled together in fear and worry as they watched Maria sprawl out on the ground, her limbs lashing wildly in all directions and her chilling screams that made them cover their ears.

It was such a horrible sight to watch that even Saint-Germain found herself wincing and grumbling to herself. '_This might be too much.'_

She shot a glance to Genjuro, who had his arms crossed. His vision was glued to Maria, and she could see, just slightly, his teeth clenching and his grip on his own arms tightening all the more.

He hated seeing this as much as they were. But there was no stopping the process now. Either she failed and they beat her down or she succeeded. To interrupt now might truly cause her mind to collapse, running a risk of permanent psychological damage.

Well, not that this process was any better. This was by far worse than they could have possibly imagined. Two thousand years of grudges and curses from untold amounts of people was just too much for any one person to handle. Just this tiny bit was causing such an extreme reaction.

How the hell was Hibiki handling the full brunt of it?

The alchemist stole a glance at Miku, who was standing next to her. She had covered her mouth with her hand as she watched, absolutely horrified.

"She can do it," Elfnein bit out from under her fear, biting her lip so hard she was bleeding. "She can do it. She can do it. She will do it. I believe she will. She can do it."

Her hands were clenched tightly on top of the console, and she repeated this one phrase endlessly as if to reassure herself rather than them. But what did it matter if they helped themselves? Maria was the one who needed help. The darkness had flooded over her in an instant, a blackness much deeper than they have ever seen the Module producing. Right after that Maria began screaming and thrashing about, eventually hitting the floor with such force the fake concrete beneath her was starting to crack.

There was nothing left for them to do but to watch their own comrade be ripped to shreds from the inside out, begging, _hoping _that she'll make it intact.

-!-

_This is hell._

_THIS IS HELL._

_**There was no hell greater than this.**_

Within the confines of her own mind, Maria was in agony beyond anything she had ever felt before. Everything was simply fire, burning and scorching her skin repeatedly. She was pierced, and every single one of the blades dug deeply into her organs, inflaming the pain receptors to beyond their limits. This was beyond what a human could ever possibly experience in their life.

And she was falling. No, it was more accurate to see she was _dragged, _pulled down further into the hell by thousands upon thousands of shadowy hands, each one grabbing her more tightly, pulling her further and further down into the horror of fire and brimstone. They grabbed at her hair and limbs and chest and places she did not want to think about, and their touch was blazing hot, melting into her skin. She could not even scream due to the sheer agony, her brain overloaded by the sensations that she was starting to beg for death.

But death would not come, not here.

And then the fire disappeared, replaced by a cold she had never felt before in her life. She was dragged to what seemed to be underwater, freezing cold water that might be reaching absolute zero in terms of temperature. Her fingers froze over and instantly shattered. Then her arms. Then her legs. Then her stomach. Each and every part of her becoming nothing more than a block of ice, yet she was still dragged down. _**SHE WAS STILL ALIVE THROUGH IT ALL, EXPERIENCING THE MANY CIRCLES HELL HAD TO OFFER.**_

Was there even a point to keeping her mind together? Just having consciousness and being aware of what was happening was far too much for her. Going insane was far preferable to this.

It felt like an eternity since the process repeated. From fire to ice, back and forth, to and fro, her body freezing and burning instantly and simultaneously as she was continuously dragged down to wherever the hands were taking her.

Her eyes rolled into her head, her ability to breath taken along with the rest of her being.

And then, all at once, everything just _seized._

She was dropped down, crashing against a metallic floor. She squirmed on the ground, gasping as she tried to get a hold of her senses, of her very self. Somehow she had retained her sanity through the whole ordeal, which she had to commend herself for. Not many would be able to do so. Remembering exactly why she had gone through this hell was difficult, but that will come later. First, get a grasp of her surroundings.

Maria rose to her feet uneasily, her vision blurry and broken. Did she lean against a... wall? A wall yes, from what she could feel, and took deep breaths. The air was painful and prickled at her lungs, but it was welcome. She coughed many times to try and stabilize her breathing, and as she felt her body calm, her sight began to return.

And then she promptly froze again when she noticed where she was.

'_I was here not long ago,' _she realized. She had come here when she along with Elfnein dove into the depths of her mind in order to find the missing link for the LiNKER.

A facility that was long gone. A place that she, along with Serena, had once called home.

She looked around her, seeing that it was devoid of any living soul. She wasn't even sure if this was reality or not, her fractured mind having trouble grasping hold of itself. She rose to her full height and limped towards the center of the room. It looked exactly like she remembered it, down to the very brightness of the light coming from the ceiling.

"How... is this..."

"Maria-neesan."

Anything the idol was about to say got caught in her throat as she heard a familiar gentle voice ring behind her.

She turned around.

A bright smile met her eyes, and her mouth hung open in shock.

"Serena..."

Her long gone sister stood before her, wearing her Symphogear. Airgetlam's original owner smiled even more brightly, and approached her older sister, standing right in front of her, looking up at her.

Maria's guard dropped completely.

"Serena—"

THUNK!

Which proved to be a mistake.

There was a sharp, piercing pain in her chest. Her eyes only looked at Serena, who continued to smile, her hand extended towards her. Blood leaked from Maria's mouth, and the elder looked down to see exactly what had occurred.

And was met with the sight of Serena's hand, embedded in her chest.

"S-Serena..."

The younger girl's only response was to smile and force her hand slightly deeper into her older sister's chest. Maria could feel as the gloved hand closed around her heart, squeezing it gently. The elder could not even bring herself to move, and she coughed up blood, splattering it over Serena's face.

But that wasn't the end yet.

And from behind, she felt two similar sharp pains, and two more hands gripped at her heart. She did her best to look behind her, twisting her head as much as she could to see who had done it.

She saw a woman, aging but not quite elderly yet with dark blue hair and an eyepatch over her right eye. Her expression was serious, almost emotionless.

The other was a man, with bright white hair and a lab coat, a manic grin plastered on his face.

'_Mom... ..."_

Three people from her past, two she loved and one she hated, all worked in tandem to tighten their hold on the heart inside her chest. They remained unmoving as the entire facility melted away, bringing her back to the fiery hell she fell through just before. The dark shadowy hands returned and grabbed her legs, their searing touch just adding more pain to her senses. And slowly, ever so slowly, she was once again dragged down, and the three souls who had departed the world of the living lowered down with her.

There would be no return if she did not escape.

But how?

And then, Serena spoke. But her voice was no longer gentle or warm. No, now it was laced with the horrors of the damned, and her once gentle face contorted into a nightmarish caricature that sent chills down her very core.

"**WORTHLESS." **

"**WEAK."**

"**GREEDY."**

"**SELFISH."**

"**HATEFUL."**

**Serena cursed her older sister's existence with every word she muttered.**

"**IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU."**

"**HOW DO YOU DARE LIVE."**

There was nothing the elder could do. Frozen in terror at the sight before her, her mind reeled completely.

'_This... is the shape of my sin. This is my punishment. This is what I deserve.'_

That was all Maria could think. The very existence of Maria Cadenzavna Eve was a mistake, a bug in reality, an error that had to be corrected.

The foundation of her own self was crumbling. Her body was disintegrating, starting with the bottom of her feet and rising. She could no longer feel her legs, the hands wrapping around them tightly with no intention of letting go.

'_This... is what I can here for. To be punished. To receive judgment for my sins. There is no other reason why I would be here.'_

Despite the pain, despite the horror, there was a calm acceptance in her mind. As if everything would finally end after so long of her burdens bearing down on her. She wished she could go much more peacefully than this, but her wishes were denied, just as usual.

'_That's right... That is all there is for me at the end of the road. This is retribution. This is where I-'_

'_**STOP'**_

Her thoughts instantly seized. What was—

'_**REMEMBER WHAT YOU ARE TRULY HERE FOR.'**_

Something was talking to her. But what was it? What was the source of that voice?

'_**YOU CANNOT ALLOW YOUR PAST TO DRAG YOU DOWN.'**_

'_You want me to forget?'_

'_**DO NOT FORGET. BUT DO NOT DWELL. DON'T LET THE PAST DETERMINE WHO YOU ARE,'**_

She gasped.

'_**BUT LET IT BE A PART OF WHO YOU WILL BECOME.'**_

Her eyes shot open. A rush of memories filled her mind to the brim, and she could see as it played out from beginning to end. Everything... from the moment Serena died... To facing S.O.N.G on the stage... Everything... Everything... was flowing...

And somehow, in this hell of fire and pain, she cried real tears. The heart, grasped by three hands of people who were no longer in this world, filled with nothing but sorrow and joy alike. And along with it... purpose. The reason. Her reason for being, for _being here, _returned to her all at once.

She stared down at the demon wearing Serena's face. The demon that was her shackles. She had for too long let it stain her mind and soul, dwelling on something that she cannot possibly change.

So to cast away that burden, to finally accept the part of herself that was sinful... She must do away with this evil that encroached on her heart.

Retribution may not ever come...

But she did not need it.

And in a move mirroring Serena's own, Maria thrust her hand forward and pierced through her sister's chest in one blow.

The demon's grip on her own heart faltered, and it looked down at the hand piercing it with an expression of shock. But Maria was not done yet. With a heave and an absolutely primal yell, she pulled her hand back with all the force she could muster and tore the demon's heart from its chest. Serena's hand left her sister's and fell backward as its illusionary life fled it, disappearing into the fire.

And in Maria's hand was not her sister's heart just like she expected, but a shining bright blade, the Armed Gear of her Symphogear, Airgetlam!

The idol clenched her teeth, and even though her heart was still pierced, she swung behind her with all her might, decapitating both Mom and Ver with a single stroke. Their own grips on her heart loosened and they disappeared, leaving her alone in the flames.

But it was not over yet.

She hacked. She slashed. Swinging the blade wildly at her feet, she sliced away the arms grabbing her. They tried to gnaw at her again, but with every swipe, she slashed away dozens upon dozens of the hands. Soon enough, she was able to liberate her legs, and stand right on top of the layers upon layers of hands, desperate to drag her down. The fire around her still burned her skin, and she could feel pain in every part of her body, but there was something within her that burned much more brightly.

'_That's right. My hands are covered in blood, and my intentions yielded nothing. But I'm alive. I'm here. __**I'M HERE**__. I can still make a difference. For all the sins I have committed, and for the sake of everything that was lost, I will accept it. I will not forget it. I will pierce through it!'_

A flash of blue in her mind filled her body with strength, and she chuckled to herself. To think now out of all times she would think about her. But she figured it was fitting. Up until now, the memory of her dear sister carried her forward, giving her unimaginable amounts of power and motivation.

But a strength relying on the past was fleeting, and would eventually run out. She only ever managed to look back, never seeing what was right in front of her. Always hoping she could see her again.

But such a wish would never come true.

So the only thing left to do... was to look forward, into the future.

"Isn't that right, Tsubasa?"

She slashed down with all her might.

And the fire, the hands, and the darkness in her heart all vanished in a flash of light.

-!-

When Maria finally came to, she gasped and coughed up blood right onto the concrete.

'_Wait, concrete?'_

She opened her eyes and found herself staring up at the sky, or at least a simulated one. Everything hurt, but it was not a searing unbearable pain like what she had experienced in her mind. It was more akin to an annoying, dull ache that numbed her limbs, forcing her to remain on her back on the ground.

'_Did...did I do it?'_

She asked herself that, but she wasn't sure if she was back to the real world yet. Her mind was swimming, somehow still keeping her sanity intact. She was feeling a bit annoyed that she couldn't move, but that was fine with her. She just needed to rest after what she just endured.

She closed her eyes, feeling herself drifting off...

"MARIA!"

Someone screamed her name. She couldn't move, but she could hear many footsteps suddenly run up to her side, looking down on her from above. When her vision finally focused, she could see her friends staring at her in worry.

"K-Kirika?" She asked, her voice hoarse and her throat burning. "What... what happened?"

Her younger had tears in her eyes. "It... it was so bad! We thought you were going to die!"

"Kirika..."

"You did it, Maria-kun," Genjuro said, and she turned her head to him. "You did it. You overcame it."

She blinked several times. "I... I did it? On the first try? Are you sure?"

"Yes," he answered. "Take a look at yourself."

Maria blinked several times, and with all the strength she could muster lifted her upper body up, her legs still sprawled on the floor and studied her own form.

She could barely recognize her Symphogear now. While she knew the usage of Ignite stained the shining and regal silver with darkness, the changes this time were far more significant. The dull, iron coloration was replaced by a deep, shadowy purple, and crimson veins ran over the armor, spreading out unevenly over the cloth and metal. Momentarily panicking, Maria was glad to see that those veins did not extend onto her own body, but rather remained isolated onto the Gear itself. She couldn't see her own face, but she assumed that was the case for it too. All in all, it took on the form of the Ignite version they knew, except with major modifications that emphasized the new power source.

"This is kind of unnerving to look at," she commented.

"I understand what you mean, Maria-kun," Genjuro said, also noticing her concern. "How do you feel?"

She looked up at him as Kirika and Shirabe held her, the others having stayed in the control room. Maria looked herself over again, attempting to understand exactly what it was she was feeling. She raised her arms and looked over the gauntlets, turning them over to see just how much has changed. "A bit... shaken up, so to say."

Genjuro smiled. "We knew you could do it. You have really grown strong, Maria-kun."

It was said with such warmth that she found herself blushing at the comment. Geez, what is he thinking? Hurriedly turning her head away, her gaze fell upon Kirika and Shirabe. "Can you two... please help me up?"

The duo nodded, and each took one side of their elder and carefully lifted her up to her feet. She stumbled a bit on the first step, but soon enough stabilized her footing, standing on both legs. The duo released her and stepped back, letting her walk on her own.

Maria looked herself over again, trying to get a feel for this... _weird _strength she was feeling. It was much more intense than before, and she felt stronger... but it was such a strange feeling that she could not describe it. "This is surreal," she said. "I'm not sure what it is what I'm feeling. There's this power welling inside, but it feels like it's not settled completely if you understand what I mean."

"_That is probably a symptom of the first release," _Elfnein answered over the comm. She could hear the relief in her voice. "_You probably remember it was the same with the normal Module, correct? Once we get several uses of it off, then I believe it will settle down and fully integrate itself into the Gear."_

Maria nodded in acknowledgment, not quite convinced. However, she decided not to voice any complaints, considering this outcome is preferable to anything else. "I see..."

There was a pregnant silence in the air as they tried to formulate some questions for her. Genjuro was the first to speak. "What did you see?"

Ah, of course, that will be the first thing. Maria raised her arm, looking at her hand closely. She clenched it into a fist as she recounted the experience. "It... it was pain unlike anything I've ever felt before. It was so all-consuming I thought I was going mad. I could feel every part of my body burning from the searing heat, feeling my entire being just melt away into total darkness and regrets that were so deep I thought I could never climb out of it," she explained absentmindedly as she recalled her experience.

But it was then she realized her juniors were listening, and that behind the wall stood Miku, Chris, and Saint-Germain. Maybe she should tone down the scary stuff. "But... even in this darkness that I was sure I was going to drown in, I held on. I understood... what were my regrets. What shackled me... what held me back, and that was what was trying to drown me. I let it control me for far too long, even when I thought it did not. So, in the depths of my heart... I cut it away with my bare hands. I struggled against it, lashing wildly so it would release me, and my strength came from thinking about something else entirely: the future... and what awaited in it. I understood... that I'm sinful, that I'm not perfect... and that I can never be perfect. But, as long as I'm alive... I can strive for a better tomorrow."

Shirabe and Kirika looked up at her in wonder, and she crouched slightly to reach their height, hugging them both. "And don't forget... to fill your heart with love. Surely, with that... you'll overcome any obstacle."

The two weren't sure where that came from, but regardless they smiled and hugged her back, the three of them sharing a touching moment.

From within the control room Chris sighed and leaned back in the chair she was sitting on. "That was... too close. This wasn't the sort of ride I was expecting."

Miku looked to her, still worried. "But... she's just the first one. You'll also need to do it, Chris."

The Ichaival user slumped back in the chair and stared at the ceiling. "Yeah... I know."

Maria released her two juniors from the hug and stood back to her full height. She looked to Genjuro for instructions. "What now?" She asked.

"First we take a break and analyze what we found out. Now that at least one person has done it successfully, we can make it much easier for the others. I'm sorry you had to take this burden all by yourself, Maria-kun," Genjuro added apologetically.

She turned to him, a smile on her face. "It's alright. I'm glad... that I was able to help everyone, even through my own suffering. It is a small price to pay... for everything you have done for me."

Genjuro answered with a smile of his own. "You're very welcome," He then turned to Kirika and Shirabe, along the way addressing Chris and Saint-Germain. "We'll be taking a short break now as we go over what we have learned. Once we have isolated all the variables, we'll continue with the next test. Kirika-kun...you'll be the next one up."

Shirabe looked to her significant other, who was sweating bullets. The energetic blonde nodded once, a worried expression on her face. After witnessing Maria go through it and come back in one piece and with her sanity intact, she was sure she could do it too. "No problem," she said, still slightly uncertain. "It'll be a piece of cake!"

Maria looked at her seriously. "It won't be Kirika, sorry to burst your bubble. But even if it isn't, you can do it," she told her wisely.

Kirika met her gaze, and once more nodded, acknowledging Maria's words.

"Maria-kun, can you dispel the Gear?" Genjuro asked, still curious. It would be bad if she couldn't remove it.

"Let me try," she answered. She closed her eyes and willed the Gear to disappear, and to their relief it vanished into golden sparkles like usual, leaving her in her regular clothes. She let out a sigh, happy to be out of that tainted armor. She's going to have to get used to it until Elfnein can remove the curses from it once and for all, but that will only be after they get Hibiki back, and who knows how long that would take.

Genjuro clapped his hands, bringing all attention back to him. "Alright, as I said, it's break time. We'll meet back here in an hour. Elfnein-kun and I are going to go over everything and we'll tell you what we found," he turned to Maria. "Make sure you rest and clear your head, alright? You're going to have to be strong for the two of them."

Maria eyed her juniors. "Yes, I know. Thank you."

Yes, things were only just beginning. From here on out, it will only get harder.

And she hoped everyone would make it out of it, just like she did.

-!-

S.O.N.G's bridge was busy as usual ten hours later. Genjuro sat at the helm, looking towards the screen as he went over the information they gathered from the Symphogears' test in the simulator.

He let out a sigh. What a mess that was. Seeing the girls squirming on the floor as if gripped by insanity was bad enough the first time. To see it an additional three times plus Saint-Germain managed to take a toll on his mind.

Luckily, he had time to calm himself once he had sent the nearly broken girls to bed to get some rest. They were all equally tired and fatigued, having just won a battle in the very center of their own minds. Just seeing the usually calm Shirabe break down in hysterics and cry out to Kirika briefly made him reconsider the wisdom of using this new ability they got their hands on. It was such... a goddamn mess, all of it. This whole incident, from Hibiki-kun to this was handled extremely poorly and included too many new variables. The fact they had held on until now was nothing short of a miracle.

Oh, miracles. How he wished those would come easily. He was so used to being in control of the situation, and he usually was. Even Adam was not able to outsmart him completely.

But a single girl did.

"You keep telling us to calm down and you are not calm yourself," a voice behind him said. He could hear the door to the bridge open and instantly recognized the deep yet feminine tone. "It won't do for my new ally to expire so early."

Ah, she was sending his words right back at him. He swiveled his chair and met the alchemist's gaze as she walked in. "Hmph, as if there is time for that."

"We don't know how much time we have," Saint-Germain told him plainly. "Which is why we must take each of these pauses seriously. However, to deny ourselves rest when we need it is counterproductive."

"I've been through worse," he said, turning back to his console. "And you're one to talk, you're not resting yourself. Did you even go to sleep since the test?"

She walked to stand up next to him, staring down at his console. "No, I did not. I couldn't fall asleep like I wanted to."

He took a moment to answer. "It was that bad, huh?"

"Yes," she said calmly, even though he could hear there was pain in her voice. "To experience both levels of the Ignite Module in the span of a single week is exhausting, to say the least. I am still surprised it still works as well as it does, despite the contradiction that still exists within it."

Genjuro nodded to himself. "I see...Then, Saint-Germain, will you tell me what it is you saw?"

The alchemist moved her head to stare at the large display at the very front of the bridge. She closed her eyes, recounting her own personal hell. "I saw... my mother," she answered.

Genjuro looked up at her with eyes wide, taken aback by the fact that she was talking about her family. "I saw... my mother's death once again," she saw with a tinge of melancholy. "She died a long time ago, from malnutrition. I had tried in vain to feed her with the little scraps I managed to find, but it was all for naught. I had even begged my father for help, but he merely threw me aside and was appalled by how a slave girl like me dared to ask him for assistance. After all, for him, my mother was nothing more than property to be used at his leisure. He refused to help us, and my mother passed away right before my eyes. Ten years after that day, I met that man again... and slew him in his sleep."

The commander took a deep breath as he listened, having no words to give. Saint-Germain continued, enrapturing the commander with her tale. "From then on, I desired a world free of oppression, so no one like myself and my mother would have to go through such suffering at the hands of another. I saw him, in that hell, lying amongst the countless other lives I have taken through the centuries. All of them looked up at me and cursed my existence, asking how someone like me dared to live in this world. How I dared to continue following such an optimistic ideal regardless of the cost. A great burden then fell on my shoulders, and I felt my knees and legs shatter from the weight. I thought that it was finally the place where I'll be judged for my sins."

She opened her eyes, looking ahead. He could see from the angle where he looked the depth in her blue eyes. The sheer agony of living for so long, and the wariness she has built up over the years. "Yet I knew that it was not my time yet, for my dream had been lost. But another took its place, one just as beautiful, just as strong. It gave me the strength to keep moving on, to see it all through to the end. So I trudged forward through the plain filled with nothing but corpses, a single, selfish desire spurning me forward. I do not have any of this love that Maria Cadenzavna Eve had claimed that I should have, for I have none left to give. But even if someone like me can overcome this hell... then perhaps the world is not as bleak a place as I thought it to be."

Saint-Germain's gaze then softened slightly. "Because I know that as long as I'm alive... I can still bring about the change I desire."

Genjuro smirked and chuckled lightly. "That's right... As long as one is alive, you can still make a difference."

His mind went back to when he visited Maria's room earlier in the day. It was right after they had all tucked in and rested after the difficult tests, and he made sure to check on each of them. To his surprise, when he finally entered he saw her not alone, but rather with the two younger duo that has been with her for years. On the small, uncomfortable bed that HQ provided, three figures huddled together, basking in each other's warmth. They were all comfortably asleep, and a single one of them moved an inch as they rested.

Those were the faces he vowed to protect.

"That's why I must bring back Hibiki-kun. I will not allow even one of these girls to die, no matter what; I don't mind hardening my heart for that purpose," he turned to the alchemist. "And that goes for you as well. We must _all_ make it through this alive, are we clear? You are not allowed to sacrifice yourself for any reason."

She met his gaze and huffed. "Hmph, as if you are one to give me orders... But I'll keep it in mind."

Saint-Germain found herself internally conflicted. Someone was... worried about her. It has been a while since anyone has ever done that. It was... welcome.

'_I wonder what you'd say if you could see me now, Cagliostro, Prelati...'_

But of course, Adam Weishaupt had to interject, speaking up from Elfnein's console. "I don't mean to interrupt your _sweet _moments, but there's something that I believe should have been done already that you have not taken into consideration."

Genjuro stared at him. "And what is that?"

"You should have taken the time to make a list of targets Tachibana Hibiki would possibly aim for," he responded bluntly. "We already know that she is targeting specific people. She has been going for your Symphogears almost constantly, but nothing says she has to. There must be others that she might decide to take revenge on. Someone she holds a particular grudge against."

The commander's eyes narrowed, disturbed by the implications. "What do you mean—"

And in that exact moment, the alarm blared loudly throughout HQ, shocking everyone on the bridge. Genjuro was quick to start looking for answers.

"Find the cause! Hurry!" He yelled. "Tomosato, report!"

The sound of Tomosato's frantic typing filled the air, and she gasped as she noticed the signatures that the computer was identifying. "We are detecting black beasts, commander! But not only that! There's also..." She double checked, making sure what she was seeing was not a mistake.

Every result gave the same answer.

"There's also Noise! In very large numbers! And right here, in the city!"

"What?!"

Noise?! That's... not impossible! After all, Hibiki had invaded the Treasury just a week ago.

"No way... she really did bring back the Noise..." Fujitaka said in a horrified tone. "But why here?!"

Genjuro clenched his teeth. "Noise now of all times, this late at night; Tomosato, where are the wielders? Have they all woken up?!"

"Yes, sir! They're on their way here right now!"

"Good."

But then realized something was terribly wrong. True, the appearance of black beasts and the Noise together was unsettling, especially now. The Noise were more surprising than anything else at the moment, considering they really did seal the entrance and were sure that the entire Treasury had been effectively destroyed. While they were an easy opponent for the Gears to defeat, they always appeared in countless amounts. It won't be long before they start massacring the citizens. Luckily enough, they had evacuation plans in place for that, plans that had been in effect even after the Noise disappeared.

But that paled next to the confusion that filled his mind when he noticed a very critical factor was _missing!_

"Wait... where's Hibiki-kun?!"

Collective gasps were heard from the bridge. Realizing no one had answers to give him at the moment, he bellowed. "Find her, now! Sweep over the entire city if you have to!"

Adam simply smirked. "See, what did I tell you?"

Nobody responded to his sarcastic remark. At that moment, all four wielders along with Miku ran into the bridge in hurry and alarm. "Old man! What's going on?!" Chris asked.

"Looks like these new Gears of yours will be put to the test sooner than expected," he answered grimly. "We've got both black beasts and Noise on the loose in the city."

Her eyes widened. "Black beasts and Noise..." She repeated to herself, taking the information in. "Seriously? But where's the idiot?"

"That's what we are trying to find out now."

The crew on the bridge worked tirelessly to locate the rogue wielder's position. With this many people working on it, they were bound to find her in less than a second. In fact, it should have happened by now.

Something that seriously alarmed Genjuro. "What is going on?! Why is no one reporting?!"

"Sir! We can't find her anywhere! No Aufwachen signals are coming from within Tokyo prefecture!"

"What?!"

She's not in Tokyo?! But where could she be?! "Increase the range of the satellite by one hundred kilometers! We can't let her go unfound!"

Responding to his orders, the sensor range of the S.O.N.G satellite in orbit increased, the lens expanding as it took in more of the layout of the land beneath it. Unfortunately, a cloud cover over the southeastern area of the country blocked its visual.

But they didn't need visual, only the signals exclusive to Symphogears.

They worked tirelessly, sweeping the area increased by the satellite's range.

Until one member finally had an answer. "Sir, Aufwachen has been detected!"

The twisted signal of Gungnir appeared on screen, and it proved to them Adam's words: it had indeed changed further, and the encroaching black lines covered even more of it than before. The black hole had similarly increased in size, almost completely covering the original beneath, which they could barely see anymore.

"Where is she?!" Genjuro asked loudly.

The crew member typed away, ascertaining her location on the map according to the signal. "She's in... Chiba, sir!"

"Chiba?!"

She's in... her hometown?! Why?!

The answer came to him in the form of Miku's horrified gasp. He looked behind him in a hurry to see her cover her mouth and her eyes widen. "Miku-kun, what's wrong?!"

The girl's voice shook as she spoke. "Her... her family lives in Chiba! They're still there!"

"Her family?!"

Genjuro's brain went into overdrive. In Chiba... her parents were there. He knew that in that city she had gone through those two years of hell. Was she going after all of the people that vandalized her house and hurt her in school? No, that's too unlikely. There are just too many of those she could not possibly target all of them right away.

Wait... target? Adam had said she might look for someone she holds a particular grudge against...

If her aim was not the students, then the only other possible option, from what he knew was...

"Oh no," he said frantically. "PREPARE A HELICOPTER RIGHT NOW! Maria-kun, you'll go to intercept her as fast as you can!"

"Roger!" She answered, and swiftly left the bridge to head to the helicopter pad outside.

"Whoa, Old man! What is going on?! What does her family have to do with it?!" Chris asked him again, even more on edge than before.

"Adam was right," he muttered. "We have completely forgotten what she's been doing until now. She holds grudges against people; we already know we are also part of that. But nothing says she has to go after _us _all the time!"

Chris gasped. "Wait, you don't mean—"

"She used the Noise and the black beasts as a diversion while she goes and takes care of it far enough from us! And the only possible target in Chiba that she can go after, the one person she holds a very deep grudge against that could possibly live there..."

The realization hit Miku like a truck. She fell to her knees as her strength left her.

"HER FATHER!"


	15. Chapter 15: Terror Rain

"Oh man oh man oh man why am I so unlucky?"

Those were the words Tachibana Akira muttered to himself as he ran as fast as he could towards his destination. Somehow, just yesterday Harumi had invited him over for dinner, despite their rocky relationship.

Ever since he ran out on the family two years ago, he had kept almost zero contact with his wife through that period, as he was too ashamed to face her again. He had swallowed down the regret and shame, continuing to live on the bare minimum as he avoided seeing or contacting any of them. He didn't talk to her, her mother, or even Hibiki. Only a chance encounter and a meeting orchestrated by Miku had brought him back into contact with his daughter.

He knew he could have handled that much better. He knew he could have been a much better father, a much better person in general, to all of them; yet the shame and fear were just so overwhelming that he couldn't handle it. Talking to Hibiki again was by far one of the most difficult things he has ever done in his life, and after they had... somewhat made up, meeting his wife felt almost impossible.

He wanted to run away... but he was tired of running away.

That was how, somehow, he found himself in his current position. Following Hibiki's insistence that they start getting along again, the two parents made the utmost effort to meet the girl's expectations; they sat, they talked, and they even managed to laugh at times.

Akira had missed these moments. Just looking at his wife's beautiful face as she laughed at a terrible joke he said made all the effort worth it. He had looked back at himself and just could not understand how he had run out on such wonderful people. His cowardice and his fear blinded him to what was most important.

He did not deserve them one bit.

Yet they welcomed him back, even if a bit reluctantly, and he vowed to do all he can to make up for everything he had done. All of the sins he had committed against them he vowed to rectify. He knew that his previous warm and sunny relationship with his wife will take ages to repair, and he knew it won't be the same as it was before. Yet he wanted to try, he wanted to be _brave, _so he borrowed some strength from Hibiki and made his move, and that put him where he is today.

Unfortunately, his leisurely walk to the house was short-lived when it suddenly began to rain. He had bought a bouquet of flowers, specifically picked to cater to Harumi's taste as he remembered it, to give to her. Yet now it was certainly going to be ruined due to all the rain and wind that were buffeting him. Arriving at the house wet and dirty was the absolute worst impression he could give.

Well, not like he had a choice in the matter; the forecast didn't say _anything _about rain, and he had bothered to check it before he left too.

That was just his luck, crappy as usual.

"I must be cursed," he mumbled as he continued running. Thankfully enough he was already fairly close when the downpour began, so he might be able to escape being absolutely drenched. He could hear the sound of distant thunder in the sky, making him run all that much faster.

It took him about two minutes to finally reach the house. He passed by the concrete wall bordering it, catching a glimpse of paper remains on the floor and the wall. '_Right, those things,' _he said to himself, forcing down the horrible memories. He finally stopped in front of the door, panting heavily. Luckily enough for him, the entrance had a small roof, shielding him from the rain. He was still dripping constantly, but it could have been much worse.

He swallowed, calming down his breaths and rang the doorbell. He quickly hid the still somehow complete bouquet behind his back.

"_Coming!" _He heard a feminine voice call out. A moment later, the door opened, and he was met with the face of his wife, Tachibana Harumi.

He smiled awkwardly at her, conscious of his current state. "H-hey. I'm on time, right?"

She looked at him evenly, her expression betraying nothing. He knew she wasn't all _that _happy to see him, but she was doing her best to be civil, for Hibiki's sake. "Yes," she said. "I guess the rain caught you by surprise? Just like always."

He let out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, like always," he replied. He swallowed again, and still meeting her gaze, thrust the bouquet forward. "T-this is for you."

She was taken by surprise by the collection of flowers that suddenly appeared. She stayed silent, and he swallowed again nervously as he waited for her response. His heart beat rapidly, and he found himself going back in time to the day he first asked her out, with exactly the same method.

Harumi slowly took the wet bouquet from his hands and gave a small smile. "These are... beautiful," she murmured, unsure of what more to say right now. She knew him well enough by now to know that even though the flowers were dripping wet, he had done his best to pick out her favorites. "Oh um, come in. I think you should take a shower before dinner," she added, moving aside.

"Thanks," he said gratefully as he entered. "Sorry about the mess."

"It's fine. You remember how to use the shower, right? The knob for the hot water is still a bit broken."

He chuckled to himself. "Still? Thought you'd have it fixed by now," he said, taking off his wet shoes by the entrance. "But yeah, I remember."

It wasn't the first time he's been to the house since Hibiki caused them to meet again. He and Harumi had a lot to talk about, so he came a few times during the past two months. Heck, during the Obon Festival Hibiki came home and everyone sat together for the first time in two years; it was then he suggested having a hot pot together for old times sake, greatly bewildering both Harumi and her mother. That was just one of the first meetings they had, and since then even without Hibiki, the two parents sat for dinner on some occasions. Usually, they'd grab something outside, but this time Harumi was the one who took the initiative and invited him.

It was a step in the right direction, as he liked to believe. He still didn't exactly know everything that was going through her mind, but he hoped that things were improving. The very fact _she _invited _him _already showed something.

"Well, I guess I'll go take that shower now."

One step at a time, just like Hibiki told him.

A flash of light illuminated the sky as lightning struck.

Harumi closed the door behind her as Akira walked in. Unbeknownst to the two of them, a dark figure appeared under the light at the end of the street, staring at the house from afar.

-!-

"Phew, that was refreshing," The man let out as he walked down the stairs in clean, dry clothes. It seemed that Harumi had kept some of his wardrobes, despite everything that had happened. Maybe she just couldn't bring herself to get rid of them or something, but he decided not to worry about it. He was thankful enough for her inviting him here.

He walked into the living room and was greeted by the sight of fresh food on the table. Looking ahead he spotted the two women, Harumi, and her mother, in the kitchen. He walked up to them, staring at the counter. "Need help?"

Harumi looked at him. "No, we're okay, you can go sit down," she answered.

'_Yikes, I guess she's still kinda cold to me,'_ he thought but didn't let it bother him. '_Stay brave. Don't run away.'_

Oh, he forgot something important. "Good evening Kiyoko-san," he said to the elderly woman next to his wife.

Kiyoko, Hibiki's grandmother and Harumi's mother, looked to him with a small smile. "Oh, hello there Akira-kun. I heard the rain caught you by surprise and you ran to take a shower. That is quite unlucky I must say, the forecast didn't say anything about that."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I know, I checked before I left home and they said it was only supposed to be cloudy. I guess even the weather forecasters sometimes get that wrong."

At that moment, the lights flickered momentarily, causing the three to look up at the bulbs. "Oh my," Kiyoko added. "It looks like the storm is causing problems. I hope we won't have a power outage."

"In that case, I still have that emergency lamp under the sink, mom," Harumi reassured her. "Had to keep it on hand in case those nasties knock out our power again."

Ah, he remembered that story. Harumi told it to him the last time they met: at some point after Hibiki left for Lydian, some neighborhood boys just came and somehow cut the power cables to their home. They were left without electricity for a few days until someone fixed it.

He remembered it all too well, how the family was treated as outcasts because of what happened to Hibiki. It was so bad that his former boss fired him just due to being related to her, all because his daughter was one of the victims in the incident. He hated that man until today for laying him off out of spite, but it was that action that caused Akira to spiral down into depression and alcoholism. '_I was so freaking pathetic.'_

"Alright, it's all ready now," Harumi said, putting the knife down and picking up the salad bowl. "Let's go eat."

He smiled, "Yes, let's. I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!"

Harumi smiled, and he found his heart fluttering at the beauty of it. He replied with his own goofy grin, and together the three sat down to finally have their dinner.

-!-

Dinner was a fairly quiet affair, and they only exchanged a few words, focusing on enjoying the meal. They didn't talk about anything special, just life and work and whatnot. Soon enough, their plates were empty and the table was cleared, and together they sat down to drink tea. The rain continued to pour outside, and the occasional flash of light signaled the lightning in the sky.

Akira took a sip and sighed contently. "Ahhh, this is the life," he said. "Dinner was amazing, Harumi. You got really good at it!"

"It's only because I had to," she answered with a sad smile. "You were always better than me at that. And besides, mom helped me."

'_Oh crap, please no depressing stuff.' _

"Well I dunno, but it was delicious." He replied with a smile.

She smiled back. '_Yes!' _"I'm glad you liked it," she said, taking a sip of her own tea.

They fell into an awkward silence then, neither one having the courage to speak up again. Kiyoko looked at them sadly and sighed. She herself wasn't all too fond of Akira because of what he did, but she was more than willing to give him a second chance despite everything.

These two were acting like lovestruck teenagers, she noticed. It was refreshing and infuriating at the same time; she knew they had their issues and that they managed to talk about them here and there, but they didn't have to be like this all the time.

The lights in the house flickered again, shaking the two parents out of their stupor. "Sheesh, this is one heck of a storm," Akira commented. "Should I check the electric box?"

"It would be better if you didn't. You wouldn't want to get wet again with all this rain, right?" Harumi asked.

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess I don't."

They fell quiet again, sipping on their tea. Akira's gaze darted around, and eventually fell upon Kiyoko, who he noticed was looking at him, drilling into his head that he should speak up.

'_Be brave, don't run away.'_ "So, Harumi, have you been keeping contact with Hibiki lately?" Akira asked. If they have nothing to talk about, Hibiki was always a good subject.

"I have, although I couldn't catch her for the past week. I was really worried when I heard something happened at their school, so I called Miku-chan too, and she said that Hibiki was fine if a bit shaken up and that she'll contact me when she can," his wife answered. "She's been working really hard, hasn't she? I'm glad she got to go to school like she wanted."

Akira blinked several times, finding himself slightly confused. He didn't know how much Harumi knew about exactly _what _Hibiki was doing, but decided not to bring it up. It came as a huge shock to him that Hibiki had somehow become a hero in the time they didn't talk, wielding some kind of super armor. The people at the place she worked at explained the situation to him, and it was so incredible that he didn't know how to take it. However, they asked him to sign a non-disclosure agreement, so he couldn't talk about it with anyone. He figured that Hibiki would eventually reveal it to her mother and grandmother, but from her reaction, he realized she didn't, at least not yet.

"Yeah, she's been working really hard. She's been through so much yet she can keep her spirits up through it all," he said. "I'm really proud of her. She's... way stronger than me." '_In more ways than one.'_

Harumi held her teacup with both hands, appreciating the warmth of the liquid. She looked out the window to the outside, listening to the sound of the rain. "Yeah... she's stronger than me too," She said. "Our little girl... isn't so little anymore huh?"

Akira laughed. "Yeah, she really isn't. Soon enough I'll have to walk her down the aisle too," he said gleefully. "That would be a dream come true."

And Harumi found herself laughing as well just thinking of the scenario. "Yes, it would be!" She exclaimed. "Although that girl hadn't brought anyone like that home. Well, she did say that she wasn't all that popular in school."

Kiyoko looked to the side, muttering to herself quietly. "Not with the boys anyway..."

"Hmmm? Mom, did you say something?"

"Oh no dear, just talking to myself," the elder answered with a smile. There might be a little secret that she knew that she didn't quite share with her daughter yet. After they enjoyed the hotpot during the Obon and the two parents went to talk alone, Kiyoko was left with Hibiki. She hadn't seen her granddaughter in so long she was dying to know how she was doing.

It came as a shock to her when Hibiki confessed something she said she'd been keeping a secret, and that she was scared to tell her parents about it. Ever since she was a little girl, Hibiki had always come to her when there was something she wanted to say that she didn't want her parents to know about. And to think, what she wanted to share was something like this.

Well, somehow despite everything it didn't come as a total surprise to Kiyoko. Looking back, the signs were all over the place and she just failed to notice any of them. But she wasn't one to judge; the smile on Hibiki's face as she spoke told her everything she needed to know.

And that was enough for her.

"Well, with Miku-chan taking care of her, will she even need to get married?" He said jokingly, making his wife laugh again.

"You're right. Miku-chan... has been a really big help to her and us, hasn't she?"

"Yeah... she has..."

Honestly, he couldn't even begin to voice how grateful he was. It was only through her intervention that he managed to get the chance to talk to Hibiki again, which in turn led to where he was now. She presented him with an opportunity, and he decided to take it. Not only that, the support she has shown Hibiki over the long two year period was something he will always be in her debt for.

Hmmm, maybe he should invite her over again at some point, so they could all have dinner like they used to back then—

Lightning struck outside, the sound of rumbling thunder drowning out his thoughts. The lights flickered again in response.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

He was shocked out of his wits by Harumi's sudden screaming. The woman dropped her teacup on the floor and had shot out of her chair in an instant, reeling backward from the window, her eyes wide.

Both he and Kiyoko immediately stood up. "Harumi, what's wrong?! What happened?!"

The woman was breathing hard, staring at the window. "T-there was something outside! I-I saw something standing just outside the window! It looked like a person!"

Akira's own eyes widened, and he followed her gaze. He looked outside the window too, but only the rain pouring outside greeted him. "Harumi, there is nothing there."

"I swear! There was someone outside!"

"You might be imagining things, honey," her mother said. "Maybe you're just tired."

Kiyoko's logical answer calmed her mind down slightly. "R-right... Yeah, you're right," she replied, her breathing easing up. It was then she noticed what happened to the cup she was holding. "Oh geez, I should clean this up."

Akira looked at her as she picked up the broken shards of the teacup off the floor. He needed to reassure her that everything was fine. "I'll take a quick look outside alright?"

She looked up at him with a pleading gaze, giving him all the answers he needed. "Okay, just...be careful."

He nodded and headed straight to the door while Harumi and her mother cleaned up. She was probably just seeing things was truly the logical conclusion, but he would check anyway.

He opened the door and peeked outside, looking left and right. He couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, only the rain beating down everywhere. '_I guess she got scared by the lightning. That reminds me, it always unsettled her in high school. I see she didn't get over it.'_

Seeing that nothing was wrong, Akira closed the door and headed back inside...

Completely missing the figure that appeared in front of it just as he left.

"I didn't see anything, Harumi," he called out as he entered the living room.

"I see... thank you, Akira," she said with a small smile. He was glad he was able to do this much for her at least. "I think I'll go to bed early today."

"You really should, honey," Kiyoko said, putting a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder.

And then the lights flickered several times in rapid succession, then shut off completely.

The sudden darkness in the house unnerved the two women, and Akira found himself slightly on edge. "Well, it was only a matter of time I guess," he said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood.

The two women had stayed in the kitchen, huddling together. Realizing they were afraid, Akira swallowed and spoke up again. "Hey Harumi, can you take out the portable lamp? It should still work, right?"

She blinked, regaining her composure. "R-right."

As she got right on it, Akira then noticed something very, very strange, other than the fact that the lights were off.

He could barely hear the rain outside anymore. If before it was a constant beating, now it was a very muffled sound, almost completely nonexistent. The entire house was, for lack of a better word, deathly quiet.

And then everything stopped and he turned around in a hurry when he heard the front door _creak open. _The two women, who had also heard the sound, were immediately struck with fear.

"S-someone's entering the house!" Harumi whispered in her terror. The two retreated as much as they could, their backs hitting the wall behind them. However, Akira remained frozen on the spot, his eyes wide.

'_No! Be brave. Be brave! No running away! You have to protect them!'_

Who would have thought a burglar would come now of all times.

It was then that they heard heavy, metallic steps strike the wooden floor, closing in on them slowly behind the wall.

'_What kind of burglar wears metal shoes?'_

Akira swallowed nervously and took steps back to cover the two women behind him. He looked to and fro, trying to find something he could use to defend himself and them.

He laid his eyes on the kitchen knife Harumi had used just before, still not washed from cutting the salad. He hurriedly took it and held it in his hand, pointing it forward.

Lightning flashed again, illuminating the house briefly.

And that's when they saw a short figure standing in the doorway of the living room _staring right at them._

Akira stepped back even more, attempting to shield the two women. He whispered quietly so only they would hear. "H-Harumi, the lamp."

So frozen in terror was the woman that she almost completely forgot she was holding it. He reached out with his hand behind him and she uneasily handed it over, his eyes still locked on the darkness that returned to the house. '_Where is he? Where is he?!'_

He turned on the lamp.

And all three of them promptly screamed when they saw the figure appear _right in front of them!_

The two women put their hands over their heads in an attempt to defend themselves from any possible attack, while Akira simply remained paralyzed as he looked at the sudden intruder dead in the eye.

Lightning struck again, and together with the light provided by the lamp he was holding, revealed to Akira everything he needed to know. The shape of the hair, the height, and the weird-looking armor gave it all away.

Everything except the _**emerald glow coming from her eyes.**_

He could only mutter one name in response.

"H-Hibiki?"

Lightning struck again.

Harumi and Kiyoko, not having expected to hear that name now, opened their eyes.

And then promptly widened in shock when they saw who it was.

The girl said only one thing in response.

"Hello, _father._"

-!-

"What is Maria-kun's position?!" Genjuro yelled across the bridge, waiting for someone to give him answers.

"Sir! The helicopter is five minutes away from its destination!"

'_Shit! That's too slow!' _Genjuro grumbled to himself. Chiba was at about a fifty-kilometer distance from Tokyo, from city center to city center. Seeing as Hibiki's house was slightly south of that area, it would take more time to reach it. However who knew what the situation there was right now, and they had launched the helicopter as soon as Hibiki was located. Not much time has passed since then, but with the helicopter going full speed they were bound to reach it faster than usual.

But would that be fast enough?

'_Please make it in time. We can't have Hibiki-kun make a mistake she'll regret for the rest of her life.'_

Just the thought of it was horrifying. If they failed to stop her and Hibiki killed her own father, it wouldn't matter if they managed to save her or not; she would discover what she had done eventually and would never be the same again.

They have to prevent that no matter what.

'_I just have to believe Maria-kun will make it in time. With the new Gears, it should be a bit more even...but we don't know that yet. The only training they've done was in the simulator, and that was just earlier today. They are definitely not used to it yet.'_

But there was no time to waste. The situation in Chiba was not the only thing they had to worry about.

Scans of the city were shown on the big display on the bridge, showing the absolutely huge congregation of Noise. Luckily enough, the evacuation had started almost instantly, giving enough time for the majority of the civilians to seek shelter.

But of course, that was not fool-proof. There have always been casualties when the Noise appeared, no matter how fast they responded.

This time, however, was very different, for not only did they have to deal with the return of the Noise, which at the moment seemed to be absurdly large in number, but also with the black beasts that Hibiki created, which were also way bigger in number than before. Their scans indicated at least a hundred of them spread out all over the city.

They had exactly four people able to deal with the threat at the moment.

To say they were outnumbered would be an understatement, even if one wielder equalled to at least one thousand Noise.

All four of them were already outside and waiting for orders. Now he just had to maximize the use of their abilities. He stared at the map indicating their position, seeing them standing at the end of the pier that led into S.O.N.G HQ. It is from there that they will deploy.

He opened the comm and spoke. "Chris-kun! You stand guard in the harbor and take out anything that even tries to look at you funny! Don't hold back! Make sure absolutely nothing gets past you!"

Her role in the battle would be mainly the defense of headquarters. With so many Noise, a large number of them would definitely start making their way towards the harbor and probably accompanied by some of the black beasts as well. To that end, placing Chris, who was the area of effect specialist of the wielders was the optimal choice; not only do her abilities focus on eliminating a large number of enemies at once, but because of the harbor's large open space she didn't have to worry about as much collateral damage in the process. Nowhere in the city is there such a location where she can let completely loose.

"_Roger that!" _She answered, her amusement obvious in her voice. The marker indicating her location moved back slightly, taking position at the very foot of the pier. It is there that Chris will bottleneck the approaching enemies.

That took care of that. Next. "Kirika-kun! Shirabe-kun! You two take point in the Skytree! Lure the enemy to your position and eliminate them!"

Placing the duo wielders in charge of the city's defense served two purposes: one, the two were incredibly mobile, Shirabe especially, allowing them to reach their intended location in an instant. Also, because there were two of them, they could cover each other's backs as they fought off waves upon waves of Noise and beasts that would come from all directions directly at them.

The second purpose was that the underground of the Skytree housed the largest shelter in the city, a prime target for the human-slaying Noise and the only one in a two-kilometer radius. Not only will the two wielders fight off any of the enemies attempting to breach it, but they would also be able to lure any nearby Noise to their location _because _of the large number of humans they were directly protecting.

"_You got it!" _Kirika answered for the two.

He could see the markers representing the girls on the map begin to move. The Skytree was an easy landmark to find so they wouldn't have any problem reaching it quickly. They would also catch the attention of any Noise and beast they encountered along the way, which was extremely helpful.

However, one problem remained: mainly, the rest of the city. Any area not covered by the Zababa duo's or Chris' sphere of influence will be absolutely ravaged by the Noise attacks, not to mention any shelters that they will not be able to directly protect. They are essentially defending only the key points, leaving everything else vulnerable.

Luckily enough, they had a powerful ally who was willing to assist.

"Saint-Germain," he said more quietly. "I will ask that you lure the enemy to either one of the two positions. The beasts are far more formidable than the Noise, so if you encounter any, eliminate them on the spot. The Noise are far too numerous for us to chase after; we must bring them all to one of the two designated points in order to make our job easier. Is that alright with you?"

The rush of static alerted him to the fact that his request had indeed reached its recipient. However, for one reason or another, she remained quiet longer than he had expected. He became slightly restless as he saw that the marker indicating her Faust Robe did not move from the harbor. He couldn't order her around, so everything he said could be denied or refuted completely.

It was only twenty seconds later that she finally responded.

"_I acknowledge your orders," _she answered. "_And it is a fine plan considering our limited forces."_

Only then did she move, jumping over obstacles in order to reach a certain location. He could see her marker rapidly change positions, indicating how fast she was moving through the city; however, her lack of complete answer perplexed him.

She resumed talking as she took a position on one of the taller buildings overlooking the city on the eastern side. "_However, due to the number of enemies, it will be extremely difficult to successfully divert their attention to our two cut off points. I do not doubt that many of them will indeed be missed and will proceed to breach the shelters."_

Unbeknownst to anyone on the bridge, Saint-Germain unpocketed several very interestingly shaped crystals. "_In order to be able to cover every possible corner of the city and ascertain that we successfully eliminated the entire enemy force, I believe that it will be necessary to bolster our own."_

Genjuro furrowed his brows. Bolster their own? Tokyo was, after all, an absolutely gigantic city, so it was obvious that the wielders, especially in their current numbers will not be able to cover it in its entirety. That was why he asked her to essentially act as bait. It was so they could herd the Noise towards the area where they could eliminate them in an orderly fashion. But how was she going to resolve this dilemma if she wasn't going to act as bait?

"_As such, I have come up with a solution to this problem," _she said.

Genjuro furrowed his brows. "What do you mean by that? What do you have planned?" He asked. He had an inkling of an idea, considering who she was, but he set it aside as too ridiculous.

Until it wasn't.

"_I believe you are well acquainted with them by now," _she added. "_After all, the Symphogears were broken by them during Carol Malus Dienheim's revenge, were they not? An enemy that you did not expect to see again."_

Genjuro's eyes widened. "Wait, you can't possibly mean-!"

Something that broke the Symphogears... an enemy they did not expect to see again...

Fujitaka finished that line of thought for him. "No way... you are going to use the Alca-Noise?!"

-!-

"That is correct," Saint-Germain answered as she looked down on the city. She could already see the massive amounts of Noise prowling the city streets, as well as the green and pink blurs that were the Blades of Zababa, heading towards the Skytree. She had chosen this particular building to stand on because of the large open plaza that stood right beneath it.

"I have synthesized plenty more using the research papers I have retrieved from my previous base. It was the only thing I have been doing for the past few days; at this point, the amount I can deploy at once numbers in the very high thousands. I believe that will be sufficient, is it not?"

"_Wait just a damn minute!" _She heard Chris yell over the comm. "_You are going to summon Noise too? How the hell does that even make sense?! What makes you so sure they won't turn on us?!"_

"They have been programmed to be bound to my will. They will only target what I order them to and nothing else; they will serve as the rank-and-file soldiers for this battle," she explained evenly, now holding several dozen of the Alca-Noise crystals in her hand.

"_To pit the Alca-Noise against the ancient ones...who would have thought such a scenario would become reality?" _Genjuro said in disbelief.

The alchemist huffed. "You said it yourself, that desperate times call for desperate measures. It is unprecedented, but I believe they will prove their effectiveness."

"_Can the Noise even kill each other?" _Chris asked. If there was one thing Chris _never _expected to happen, it was to team up with the Noise to fight _other _Noise! Even when she was using Solomon's Cane she never really considered them soldiers or even alive, just things to throw at her enemies!

"_Theoretically yes," _Elfnein interjected. "_But we won't know until we see it for ourselves."_

"Then let me serve as the proof of your hypothesis, Elfnein," Saint-Germain said proudly. "So for the first time in human history, the Noise shall act as the shield of mankind!"

Then she threw the crystals down. A second later they shattered against the ground, and where they broke dozens upon dozens of magic circles appeared, covering the plaza in its entirety.

And from within the seals, the Alca-Noise rose by the hundreds, in all shapes and sizes. Humanoid, Crawler, Flying, Cell, Millipede, and even several Giant Noise were summoned out of the crystals, filling the plaza to its absolute limit. Once they had all appeared, the army of Alca-Noise remained immobile, awaiting the orders of the one who had brought them forth.

Saint-Germain stood on the edge of the building's roof, overlooking her summoned pawns. She materialized her gun and raised it high into the air, her voice echoing across the plaza. "Your targets are the Babylonian Noise! Hunt them down and leave none alive! Any human you find is to be spared! Am I clear?!"

The only response she received was the insect-like shuffling of her constructs.

That was all she needed to hear.

She swung the gun down.

'_Let this act be the first step in making amends for my sins!'_

"FORWARD!"

The city trembled as the army of Alca-Noise charged into the streets, seeking their targets.

-!-

"Hibiki? Is that really you?" Harumi spoke up from behind her husband as she rose to her feet. Her mother followed suit, and the two looked with wide eyes at the child of the family.

The girl said nothing and merely continued staring at her father, her emerald gaze piercing into him, gluing him to the spot. Harumi and Kiyoko went to stand next to him, looking her over. "You scared us half to death, honey. If you planned on coming to visit you should have called first. We were really worried about you when you weren't answering your phone this whole week. Is everything okay?" Harumi continued, strangely oblivious to the ominous atmosphere that accompanied her daughter's arrival.

Hibiki's only response was to stay silent and keep on glaring at her father, who also did not utter a word. Akira knew, he just _knew_, that what he should be feeling at the moment was relief and joy at seeing his daughter again. That he should be spending the time catching up with her about everything that has been going on.

But the only emotion that filled his being was fear as those absolutely _wrong _shining eyes bore into him. That was just the first alarm that rang in his mind, seeing this alien color in his daughter's eyes. What's more, this... armor she was wearing was very unlike what he saw the last time. Back then it was a sleek white with yellow and orange highlights, a color scheme that very much fit her and her personality.

There was something terribly wrong here. Hibiki's homecoming in a while should not be this unsettling.

Concerned at her daughter's lack of reaction, Harumi took a step forward. "Hibiki? Is everything alright?" She asked. It was then, now that she was no longer obscured by the darkness or by Akira's back that Harumi finally noticed that Hibiki looked very, very different. "What...is that thing you're wearing?"

Narrowing emerald eyes was the only response. Harumi tried to continue digging further. "Hibiki, what is going on?"

"Shut up."

Her daughter's vehement denial took Harumi by surprise. Kiyoko's own expression hardened as she also took a step forward. "Hibiki, that is not a manner to talk to your mother!" She chided. "Tell us what is going on—"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Hibiki yelled, shutting down any further attempts from the two women to understand what is happening. "I'm not here for you."

She didn't even bother to spare them a glance as she spoke, and they could hear her words were laced with fury and contempt, greatly unnerving the two women. They haven't seen her for a while, and this sudden change in her demeanor was absolutely mind-boggling.

"Hibiki, please, what is happening? Please talk to us!" Harumi pleaded.

Hibiki once again did not respond to her mother, so in a moment of slight bravery, Akira finally managed to open his mouth to speak too. "Hibiki, you should listen to your mothe—"

He didn't even see her move. One second he was standing in front of her, and the next he found himself grabbed by the collar of his shirt and his back slammed against the wall. He howled at the sudden pain, and the two women screamed at the violence. The lamp and the knife clattered to the ground beneath his feet.

"G-g-guhhh..."

"HIBIKI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Once again Hibiki ignored her mother and sent her father a derisive look. His legs flailed and he grabbed her arm, trying to free himself from her grip, but he found that she would not budge even an inch. Lightning flashed again, and with its help, he could finally make out all the intricate details of this new armor she was wearing. In particular, the nasty looking spikes and the glowing purple veins that he had _somehow _missed earlier.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Hibiki raised her arm to lift her father up even more against the wall. He began to choke as he felt the side of his collar push against his windpipe. "H-Hibiki... I c-can't b-breath-"

"Does it hurt?"

Anything else he wanted to say got caught in his throat as she spoke.

"I asked you," she repeated herself, her emerald eyes still gazing up at him. Then, in a single fast motion unpinned him from the wall and smashed his back against the wooden dining table. It shattered under the force, and Akira screamed in pain, spittle flying out of his mouth.

Harumi and Kiyoko screamed too, and somewhere along the line started begging her to stop, but she ignored them completely. She only had eyes for her father, now filled with nothing but fury and hatred.

"IF IT HURTS!" She yelled, picking him up by the neck and slamming him again against the debris of the table. He screamed again as splinters dug into his back.

Realizing he should most definitely answer her, he gathered all the strength he could muster and choked out a response. "I-it hurts..."

"Is that right?"

She raised him into the air with a single hand, and his arms fell to his side, paralyzed from the pain bombarding his brain. Her grip slightly tightened and he squirmed as less air entered his lungs, and his legs dangled uselessly beneath him. He was taller than she was, but somehow she managed to lift him so high his feet couldn't find purchase on anything. Harumi and Kiyoko continued screaming in the background, unable to stomach the sight but afraid to try and intervene.

"How do you think it compares?" She said harshly. "How do you think I felt when I suffered through hell for two years? How do you think I felt when I looked to you for help, and the only thing you did was scream and yell?"

She squeezed his throat even harder, choking the life out of him. She snarled savagely, her teeth clenching in pure anger. "How do you think I felt when you abandoned me when I needed you the most, YOU DAMN COWARD!"

And then she threw him. He flew across the living room and smashed through the window connecting to the front yard, the glass shattering into a million pieces. Akira fell to the ground and rolled, only stopping when his back hit the outer wall, releasing another painful cry as the cold air rushed into his lungs. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled above him, the rain beating down on him with all its fury.

Hibiki trudged through the house, and through the aura of her anger, the furniture in her way was blasted from her path, smashing against the walls. Harumi and Kiyoko's screams were drowned out from the noise. Her eyes still locked on her injured father outside, she reached the broken window and jumped over it easily, joining him in the front yard.

Akira rose to his hands and knees, coughing harshly as Hibiki advanced on him. The downpour only strengthened as she walked, thunder and lightning joining in on the chaotic chorus in the sky.

"You piece of trash," she spat out. "You're nothing but a damned insect who cares only about himself. All you ever think about is how YOU benefit from everything, don't you?!"

And then she kicked him in the stomach just as he began to try and rise to his feet. The wind was knocked out of him and he fell on his side, covering him in mud. "You only pretended to care the entire time! But you actually don't; you never did, I know that now," she continued.

At that moment Harumi dashed outside as well, with Kiyoko right behind her. They ran into the rain and went to Hibiki's side, trying to dissuade her from continuing. "HIBIKI! YOU HAVE TO STOP! PLEASE!"

But she was ignored, and Hibiki simply kept on going with a vile tone. "You went on and on about how things are always so fucking fine, right?! 'It's all right, everything is just fine', HUH?!"

She kicked him again, the tip of her boot slamming into him. This time, he coughed up blood into the mud, and Harumi and Kiyoko stood horrified at what she was doing. "HIBIKI I'M BEGGING YOU! PLEASE STOP!"

"You spouted that garbage every single day, but when it suddenly turns south for you, you just got up and RAN! And you didn't care! You screamed and yelled how you were having it so hard, and then abandoned us when it got too tough for you. You left us to deal with everything on our own while you hid like a piece of shit!"

She kicked him again, and this time Harumi grabbed her arm. She tried to shake her, anything to just make her stop what she was doing, to free her from this nightmare. "HIBIKI! PLEASE LISTEN TO ME!"

But her daughter's only response was to swat her away, and Harumi fell to the ground with a yelp. Kiyoko ran to her side, and the two looked to Hibiki with tears in their eyes as she kept on screaming.

"That's all we were to you, some house for you to crash in while you lived in your own little world, pretending that everything is happy! And we ate it up like a bunch of idiots! How did it feel, knowing you knocked up a woman only to abandon her when she needed you?!"

And she kicked again.

"You think YOU had it so fucking hard?! I was accused of being a murderer! I was pushed down flights of stairs, was punched and kicked and bullied every single day! I stopped going outside after someone tried to kill me when all I wanted was to buy something to eat! So how do you think I felt when not only did the entire world paint me as a killer but my own father too?!"

And again. Harumi gasped, having not heard that particular part before.

"You don't have the _right _to complain about being in pain, _especially _when you don't even know what it is! I didn't put my life on the line so trash like you can keep on bitching about how hard their life is when you don't even know what a hard life really is!"

She delivered one final hard kick that caused him to squirm and writhe from the excruciating pain. Akira's mind reeled, and he could barely make out his wife's cries over the sound of the rain...

But not over what Hibiki was saying.

She was cursing his existence, breaking him down bit by bit. The whole world seemed to go into slow motion as his eyes moved between his daughter and his wife. One was crying, and one was screaming at the top of her lungs. Everything seemed to be mixing and churning together.

He wanted to deny her. He wanted to get up on his feet and tell her she was wrong, that he never looked at them in such a deplorable way.

But his strength had been sapped, and once more fear and cowardice filled him, just like in the past.

'_So this how I pay... for what I did?' _He managed to realize. Those eyes piercing into him were hellbent on making him suffer, hellbent on making him realize just how much of an insect he was before her. '_In the end, no matter how much I want to make things right... I'll never be able to.'_

For some reason, he could see those scenes from two years ago replay in his mind. The moment he burst into the hospital room Hibiki was in, the moment he was fired from his job, and all those terrible nights he lashed out at his family after excessively drinking due to his despair.

'_She's right... all I ever thought about was myself. I never considered what they felt... what she felt. I only saw my own sorrow, completely forgetting that there was someone here who had it much worse than I did. My own daughter nearly lost her life, and the only thing I did was make it much worse for her.'_

'It's alright, everything is fine.' That was his life motto, the phrase of optimistic outlooks that he had cursed her with. A phrase that embodies running away from difficult things, of turning a blind eye to the truth. And yet even that motto could not help him rise from the depths that he had fallen into, for it very quickly lost all meaning exactly when it was needed the most.

A phrase that forces you to hide what you are truly feeling, in order to put up a facade of cheeriness just so others wouldn't worry about you. '_She's right... I really am trash. I had to rely on her, who I had not seen in over two years, begging her to give me another chance. I ran away from all responsibility, blaming everything and everyone else over my own self.'_

"It's all YOUR fault!"

'_Yeah, it really is. If I had been just a bit braver... if I hadn't run away, everything would've turned out fine in the end. I ruined everything, and she has every right to hate me for it.'_

He looked up at her weakly, the full brunt of her glare crushing him, accusing him, judging him.

'_I'm sorry, Hibiki, for being such a coward. I'm sorry... I couldn't be there for you. I'm sorry... for ruining our family.'_

He struggled to move, to try to get back up on his feet somehow. He was in so much pain he didn't understand why he hasn't blacked out yet. Noticing his feeble attempts, Hibiki thrust her arm to the side, and from thin air, her spear appeared in her hand. Harumi and Kiyoko gasped in horror again, fearful of the weapon that had materialized out of nowhere.

The rogue wielder raised the spear into the air. "I'm not going to let you use me for your selfishness anymore!"

"NO! HIBIKI! STOP!"

All pleas for mercy were denied.

She swung the spear down, fully intent on killing him here.

Only to stop mid-swing and jump away onto the wall itself when something passed through the spot she stood on a moment before.

"Tch—!"

A silver blade gleamed in the light of crackling lightning, illuminating the face of the one who had stopped her from delivering the final blow. Landing gracefully before the terrified family, Maria promptly dislodged her sword from the ground. She turned to look up at Hibiki, narrowing her gaze at her.

"Looks like I made it just in time," she said. Following her arrival, the sound of helicopter blades spinning wildly above them joined in on the cacophony of noise, blowing away rain and dirt in all directions.

A man in a suit landed next to the Airgetlam Adaptor and immediately went over to check on the wounded Akira. "Ogawa-san, will he be okay?" The idol asked him.

"I believe he will," The ninja responded. "But we should get him to a hospital as quickly as we can."

"Then do so, and take her mother and grandmother with you as well," Maria added, her gaze lingering on the rogue Adaptor. "We can't have them stay here any longer."

"Roger that," he answered, and lifted Akira off the ground. Just as he began to make his way to the two women, Hibiki suddenly appeared in front of him and swung her spear. Reacting quickly, Ogawa dodged out of the way.

"I'm not letting him get away!" Hibiki screamed. "Get the hell out of my way, Maria!"

'_Hoh, no -san?' _ "I'm afraid I can't do that," The idol said as she turned around to face her. "I'm not about to let you make a mistake you are most definitely going to regret."

"There is nothing to regret about getting rid of a piece of trash like him," Hibiki snapped back.

"I don't know anything about that, but regardless of what he is, he is still your father. The father that you said you would do your best to get along with again. I'm not going to stand aside and let you ruin all the effort you made to win back your happiness."

"His very existence brings me suffering; it's only fair I get rid of the one who caused this problem in the first place."

Maria chuckled, "You really have lost yourself completely, haven't you? But there's nothing to do about this now. Talking to you is like trying to speak to a wall; I'd rather we finish this, just like you wanted. You've got some gripes with me too don't you? Then bring it. I bet kicking around an unarmed person wasn't very fun or liberating, was it?"

Her blatant provocation seemed to have worked as Hibiki's face scrunched up in fury at her words. Maria's mind briefly wandered back to what Genjuro told her to do while she was enroute.

"_Maria-kun, when you arrive, do everything you can to provoke her into chasing you. You HAVE to lure her back to Tokyo. We can't have her stay out of the combat zone where we can't monitor her movements completely!"_

The air itself shook as Hibiki's anger took on a visible, physical form as a fierce crimson aura. While she was occupied, Ogawa hurriedly took the two catatonic women with him as well. With all of the passengers tucked in, he jumped into the air, grabbing hold of the ladder that hung from the helicopter. It promptly began to make its way to the nearest hospital, leaving only the two Symphogear wielders in the perimeter of Hibiki's home.

The aura continued growing as the phonic gain levels coming off of Hibiki reached an unprecedented high. However, Maria did not falter in the least. After going through the hell that was the Cursed Eden Module activation, her mind felt much clearer. Much sharper. Much _stronger_. There was no fear or hesitation in her form as she stood before the devil incarnate that Hibiki had become, merely staring at her with a focused gaze.

'_That's right, Hibiki-san. Hate me, be angry at me. Look only at me. Your opponent is right in front of you.'_

"MARIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Even the bestial screaming of her own name did not faze her in the slightest. She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the rain falling around her. It was so serene, and so melancholic at the same time.

But of course, this was not any normal rain. This was a thunderstorm, and lightning struck and thunder clapped loudly in the background as the Heavens themselves shook and roared.

Maria's response was swift.

"**IGNITE MODULE! UNSHEATHE!"**

Forgoing the standard ritual of the Module's activation, the mere words caused a furious black flame to erupt from her, evaporating the rain that dared to even touch it. Hibiki was confused by the sudden spike of power coming from her opponent, but then instantly realized what its source was. Her eyes widened in shock.

"YOU—!"

The flames did not disperse, and within them, Maria stood with a glare of tranquil fury in her eyes. The darkened Airgetlam covering her form sucked in light from all directions; she raised her now blackened blade, as tainted as her armor was, to face Hibiki head-on.

"You dare use my own power against me?!" Hibiki howled.

"Yes, we dare!" Maria roared back. "Do you think you can leave us in the dust for long?! I don't think so! We will puke blood if we have to and go through every unimaginable hell in order to catch up to you! All for the sake of one goal: BRINGING YOU BACK HOME!"

More power exploded from Maria as the sheer size of the flames increased, nearly matching Hibiki's own. "Now then, bring it, Hibiki-san!"

"**MARIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"**

The clash of blades and fire that blew away the rain signalled the start of the battle.


	16. Chapter 16: Legend Reborn

There was so much noise around her that Harumi was convinced she was going to be deaf for days after this.

The sounds of the helicopter's blades spinning, thunder crashing, and the rain pouring down only added to the feeling of foreboding and concern that filled both her and her mother. Akira was strapped in, laying on his back on a makeshift bed, groaning all the while. The man in the suit sat next to him, checking him over a few times.

"Is he going to be okay?!" Harumi asked in utmost worry. The well-kempt man turned to her and smiled.

"Yes, he will. I thought it would be much worse but I guess she couldn't stop herself from holding back, even unconsciously," he answered.

"Then please tell me, what is going on?! Why did Hibiki act like this?!" She pressed on, her bewilderment obvious on her face.

Ogawa's expression evened as he responded. "It's a very long story, and one I'll answer fully and truthfully once we arrive at the hospital. For now, I'll tell you this: My name is Ogawa Ogawa, and I work for the division within the government known as the Squad of Nexus Guardians, or S.O.N.G, for short. Your daughter has been a member of our division for over a year now."

Harumi's and Kiyoko's eyes widened in shock, having been completely oblivious to what Hibiki has been doing. "I understand that you are confused, and that is to be expected. I assume you have heard of the existence of what is known as the Symphogears, correct?" He asked. The two of them nodded; they heard something about this on the news a few months ago, but never knew about the specifics. "Long story short, your daughter is a member of those Symphogears, and has been assisting us in eliminating supernatural threats to humankind."

Harumi's eyes shook at his answer. "W-wha—"

"I know it all sounds very confusing and complicated, but you can rest assured I will explain everything that has happened once we settle down and get your husband the medical care he needs," Ogawa explained. "Once we have that done, we can start talking about—"

"But at least, at least! Please tell me what happened to my daughter!" Harumi begged, cutting into Ogawa's words.

"Something that shouldn't have happened," was his straightforward and blunt answer, interrupting all attempts by Harumi to keep pleading. "This entire situation should have been over by now with everyone being none the wiser, but an unknown element has changed the outcome to something we could not have foreseen. As much as I want to tell you everything right now, before that there are certain procedures I have to follow in order to make sure you do not spread this information without authorization. Everything you will hear is top secret and classified, so you will have to sign a non-disclosure agreement as your husband did."

Harumi blinked a few times and looked towards Akira's unconscious form. "Like Akira did?"

"Yes. Due to various circumstances, your husband was involved in an incident a few months ago when he assisted Hibiki-san against an enemy, and from then on was aware of what has occurred. He couldn't talk about it because he signed the papers, so do not be alarmed," Ogawa explained. "I promise you will get the full story, but for now let's get your husband the help he needs."

It wasn't the first time he had to act as a calm mediator, and he understood why they were bewildered. Harumi took a deep breath and sighed. "Okay... okay, I understand."

Ogawa gave her a bright smile. "Don't worry, we will get your daughter back. You can count on that."

For some reason, his comforting words reassured her, despite the storm in her mind. She had absolutely no idea just how complicated the situation was, but his word was all she had going for her. To have some measure of calm and comfort.

She looked to the outside and realized that if she focused just enough, she could hear the sound of clashing steel echoing in the background. She did not know what it meant, but she hoped that by the time the storm passes... that the worry will too.

-!-

They were a swarm. Countless amounts of Noise of all shapes and sizes made their way to the harbor, their programming alerting them to the fact that a large amount of humans were gathered somewhere in its vicinity. They cared for little else, and simply marched towards their destination with that single goal in mind.

They came by the thousands, accompanied by shadowy beasts that they cared not about. They were a swarm, united by a common cause, and nothing would stand in their way.

Or at least, that's what they would have believed if they had the ability to do so. They were mindless, simply automatons that sought out their targets and eliminated them without regard to themselves. Recently they could not accomplish their objective because the gate to the world of humans was sealed away, trapping them in their dimension forever. Their numbers had been cut down by the millions, yet there were millions more to be had within it.

They were a swarm, and they were nearly infinite.

Now was their chance to return and complete their objective: the destruction of all that is human in the world. That was their only cause and their only purpose. I is something that nothing could ever change about them. The only way to stop their advance is to eliminate them before they had a chance to do anything about it.

And unluckily for them, something of that sort existed in this world.

When they arrived in the heart of the harbor, they stopped, their entire force standing in place as they looked forward. Right there, placing themselves in between the Noise and their target was a single girl clad in red, staring ahead.

Chris was, for lack of a better word, unusually calm. Having let off steam earlier through the comm, she now had to focus on her own objective: defending headquarters from all attempts by the Noise to breach it. She could see, intermingled between the ranks of the automatons she had unleashed many years ago were several of the black beasts that blindsided them in the school. They too remained in place, as if waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

But even something as mindless as them could not ignore the fact that the Ichaival Adaptor had zero holes in her guard, her strange serenity betraying absolutely nothing about her.

It seemed to be a strange symptom of post-Cursed Eden Module, Elfnein had noticed. That for some reason the girls were...eerily focused and calm. Like their very mindset had changed between then and now.

She would not be wrong in her assessment. To witness your own hell in the depths of your mind was eye-opening, to say the least. Chris figured that the others at least had seen something that made them have to change the very way they think to overcome it.

But not Chris. No, Chris, to their surprise, was the one who conquered that hell the fastest out of all of them. Merely a minute after the darkness covered her it was tamed, something that shocked them to no end. They asked her what she saw, but she gave them a vague answer, not really willing to divulge that information just yet.

She couldn't tell them that life was hellish enough for her that nothing inside her own mind could possibly compare. What she saw was a mere recreation of stuff she had already experienced before. The death of her parents by the hands of the ones they had tried to save. The moment she was kidnapped by human traffickers and abused to no end. The lecherous stares of some of the more insidious crime lords as they laid their eyes upon her. Her eventual rescue by Section Two and her subsequent kidnapping by Fine, her torture at her hands, and more.

What could rival to that? She wasn't proud of being able to overcome that hell so quickly. It depressed her even more, the fact that everything in real life was worse than that. She had heard the screams and cursing from the shadows, yet they didn't matter to her in the least. Her biggest fears had already been realized in the past, and her current ones were paltry by comparison.

But still, she came to a very important conclusion from all of that, from seeing her own life replaying before her eyes: that she will never, _never, _allow such suffering to occur again. Nobody deserved to have that happen to them no matter who they were, and she vowed to make that a reality.

And most of all, she will never forgive herself if she let the idiot, no... Hibiki go through with what she wanted to do. Hibiki was her savior, the one who held out her hand to her and trusted her even when they were enemies, doing her best to get along with her.

So she would repay the kindness and the opportunities she showed her no matter what, for that was the least she could do the person she considered a dear friend.

Chris stared ahead, taking a good look at the herd that embodied her sins:

The Noise, the sin of believing in a person who had used her for her own ends.

The black beasts, the sin of failing the person who had saved her.

So to answer for those sins, she had no problem casting her life away.

Her stare turned into a fierce glare, and she grasped the pendant of Ichaival tightly with her hand and waited.

The seconds ticked, and no one moved.

And then she finally got the go-ahead as Genjuro spoke, "_Everyone...give them hell."_

That was all she needed to hear.

And along with her own, three other voices rose above the city that had become a battlefield.

"**IGNITE MODULE, UNSHEATHE!"**

The usual ritual was once again bypassed, and four black flames erupted in several locations around the city. Blazing towards the sky, the usual red and white Ichaival was tainted, the god-slaying power taking center stage. The dark purple glow, combined with the crimson veins, made her appearance uncomfortably similar to the black beasts in her mind.

A moment later, Chris' serene expression was replaced by one that gave even the Noise pause: a deeply contained fury that was about to be unleashed upon them.

"**BRING IT ON, MOTHERFUCKERS!"**

_(Play: Male Roar - Dynasty Warriors 7 OST)_

The swarm charged. The insanely huge amount of Noise made their way towards Chris as a symbol of an unstoppable force, and the black beasts followed suit. In any other situation, they would have been able to overwhelm her with sheer force and numbers.

But this time was very, _very _different.

Chris counted in her head three seconds to total mayhem.

She materialized her miniguns in her hands but did not open fire. No, she instead did something completely unexpected: she threw them in the air.

And as the Noise charged, she continued to materialize more weapons in her hands at blinding speeds. Rocket launchers, miniguns, bows, crossbows, bazookas, pistols, shotguns. Every single projectile weapon she could think of, be they modern or ancient, were thrown into the air by her side. At first, one would think she had gone nuts, discarding such a vast amount of weaponry for absolutely no reason.

They would be very wrong.

Rather than be tossed aside like trash, the weapons instead hung in the air, their muzzles and barrels aimed at the veritable tidal wave that was the Noise and black beasts.

Three.

The weapons spread out, covering as much space as possible. And right there, hanging in the air by nothing more than her will, was a wall. A wall made of nothing but pitch black weapons that she had brought forth.

Two.

But of course, she could not leave her own hands completely empty. Willing a weapon to materialize, it appeared in her hand. It was something unlike anything she had ever used before.

And she gave it an appropriate name: The Devastator.

A double-barreled launcher that fired miniature rockets at the rate of an automatic machine gun, it is a weapon that promises to deliver absolute hell upon anything that dared to be caught in its line of fire.

And Chris stood in place, her new weapon in hand and flanked by her many others.

One.

'_**MEGADETH ORCHESTRA'**_

And then: obliteration.

All weapons opened fire simultaneously. The Noise didn't even have time to try and think about dodging as total hellfire descended upon them. Rockets, bullets, arrows, cannonballs, and many other types of ammunition rained down in numbers almost rivaling the Noise's, bringing destruction to the harbor in less than a second. Pillars of flame erupted in countless locations throughout the wide-open area, the ground beneath might as well be made of glass as it shattered to pieces.

The Noise continued charging blindly into the hail of death and were cut down almost instantly, their mindless programming forcing them forward regardless of their own fate. Even the flying Noise attempting to bypass her hundreds of feet in the air were unable to make it a single inch past the wall she had created, the weapons at the very top automatically aiming for them and shooting them down like they were mere flies. Even the gigantic Noise that endlessly spawned their own brethren were unable to make it past.

Nothing could make it past her. Her bellow echoed throughout the harbor.

"**IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?!"**

The ground itself shook from her roar, causing even the black beasts that weaved their way between the Noise to falter in their step.

But a veritable few brave fools forged ahead regardless, and a black beast managed to close the distance despite its injuries and make its way to the mistress who commanded the weapons. It lunged at her with claws outstretched, intending on finishing her off with one strike.

Only to miss completely as she sidestepped it easily. She briefly let go of the Devastator and smashed her fist into the back of the beast's head. It stumbled forward from the blow, but she did not stop there. She followed it up with a punch to its chin, throwing it into the air and back into the ranks of its comrades.

And it was summarily blown to bits by a volley launched by the Devastator that she grabbed just as it was falling.

The god-slaying power was really showing its worth here, Chris noted inwardly. If before just one black beast gave all of them a run for their money, now even dozens of them couldn't stop themselves from being mowed down by her barrage. And ones that managed to get through it? Easily dodged and blasted to pieces in seconds.

"**YOU WILL NEVER GET PAST ME!"**

Baited by her yell, the beasts roared and charged towards her in blinding speeds. Only two managed to make it to her alive, and she readied herself to counter their attacks again.

Only for them to leap above her at the last second and strike at the weapons hanging in the air, smashing to pieces a rocket launcher that was just about to fire.

Her eyes widened in surprise, and then a smirk lit up her face. "Hoh, so you do know what you're doing!"

How surprising, to think the mindless beasts would aim for her support.

Well, too bad that ain't going to work for them.

Immediately several other weapons aimed at the offending beast and blew it apart, scattering black dust all over her. However, the remaining one landed on the pier and bypassing Chris, it began its charge towards the submarine.

Only to be struck down by an arrow fired from the bow that was now in her hand, the Devastator taking the place of the destroyed launcher above her head. The arrow pierced through the beast's core, striking the bundle of divine power that made up its fake heart. The cluster was immediately destroyed by the projectile enhanced by god-slaying power, and the beast burst into dust instantly.

"I told you, you ain't getting past me."

She then spun on her heel and aimed her bow at the incoming wave, her shout drowning out even the sound of the explosions her barrage was creating. She notched a grotesquely oversized arrow in her bow and planted her legs, the ground beneath her feet shattering from the force.

"_**LET THIS DRAGON CONSUME YOU!"**_

And fired.

'_**ARTHEMIS EIDOLON'**_

The arrow was released, and a moment later exploded in a flash to reveal a dragon of light. It roared, tearing through the Noise ranks. However, this one was a bit more special; she gave it a very interesting property she was definitely going to enjoy seeing put to good use.

The dragon continued its path of destruction, weaving through explosions and Noise to chase its real targets: the beasts. The dozens of beasts in the back of the Noise's clustered formation did not even have time to notice it coming upon them before its gaping maw swallowed them whole. The dragon devoured their cores in an instant, vaporizing their bodies and destroying the cores in one fell swoop. It continued its charge, its form held together by Chris' will. She smirked and threw the bow above her to join the rest of the weapons, and the Devastator returned to her waiting hands.

None could get past her. Noise, beasts, nothing could match up to her in her current state.

A gigantic fireball engulfed the harbor as something detonated. Gales of wind and fire blew in all directions, and the earth shook from the shockwaves. The Noise and the beasts were blown away, the dragon still tearing through their backlines.

Yet Chris stood strong, for now, she was the hunter, and they were the hunted. They were beasts, and she was a warrior who cut them down where they stand.

For she was the embodiment of the hunt, the successor of the God of the Bow, Ullr!

Her eyes shone with a purple light, her frame surrounded by the blazing black flame.

The world trembled in awe of her might.

And in a certain location on the submarine behind her, dark blue eyes shot open.

-!-

The submarine shook violently as the shockwaves from the explosions Chris was causing rocked it to no end.

The doctor, making his way back to the medical room, leaned against the wall as he tried to find his balance again for the third time. "This... is ridiculous," he murmured to himself. He was aware, just like the rest of the crew members of exactly what was happening and what the wielders were doing.

He did not like it one bit, but it was not his place to object. He knew the reason why they were doing it too, and he could not argue with that, he realized. He's just going to have to do his best to support them in whatever way he can.

Finally, after what felt like an eternal journey, he arrived at the medical room.

And froze in the doorway when he noticed something out of place.

For the glass tube in which the injured Adaptor was resting...

Was empty.

-!-

_(Play: Large Feather - Dynasty Warriors 7 OST)_

Lightning crashed, illuminating the sky as two figures clashed with reckless abandon on the streets of Chiba's residential district. Concrete walls crumbled from the very force of their swings, Gungnir and Airgetlam smashing against each other with unbelievable strength. Countless upon countless of strikes were exchanged between the two opponents, both wielding dark versions of their original Symphogears and blazing auras surrounding their frames.

"Mommy, what is happening outside?" One child asked his mother.

The woman had no answers to give him as she huddled him close, desperate to protect him. She had no idea what was happening, but it was sounding like the world was ending. She had peeked outside the window for just a moment, and then it promptly shattered into pieces when a powerful gale of wind sliced through it like paper. Luckily enough for her, the curtain over it took the brunt of the force so she was uninjured, but it was still incredibly scary to experience. The only thing she could see was two figures apparently fighting in the streets, but she had no idea what they were.

And at this point, she was too afraid to know.

Maria roared as another one of her swings was blocked by the spear Hibiki was holding. The rogue wielder groaned at the full force strike, skidding across the ground. But Maria was relentless, charging into the fray and closing the distance in an instant. Letting out all her power she struck and struck, and Hibiki actually found herself on the defensive.

"Don't you think..." She snarled, stopping another lightning-fast blow. "THAT THIS WILL STOP ME!"

She responded with her own wild swing, the spear screaming through the air. Maria brought up her sword and hurriedly blocked it, her feet digging into the ground as she poured all her energy into defense. She grit her teeth and pushed the spear away, her eyes briefly wandering to the house they were fighting next to. '_I can't keep duelling her here. I have to lead her away from a populated area.'_

Hibiki responded with a quick lunge, but Maria took the opportunity to jump into the air, reaching heights she has never been able to under normal circumstances. The god-slaying power was boosting her strength to unparalleled levels, ones she'd never be able to reach on her own.

And despite all of the advantages it gives, it was still not enough to match Hibiki head-on.

Her power was just completely on a whole other plane, figuratively and literally. Maria knew from the get-go that an exchange of force would end in the rogue Adaptor's favor, which is why at this point they needed something that won't give them additional strength, but rather a concept that can counter her immense power.

But as Adam said, the only one who possessed that concept was Hibiki herself. She was, essentially, her own counter.

And that was why it was going far better for the idol than before. Now using that very power against her, the results were much, much more equal. Every time their weapons clashed the Airgetlam user could feel Hibiki's spear groan as the divine power that lined it gave way, forcing her back.

But even this was fleeting, for eventually the divine power will be entirely consumed, leaving nothing but evil and demonic power flowing through her.

That will be the moment they'll truly be tested.

Hibiki took off into the air as well, her tunnel-vision on Maria blinding her to anything else. She struck wildly, and Maria parried the blow with all her might. The flat of the spear passed by her, and she took the opportunity to plant her feet against it and took off in the direction of Tokyo.

She can't allow herself to forget what Genjuro instructed her to do for even a second.

A perfect straight aerial line between Chiba and Tokyo passed over the Tokyo Bay, a location that Maria immediately found herself in. She soared through rain and lightning, but she couldn't say she was actually flying. She was more akin to gliding at high speeds, surpassing Mach 2, letting her keep herself in roughly the same height all the time as the thrusters on her back roared to life.

But Hibiki was hot on her heels, completely forgetting to use her own teleportation. Unlike Maria, the rogue Adaptor had true flight, allowing her to catch up to the Airgetlam user in absolutely no time. Maria looked back and grit her teeth, quickly turning in the air to block another blow from Hibiki's raised spear.

Only to be blinded when lightning struck the corrupted wielder. Spots filled the idol's vision as the light dissipated. For a moment she thought that maybe she lucked out and Hibiki was knocked out by the billion joules contained in the bolt.

And then Maria raised her sword in surprise when she saw Hibiki charge on regardless, completely disregarding the fact she was struck at all and slamming her spear against the blade.

Instantly Maria felt her arms shake as the leftover charge travelled from Hibiki to herself, and she bit down the searing heat that threatened to tear her apart from the inside. The rogue wielder did not stop there, and with her full force struck the sword Maria was holding. The sheer power behind the blow threw Maria further in Tokyo's direction, this time her flight out of her control.

She streaked through the air, and it was at this point that Hibiki apparently remembered how to use her teleportation, appearing right in the middle of her path, giving Maria barely a second to respond.

But that proved to be more than enough.

She twisted herself mid-flight and raised her arm up to block the incoming overhead blow. The spear tore through the rain, intent on slicing her in half.

Only to once again be violently repulsed by a triangular shield that appeared over Maria's arm. With nothing impeding her path, she slammed her free fist into Hibiki's stomach with all of her strength.

The rogue wielder's stomach heaved under the blow, and she clenched her teeth from the pain. She tried to move away, but a stinging pain from her stomach arrested her movements completely, paralyzing her in place. She looked down to see Maria's arm still planted in her stomach, but even more than that, several pitch-black daggers were impaled into her in a circle around Maria's fist.

Hibiki's gaze drifted to Maria's face, and her eyes widened when she noticed that her cyan eyes were _shining, _her expression a mask of resolve and unbridled power. With the rogue Adaptor unable to move even an inch with the blade piercing through her, Maria began the next phase.

She brought back her sword into her free hand and smashed its flat side against her forearm. A clicking noise was heard as the blade was locked in place, and then it began to rotate around her arm. It picked up speed in an instant, creating a circle of light outshining everything around them, blinding the rogue wielder.

Maria clenched her fist.

In that instant, the blackness that was the Airgetlam's arm flaked away to reveal a brilliant silver limb, shining in all its ancient glory.

"**THIS IS THE POWER OF AIRGETLAM!"**

And the might of Nuada, the first king of Tuatha de Danann, was unleashed upon the girl claimed by darkness.

'_**KING'S†JUDGMENT'**_

Hibiki was blown away. She was launched across the sky at breakneck speeds, surpassing anything that she could achieve on her own. Silver light filled the world as the beam carried the corrupted wielder onwards, the blades in her stomach not allowing her to move even an inch.

Maria stared ahead at her, and she groaned as the god-slaying power once again took hold, its blackness flowing over the silver arm once again. It was a painful process, but one she could not deny. The explosion she unleashed was mighty, but it was probably not going to be enough to take Hibiki down, she knew that much.

There was no time to waste.

The thrusters on her lower back roared to life, and she took off in the direction of Tokyo, hot on Hibiki's heels.

-!-

_(Play: Hide Emotion - Dynasty Warriors 7 OST)_

Buildings shattered and exploded as the Noise closed in on Kirika and Shirabe by the thousands. They came in from all directions; the air, the ground, and even tearing through structures. Such wanton destruction just to make their way towards the two wielders in order to strike them down and carbonize them.

And they were wholly unsuccessful.

It was pretty much impossible to catch either of the two by surprise. They covered for each other's blind spots and weaknesses, while at the same time enhancing each other's strengths.

And now, fueled by the power of the Cursed Eden Module, they were completely unmatched.

Rains of saws and crescent projectiles sliced through the ranks of the Noise, cutting them down by the hundreds with each swipe. One lucky humanoid Noise that managed to make it through unscathed lunged at Kirika, who could not swing in time to block it.

She did not need to.

It struck her straight on, intending on fulfilling its objective.

Only for her to tank the hit, none the worse for wear. She did not even need to move to try and intercept it or do anything about it. The mindless Noise was caught completely off guard by the fact that its full force blow did not even dent the Symphogear wielder.

The girl stared at the offending Noise with a deadly glare, and in a vicious move smashed her head against it with all her might. The crude act proved to be highly effective as the Noise stumbled back and disintegrated into dust.

More Noise closed in on her, but she remained calm. Re-equipping her scythe, she held it low behind her and forced her will into it, causing it to double in size.

And then it tripled.

And then _quadrupled_.

The massive scythe was six times her size in length, yet in her hands, it was as light as a feather. She jumped into the air, the ground beneath breaking apart, and in a single powerful swing threw the scythe. It spun so quickly, it became a roaring black disc that tore apart the Noise for five city blocks. Rubble and debris were flung in all directions as the scythe tore through concrete like it was made of paper, stopping with no regard to what was in its way.

And she repeated the action, again and again in all directions, filling the city streets with gigantic spinning scythes that destroyed thousands upon thousands of Noise with each pass. And yet they still trudged forward, trying to kill the ones that were tearing them down.

But it was impossible for the Noise. No matter how much time passes and how numerous they are, one thing will always remain certain: the Symphogear wielders will never be defeated by them.

As Kirika worked on cutting apart the Noise, Shirabe was busy taking care of a few unwanted guests that decided to join in. The black beasts chased her, but their attack missed every time as she slid past them faster than they could register. With each pass, she sliced more and more of them apart through the chest, terminating them instantly.

Another beast tried to lunge at her, but she moved out of the way easily and appeared behind it. She raised her leg in the air, and razor-sharp saws roared to life on her calf, spinning wildly. Then, in a single downward motion sliced through the beast vertically through the middle, cutting the divine core in half. Her foot smashed against the concrete, and she watched with half-interest as the now two halves of the beast turned into dust.

Then she spun and decapitated another beast that tried to sneak up behind her. Its head flew off in the distance, but that was still not enough to finish it off, so she made another pass, cutting through the core. More and more beasts came upon her in endless numbers, but she weaved through their attacks with the elegance of a ballerina, all the while using her razor-sharp yo-yos to cut them into pieces. Black dust was carried on the wind from the sheer number of beasts she was slaying in such short order, her power surpassing theirs by a very significant margin.

All those who looked upon the two would see auras of black flame rising from their frames towards the sky, dwarfing even the tallest skyscrapers of the city. They closed the distance between each other just as a beast lunged at Shirabe and a battalion of Noise closed in on Kirika. Their backs touched, and catching their opponents by surprise, they wordlessly exchanged targets. The black beast was swiftly cut down by Kirika's scythe while the Noise were torn to shreds by the giant saws that Shirabe materialized.

Unparalleled teamwork. Like two parts of the same whole, Kirika and Shirabe represented true duality; the furthest twins yet the closest strangers, their mismatched Gears filling in for what the other lacked. Kirika's insurmountable and overwhelming strength was backed by Shirabe's lightning-fast mobility and tactics.

They were truly a match made by the heavens themselves.

For that was the truth, for they were the duo that the Goddess Zababa chose to serve as her blades in the world of man!

Their eyes met as they turned, shining green and pink.

"Shirabe."

"Kiri-chan."

They nodded.

"_**Let's blow them away!"**_

Their auras flared even higher, and all opponents that tried to close the distance on them stepped back in fear of their power. The two glared at the approaching enemies and charged deep into their formation.

Immediately after, Noise were flung by the thousands into the air, holding together for barely a second before they disintegrated, the shockwaves of the two's advance wrecking the Noise formation. The mindless automatons attempted to retaliate, bearing down everything they have on the two wielders.

But nothing they could do even managed to get past the sphere of absolute death that they created around them. Any enemy that even attempted to get within striking range of the two was simply blown to bits, and even the beasts were not exempt. They put up a much better fight, diving in on them from all sides, but their reckless charge made them easy targets for the two.

Double scythes were swung in all directions as Kirika made her first pass through the block. A multitude of flying Noise tried to divebomb her, but they were mercilessly cut apart. She eyed a Giant Noise at the end of the street and threw one of her scythes in a spin, tearing it in half; but the rotating polearm was not done yet. It spun in the air only to automatically curve in its path like a boomerang. A black beast tried to capitalize on the minuscule opening that she left in her throw, but was instantly cut down by the returning disk.

Another beast tried to jump her from behind, but without even looking back Kirika smashed her fist into its face, causing it to tumble backwards and right into the waiting hands of Shirabe's saws, eviscerating it as soon as they touched it. The Shul Shagana user moved like the wind between the Noise, slicing and dicing in all directions, her spinning saws serving two purposes at once: cutting down the targets in close range and serving as launchers for smaller saws that were flung to the distance, downing even the biggest of flying Noise in the sky.

Their sphere of influence only increased as they made their passes through the streets, never for a moment forgetting their objective of defending the Skytree. Some opportunistic beasts and Noise attempted to approach the entrance of the shelter, hearing the cries of the humans within.

Only to be blown apart by the traps Shirabe had installed as enormous sawblades erupted from the ground up to bisect the advancing line. Realizing that her traps were triggered, the two partners looked to each other simultaneously and nodded, swiftly making their way to the base of the tower.

"Shall we go, Kiri-chan?" Shirabe said, earning a grin from the blonde wielder.

"Yeah, let's show them what we got!" Kirika responded, combining her two scythes into one.

They arrived back in less than ten seconds to meet the forward line of the Noise head-on, but this time they did something different. Kirika raised her scythe towards the sky with her right hand, and a moment later Shirabe grabbed the weapon's shaft with her left. Soon enough, power flowed from both as the scythe morphed, and the bladed end transformed into a giant pink and green saw that manifested a razor wind, blowing any enemy that attempted to approach their position.

"_**RETURN TO THE BEGINNING AND BE WASHED AWAY!" **_

The combined weapon glowed like a second sun in the night, casting shadows all over the battlefield.

A million columns of light erupted from it towards the sky, illuminating the area like the morning sunrise. The columns climbed higher and higher, passing over even the veil of clouds that began to arrive from the southeast.

A second ticked.

And then the lights came down on the Noise like a tidal wave, consuming them in their entirety in the bombardment.

'_**FLOOD OF UTNAPISHTIM'**_

It was a massacre.

Of the countless Noise that had made their attack on the Skytree, _none _survived, the lights piercing through them like the wrath of God himself.

And the beasts? Only served to become clouds of black dust, mixing into the night as they were blown away by the hurricane winds left over the destructive force.

The two wielders kept on holding the weapon aloft like a banner of victory, the lights still pouring out from it in all directions. Any person who would look upon the two would gape in awe, for even the curses that had blackened their gears could not fully mask their divine radiance.

Finally, after what seemed like eons, the shining saw stopped its frenzied spin, the light dying down and allowing the darkness of the night to reclaim its territory.

Shirabe released her hold on the scythe and Kirika brought it down to wield it as normal. A momentary silence descended on the area as it seemed that the two wielders grasped a perfect victory.

Only to hear the rumbling charge of thousands more, a new wave of Noise and beasts making their way towards them at lightning speeds.

"No breaks huh? Fine by me," Kirika declared boldly. "BRING IT ON!"

And the blades of Zababa charged back into the fray, their work still not done.

-!-

"This... is incredible!" Elfnein exclaimed, her mouth gaping open at the sight of the Symphogear wielders' staunch defense of the city. Her eyes darted to the numbers flying in. "This amount of phonic gain is amazing!"

"This is something else," Genjuro noted confidently. Such power was being thrown around almost casually, and it was wreaking total havoc upon the city. But at this point, even the city itself was an acceptable loss. Failure would mark the end of humanity as they know it, rendering any future use of the land moot.

'_But will it be enough?' _He wondered, gritting his teeth at the sight before him.

Something in the way they were fighting rubbed him the wrong way. No, it was as if there was something more than _just _god-slaying power there, enhancing their abilities. It couldn't be the curses themselves. No, those he figured was the reason the wielders seemed to have an uncharacteristic _focus _on their objective, and ferocity that they usually did not exhibit. Chris punching beasts in the face or Kirika smashing her head against a Noise target were just some of the strange changes in their demeanor.

As if he was reading his mind, Adam spoke up. "Hoh, that's an interesting development. I did not think the god-slaying power would stir open a connection to the primal origin."

Genjuro narrowed his eyes, the words Adam was using sounds downright alien. "What are you talking about?"

"Ho, you don't know what that is? How sad," Adam said derisively. "It's simple, the god-slaying power has awoken a certain part of the Symphogears that was closed off even from you."

At this incredulous statement, even Elfnein stared at him in shock, and he continued. "No, awoken is a big word to use here. It's more like it nudged open a tiny speck of the true nature of the relics the Symphogears find their origin in. After all, you _must _know that the Gears are derived from weapons that were wielded by gods, do you not? But those abilities were sealed away when they made their conversion into Symphogears. Well, not like any human in existence could possibly use the relics to their full potential, at least the ones of divine origin."

Genjuro was taken aback. Of course, he knew about the origins of the relics, there was no question about that. However, accessing their divine abilities? What? "That's impossible. Are you saying that they have divine power now?"

"Of course not, are you daft? All I'm saying is that they might start exhibiting abilities derived from the gods that wielded the relics as weapons, nothing more. While it's an interesting development, even such a thing will be meaningless when used by ones who are not fully compatible with them. I wouldn't put my faith in such thing if I were you, although that depends on how cleverly your subordinates can use these abilities," Adam explained. "Poor, poor Saint-Germain. She doesn't get a nice little bonus from all these curses she chose to take into herself. How tragic," he continued with mock sadness, earning a cringe from the bridge crew.

Genjuro looked back to the screen. Well, regardless of how...ridiculous, Adam's explanation sounded, it was still something. '_Powers derived from gods, huh?'_ He wondered. It made sense to him, in a way. Considering the god-slaying power was _not _derived from divinity, it was only logical it would not be sealed away.

However, that did not make things anymore simple. They are starting to delve into something that might be way out of their league. Noise were easy to deal with. Ancient relics? Piece of cake. Delusional reincarnating priestesses? A walk in the park.

But gods? And divine power? And primal origin? And awoken abilities? At this point, Genjuro was finding himself overwhelmed by all these new developments, and it frustrated him to no end. He _needed _to be on top of the situation so he can direct the course of events as seamlessly as possible, but as they continued more and more unknown elements made themselves known, throwing him for a loop.

He can't allow this to go on. If he lost control of the situation, they might end up in an inescapable situation that will render all of their efforts worthless. He _cannot _allow Hibiki to drift further and further from their realm of understanding, for the minute she did they will no longer be able to reach her.

Behind him, Miku looked on with her eyes narrowed. Her teeth grinding against each other in frustration, she clenched the hem of her skirt with all her strength, attempting to calm down.

Everyone was fighting so hard while she just stood there and did nothing. She merely stood and looked as Hibiki targeted her own family in her quest for vengeance, and she could do nothing but scream and look horrified.

Her whole frame shook as anger filled her to the brim, yet she could not allow herself to rage here. The only thing she had... the only thing that held her together... was the hope that the others with their new powers will be able to do something.

She thought nobody noticed her, but Genjuro did. He peeked at her from the corner of his eye, realizing she was keeping her fury in check.

'_Just a little bit more.'_

At that moment, the door to the bridge flew open, and both Miku and Genjuro turned around to stare at the newcomer.

And promptly froze in place. Their eyes widened at the blue-haired figure, still wearing her medical robes and standing tall in the doorway.

"Tell me everything."

-!-

_(Play: Ambition to Take Over - Dynasty Warriors 7 OST)_

The army of Alca-Noise spread into the city, seeking out the targets their mistress had decreed that must be destroyed. From the plaza in which they appeared they began to cover every inch of the city that was not guarded by the duo or by Chris.

Almost instantly Elfnein's theory proved true when the first casualty in the Babylonian Noise ranks occurred. When one of the humanoid Alca-Noise thrust its glowing stinger forward, piercing through the enemy Noise's head and causing it to explode into dust a moment later.

"There was no reason such an outcome would not come to pass," Saint-Germain said. "Both the Noise and Alca-Noise exhibit the Phase Contrast Barrier. Even if they do not nullify it as the Symphogears do, their dimensional phasing changes billions of times every millisecond; at the moment the two match for even a fraction of a second, the damage done will already be enough to destroy the target."

This proof showed itself in the results. The Babylonian Noise did not even know what hit them as the Alca-Noise tore through their ranks.

"_Saint-Germain! The Shinjuku shelter is being targeted!" _Fujitaka yelled over the comm to her. She was curious for a moment as to why he of all people was informing her of developments, but she put that thought aside.

With her will alone, the alchemist directed a section of her army to the designated location. Thankfully they were already fairly close, so the only thing she had to do was call their attention to it.

To make them easier to pinpoint and locate, Saint-Germain divided the Alca-Noise army into seven different regiments, each of them going in a different direction in the city. She also linked up a Giant Noise to each division, each one color-coded to serve as the pseudo-bannerman of its own regiment.

There were red, green, orange, yellow, pink, blue, and black, and each one had an equal amount of Alca-Noise of all types. This way she could control them much more easily and direct them as necessary according to which regiment was closer to its designated target.

In this particular scenario, the red regiment was the closest. The huge group of Alca-Noise smashed through buildings in a straight line towards their destination, eradicating any clueless Babylonian Noise that dared to stand in their way.

It was almost too easy. Because the ancient Noise were essentially leaderless, they had no direction and no strategy, only acting upon the instincts and programming installed in them in ages past.

Apparently, those in the past did not account for the fact that the Noise will ever target each other. So when the Alca-Noise tore through their ranks, they were met with absolutely zero resistance as the Babylonian Noise did not even try and _think _of retaliating. They simply stood in place and allowed themselves to be destroyed.

"What a total waste," Saint-Germain commented as she witnessed the destruction. Behind her, a group of six black beasts jumped onto the building she was standing on and attempted to ambush her.

She did not even bother to glance back at them. Her shoulder pads opened up, revealing a row of barrels that immediately opened fire. Caught off-guard, the black beasts were forced on the defensive as they were pelted by gunfire, bringing their arms up to defend their cores.

While they were preoccupied, the alchemist aimed her gun behind her back and fired, and the bullet pierced through the first beast easily. Then through the second, and then the third. Back and forth the bullet curved wildly as it obliterated each of the beasts' core, leaving nothing but black dust in their wake.

"This power is far too surprising," she continued as she glanced at her own form, studying the purple and crimson glow of her Faust Robe. "To think even these spawned abominations stand no chance when previously they had given us so much trouble."

The red regiment reached the entrance of the Shinjuku shelter in due time and worked their way through the enemy Noise prowling in its area. Again, absolutely zero resistance. They took point in less than a minute, striking out against their Babylonian counterparts that attempted to bypass them and reach the shelter. However, due to the fact that they ignored the Alca-Noise, it was all too easy to destroy them.

"_Itabashi shelter is under attack!"_

That's all the mindless Noise knew how to do; attack attack attack. No strategy, no will, no anything that would make them even worth her time. Whoever created these things were total fools. Damn lucky fools, but fools nonetheless. "Yellow regiment, turn back and head towards the designated location! Do not allow the shelter to fall!"

Her voice telepathically echoed to the appropriate Alca-Noise, and they immediately went to follow her directions.

The alchemist huffed to herself; it was almost as if she was acting as a general on a battlefield, directing massive amounts of troops to capture certain targets. But this was not a siege, nor was it an invasion. This was a defense, an attempt at repelling enemy forces from taking over the entire area.

If this battle would ever receive a name in history, it would probably be called the Defense of Tokyo, or something along those lines. In the past, she had indeed stood among many officials and generals and witnessed the naming of cities, of declarations of war, of instruments of surrender, or even corrupt dealings that fell beneath the radar.

She picked up on some of those skills along the way, giving her some measure of confidence in acting as a warlord.

"_Saint-Germain! It's a disaster! Part of the black division sent to Ota has been destroyed by beasts! They're located at Shinagawa!"_

The alchemist raised an eyebrow. The black beasts are targeting the Alca-Noise? How surprising, she thought they too did not have the capacity for strategy, but it seems she was proven wrong. Well, if they were smart enough to try an ambush her from behind, then something as simple as targeting the unfriendly Noise was also easy enough. Their ambush failed, but it said more about their ability than they had initially believed.

It was her turn to move, it seems.

She had originally placed herself in Nakano ward, while the Zababa duo and Chris were located on the more eastern side of the city. She turned south and _leaped, _covering huge distances between faraway buildings with each jump. At her current speed, she should reach her designated location within a minute or so.

Along the way, she spotted several groups of giant flying Noise, the ones that were shaped like airplanes, all deploying massive amounts of their own brethren down onto the city.

Well that just won't do, will it? Pushing more power into her legs, Saint-Germain jumped, soaring above the altitude the flying Noise were gliding at. She aimed her gun, lining up all five of the airplane Noise in her sights, then fired. The bullet tore through the air with destructive sonic booms and pierced through them all with incredible ease. The Noise detonated into gigantic fireballs that rained down on the city, engulfing and consuming anything unlucky enough to be where they fell.

She landed back on a building on the other side of the block and surveyed her handiwork momentarily before making her way back to her destination: Shinagawa. She looked up at the sky briefly, noticing the thick black clouds flowing in from the southeast. '_A storm is coming.'_

There, far into the distance, she could see a line of silver light streak through the sky, descending towards the city proper. Following it was a black flame, making her realize that Maria was successful in her own objective.

A tremendous explosion occurred as the beam struck a building in the Chiyoda ward, and the black flame landed just a small distance before it.

'_Chaos is about to descend upon us. Perhaps the time for Kohinata Miku to make her entrance is approaching.'_

-!-

_(Play: Silent Urge - Dynasty Warriors 8 OST)_

Maria breathed heavily as she landed, a little bit tired from the long journey she made from Chiba while hot on Hibiki's heels. Her new attack was incredibly powerful, even if she did not know where exactly she got the idea to use it. But it proved its effectiveness by cannonballing Hibiki all the way to Tokyo, which was her goal all along.

So...now what? What are they supposed to do about this now? As she looked, the rogue wielder was already removing herself from the wreckage of the building she crashed into, and that made everything all the more complicated.

Is Genjuro going to order them to gang up on her now? Would that work? There was no way to know until they tried, but such a thing was impossible at the moment. Everyone else was just too busy fighting off the Noise and the beasts to help her; she was not going to get any reinforcements any time soon.

Well, she did hear that Saint-Germain had summoned a huge army of Alca-Noise into the city as reinforcements, a fact that she confirmed with her own eyes as she saw several huge battalions of them move past without even acknowledging her existence.

But that did not change her circumstances.

There was an explosion of rubble as Hibiki freed herself, and a moment later she landed in front of Maria at the other end of the street, and the army of Alca-Noise marched past, blocking her vision of the rogue wielder.

'_She's going to—'_

Just as she thought that, Hibiki sliced her way through the Noise to charge at her, and she quickly brought up her sword to block the crushing blow. But Hibiki poured more power into her swing, far more than ever before, launching Maria backwards through several skyscrapers. She groaned in pain as she smashed through solid concrete, her modified Gear protecting her from the brunt of the damage.

But it was still painful as hell, crashing through solid structures. Recomposing herself, Maria twisted in the air and slid across the ground, eyes up to re-engage Hibiki the moment she showed herself.

"_Maria, hold on! Reinforcements are on their way!" _She heard Tomosato declare over the comm, but she did not have time to dwell on the thought.

Hibiki showed herself right there and then as she chased Maria through the holes she left behind, widening them further and weakening the structural integrity of the buildings in her wake. The elder's eyes widened and she once again blocked the insanely powerful swing, the ground beneath her exploding into pieces of concrete and rubble. Maria grit her teeth and slammed the spear away, and the two began a wild exchange of blows that tore apart the street they found themselves in.

Through it all, Maria could not help but notice she was pushed back more and more with each blow she blocked. Blows that caused her bones to shake and her muscles ache; she immediately realized their fears were becoming true, just through this battle: Hibiki was growing more powerful by the minute.

She could not allow herself to be the cause of their defeat.

A lunge by Hibiki was parried to the side by Airgetlam's blade, and she responded by sliding it across the spear until she was nearly face to face with the rogue wielder. Cyan eyes met green, and Maria clenched her teeth as she released one hand from the blade's handle and launched a full-force punch to Hibiki's face. Sonic booms were left in the wake of her strike, which she hoped would strike true.

It didn't, for at that moment Hibiki raised her free hand to catch Maria's fist. The corrupted Adaptor bared her teeth at the elder and then released her hold on her spear completely, catching Maria off guard.

And the idol was blown away in retaliation as Hibiki's own fist struck her in the chest, sending her flying again through several buildings, this time the pain being even more unbearable than before. Her vision blanked out for a moment, but the moment she regained it she found herself not above solid concrete, but rather water.

Her back slammed into the sail of S.O.N.G HQ's sail, denting the metal beneath it. Using what remained of her strength, Maria dislodged herself. She fell onto the hull and breathed heavily, Hibiki's punch having knocked the wind out of her in an instant.

A moment later Hibiki appeared in front of her on the other side, her spear at her side. "Is that all you've got, Maria?" She asked her, not taking a single step forward. "All that talk and you still failed to do anything. How not surprising."

The new development did not go unnoticed by Chris, who turned around in the middle of her barrage, eyeing the two combatants on top of the submarine. "Maria! I'll be right ther—"

"_There's no need, Chris-kun," _Genjuro suddenly said to her. "_Just focus on the Noise in front of you. Someone else is on their way to help her."_

"Someone else? But everyone else is busy! Who the heck is left to—"

And then it hit her.

She smiled, "It's about damn time."

Meanwhile on top of HQ, Maria grit her teeth, forcing herself to her feet, only managing to rise to one knee. "This much... is nothing!"

"Give me a break, you know you can't do anything," Hibiki said. "After all, you're nothing but a living breathing _failure. _Everything you tried to do was meaningless; you couldn't even be a bad guy properly. It's time you faced the truth, Maria: you are worthless!"

"I will not be swayed by your twisted words!" Maria bit out in return.

"Then maybe you'll be swayed by my actions," Hibiki declared. So focused was she on Maria that she completely disregarded the loud thumping sound that rose up behind her, followed up by the violent folding of metal. The green core in her spear shone brightly, and she raised the polearm up in the direction of the elder. "This is where it ends, Maria."

She stared into the Airgetlam user's eyes, hoping to catch some sort of despair in her gaze, only to find her... looking at something else entirely? Maria's eyes instead widened in shock as she looked behind and _above _Hibiki, catching sight of something she definitely did not expect to see now.

In response, Hibiki turned around, lowering her spear, only to come face to face with...

"A wall?"

"_How rude,_" a deep yet feminine voice declared from above. Hibiki raised her gaze, and in that moment spotlights shone, blinding her momentarily. "_This is not a wall. This is a sword! I thought you knew better than that, Tachibana!"_

The figure was illuminated by the light, hiding her features behind a silhouette of darkness. Then, she leaped over the rogue wielder to land between her and Maria, brandishing a blue and white sword in her hand.

It was at that moment that both Hibiki and Maria finally realized who that was.

After all, only one person ever called Hibiki purely by her last name.

"You!"

"Tsubasa!"

The Ame-no-Habakiri wielder turned to Maria, who had called her name and smiled. "It looks like I've made you worry, Maria."

The Airgetlam user gazed up at her, awed by her sudden entrance from nowhere. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she forced her head downwards as a few droplets fell down on the steel hull. "Of course you did, idiot. You kept us waiting for far too long."

Tsubasa let out a chuckle, then her face became serious, her head turning back to Hibiki. "The commander told me everything that has occurred until now," she said. "You've done well to hold on until now, Maria. Let me take things from here; you should go and help the others."

Maria raised her head up again, taken aback by Tsubasa's bold declaration. "No! That's too dangerous!"

"You should listen to her, _Tsubasa,_" Hibiki said, interrupting them. "If you really know everything then you know you can't beat me."

"Hoh, what happened to Tsubasa-san, Tachibana? I thought even in your maddened state you'd behave with some sense of decorum," the idol said. "But that matters very little to me. I will not allow this to continue any longer; I hereby declare that I will defeat you here and now, Tachibana."

Hibiki huffed. "Looks like nearly dying also made you insane."

"Fool, the only insane one here is you. However, I do not blame you in the least for your quest for vengeance, for I also found myself in dark depths in the past. The only thing I will blame are our own failures, which I will proceed to correct," Tsubasa said defiantly, raising her blade. She held it parallel to the ground at shoulder level, both hands gripping its handle and its sharp edge facing the sky.

In response to her new opponent taking a stance, Hibiki brandished her spear. "I won't let you get in the way of what I have to do. I don't care how many times I have to cut you down; eventually, you will pay for what you did to me."

"What I did to you, huh? That truly takes me back," Tsubasa said with a tinge of melancholy. "That is true. Back then I have certainly not been in my right mind, and I bared my hatred against you for no justifiable reason. While I had believed we let the matter rest, I see that you did not... and that is fine with me. After all, it seems I owe you a duel, do I not? Even though I no longer bear any ill will towards the real you, I do have several problems with the current you... and one of them is far more frustrating than the rest."

It was at that moment that her eyes filled with a fiery will and resolve, her element shining through just her stance. The air around her twisted and an aura of brilliant orange flame covered her being. "Then let us have our duel here and now, Tachibana, just like we should have back then! And let me make something very clear to you..."

And then her voice echoed throughout the harbor. "I will not allow Kanade's legacy to be tainted by such a contemptible thing! For the sake of what she left behind, I will liberate you from the grasp of mankind's curses!"

"Hmph, fine then. You probably won't believe me if I told you she's the one who gave them to me," Hibiki said plainly.

"I will not heed your ridiculousness! Let us do away with words now, Tachibana, and let us settle this by the edge of our blades!" Tsubasa declared. "Kazanari Tsubasa, advancing! **HERE I COME, TACHIBANA!"**

"**BRING IT ON, TSUBASA!"**

And the sound of steel clashing against steel once against resonated throughout.

Marking the start of the battle, the thunderstorm that had begun its journey in Chiba made landfall in Tokyo.


	17. Chapter 17: Tenjou Tenge

_~Long ago, in the far eastern reaches of the world, there lived a god by the name of Izanagi. He, together with his wife Izanami, gave birth to the land that would come to be known as the land of the rising sun~_

"Can... Tsubasa-san really handle Hibiki-san all on her own?" Fujitaka asked uneasily, glancing to his superior. Genjuro had his arms crossed, his expression even.

"We can only wait and see, Fujitaka. She's going to be fighting her just after waking up, and I'm also concerned for her well-being. But we have to trust what she's doing; it's the only hope we have left at this point," he said. It was not a completely truthful statement, but the remaining option was not one he wanted to put into effect, for far too many reasons.

He glanced back, his eyes once again falling on Miku, who held a worried yet confident expression on her face, looking up at the display. It seemed her anger abated somewhat, but he could still see it in her spirit. She was extremely on edge, still clutching her skirt tightly, and he figured she was also praying in the depths of her heart.

'_Tsubasa... Please put an end to this right now.'_

There were so many things to worry about at the same time. Not only that, it seems that Hibiki had indeed used the Treasury of Babylon as a base of operations if the huge number of beasts she spawned was any indication. They would also have to locate any possible holes so they could maybe find a way to seal them without Solomon's Cane.

So much was going on at once, and things have really begun to take their toll.

The entire submarine rocked as the battle began between Hibiki and Tsubasa, and he saw how the two of them leaped off the hull and back into the streets, disappearing behind buildings.

'_For the alternatives will only make everything more difficult.'_

He glanced to Elfnein, and to his surprise, she met his gaze, her concern obvious on her face.

That was it. Tsubasa was the only thing that could allow them to avoid using their last resort. If she fails... no, he didn't want to think about it.

All they had left... was to count on the final gambit that Tsubasa had in store.

-!-

_~However, life was not kind to the god, for he faced many trials and tribulations, including the death of his wife at the hands of the newly born fire god Kagutsuchi. To retrieve her, he ventured into the depths of the underworld, Yomi~_

_(Play: Time of Fate - Hokuto Musou 2 OST)_

Apparently the Ame-no-Habakiri user had been doing some training while being unconscious, because her power was _nothing _like Hibiki had expected. Even without the Ignite Module active, she was something else.

As expected of the most experienced Symphogear user of them all.

Almost immediately when she issued her challenge, Tsubasa had charged at supersonic speeds towards the rogue wielder, catching her by surprise and launching her back towards the city. Hibiki had then quickly swallowed down her shock and managed to duck under a second swing that the blue-haired idol had delivered, landing in one of the many streets populated by Noise.

She didn't even have the time to think about which type of Noise it was before she had to dodge an overhead strike cloaked with flames. As Tsubasa swung again, Hibiki had to block the follow up blow.

"What's wrong, Tachibana?! Is that all the strength you have to bear?!" Tsubasa called out, causing her opponent to clench her teeth in fury. Hibiki responded by meeting the next blow with her own attack, going on the offensive.

The Noise were not even an afterthought as they were blown away like leaves on the wind, the two combatants being too much for them to even consider facing. They held no loyalty to anyone, so no one cared by how much their numbers were reduced.

The following exchange of blows was some of the most intense Hibiki ever had to deal with. Lightning-fast strikes came from all directions as Tsubasa's sword blurred before her eyes, making it incredibly hard to catch or respond to.

And it shocked her to no end. How exactly can a non-Ignited Symphogear match up to her?!

No, this had to be a trick, just like with Genjuro. He based his whole strategy on using a style that was meant to catch her off guard, but in the end, it failed and she had surpassed him the moment she used her teleportation.

Sparks flew everywhere as metal crashed against metal repeatedly. "You haven't seen anything yet!" Hibiki responded, jumping back and landing a distance away from the idol. Tsubasa took her stance and charged, and the thrusters on her back roared loudly, increasing her speed dramatically in but a second.

And Hibiki came to meet her with her own charge, her spear at the ready.

"**HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"**

They closed the distance in less than a second.

And just as their blades were about to clash, Hibiki suddenly vanished from her sight, her sword passing through thin air.

Her eyes widened.

'_Teleportation!'_

Indeed, in the final moment, before the weapons met, Hibiki had teleported right behind Tsubasa, still carrying the momentum of her charge.

"It's over!" She yelled, her swing coming down on the idol's back in a flash.

Unfortunately for Hibiki however, Tsubasa saw it coming from a mile away.

She slammed her heel into the asphalt, cratering the ground beneath her. In an instant, the blades protruding from the side of her foot elongated, creating an impromptu barrier between Hibiki and her target. The rogue wielder did not have time to express her surprise as her spear slammed into the blade, harshly repulsing her backwards. Taking advantage of the opening, Tsubasa spun on her heel and raised her other leg up, now perpendicular to the ground in a fast spin towards Hibiki.

The corrupted wielder grit her teeth and retreated just in time to avoid being sliced by the blades, and Tsubasa took the time to right her footing. Hibiki skidded across the ground and swung her spear to launch a crescent-shaped projectile right towards her.

Tsubasa decided to answer with one of her own. The edge of her sword shone and she swung with all her might.

'_**AZURE FLASH'**_

The two projectiles met in the middle, exploding in a rush of smoke and wind. The two wielders glared at each other from opposite ends of the street, their very gazes sending sparks flying.

"I'm disappointed, Tachibana," Tsubasa suddenly said, causing Hibiki to raise an eyebrow. "I don't see you for a while and you start resorting to using a different Armed Gear. I thought you only used it to stab me in the back, but it seems it became your main weapon while I was away. What's wrong? Have your hands lost their ability to grasp anything else?"

Hibiki smirked in response. "It's more than enough for someone like you. You were too busy hanging on the edge of death, but I'll say it to you regardless: with this spear, I will enact justice and bring true peace to everyone. That is the only way the world I want will be born."

Tsubasa blinked several times in surprise, then let out an amused huff. "Is that all? How droll, Tachibana. It seems that those curses that fill you to the brim now did nothing more than turn you into a cheap villain. I've seen much more compelling reasons to end the world in the shows I've watched as a child," her gaze then became dangerous, and Hibiki could see the fire burning just behind her eyes. "Fine then. In that case, I'll make you drop that spear by any means necessary."

Her answer did not sit well with Hibiki, who clenched her teeth in anger and teleported right in front of Tsubasa, swinging her spear down at her. The idol blocked the strike with her sword, putting the two in much closer quarters.

"What the hell do you know?!" Hibiki screamed, pouring more power into her attack, causing Tsubasa to skid back across the street. Not stopping for an instant, she charged again, the two weapons once again crashing in a shower of sparks.

Hibiki was relentless, pushing Tsubasa back more and more, and every Noise unfortunate enough to be caught in their exchange was obliterated immediately. Concrete was like paper before their might as more buildings were sliced apart with nothing more than the razor winds they left in their wake. Hibiki bellowed further, "You haven't been through hell like I did!"

Tired of being pushed around, Tsubasa dug her heels into the ground, surprising Hibiki. The two weapons crashed again, and using her momentum Tsubasa heaved Hibiki above her in the other direction. The rogue wielder flipped in mid-air and landed back on the asphalt.

Yet this time, Tsubasa was the one who charged. A second sword was released from the compartment on her thigh mid charge, and she quickly grabbed it, joining the two blades at the hilt. Then, she spun them in her hand, producing a magnificent ring of fire in the middle of her rush. Not having expected the technique now, Hibiki braced herself, and just as Tsubasa was upon her, dodged wildly in between the flames.

'_**WIND RING'S FIERY BLADES'**_

Tsubasa smirked at the fact that her attack was evaded, and did not let it get her down.

After all, she had plenty more where that came from. Even if Hibiki knew all about her techniques, she never knew when and how she was going to use them!

'_Tachibana, despite her overwhelming power, always had the same weaknesses. Even if her mind has been corrupted it does not mean her basic instincts were as well. She was, and always will be prone to be caught off guard, so as long as I can keep her on her toes, I'll have the advantage! I have to be clever and creative, just like her!'_

The two turned to each other as Tsubasa replied. "Of course I haven't, nor would I ever wish anyone else to experience what you have," she said. "But I've been through hells of my own, and I am all too familiar with the pain of loss. I know all too well what it means to wallow in despair and sorrow, and see nothing but my pain as if it was the most important thing in the world."

Memories of Kanade welled up in her mind, and she brought up her blade above her shoulder with two hands, taking an unusual stance. "However—!"

She rushed at Hibiki with blinding speed and slashed with all her might.

'_**SUDDEN FLASH'**_

The blade crashed against the spear once again, and Tsubasa found herself behind her opponent a distance away, their backs to each other. "—I have learned to move on beyond that, and ironically enough, it was all thanks to you; it seems that you have forgotten the incredible influence you have on the world around you. You have helped many find their happiness simply by extending an open hand to them, and for that, I'll always be grateful."

They both turned to face each other at the same time and rushed to meet in combat once again. The area was torn to smithereens once more from the force of their clash. "Yet the biggest tragedy of all is that you of all people have not found the happiness of being released from her past!" Tsubasa yelled in between the swings. Hibiki met hers with some heavy ones of her own, and Tsubasa weaved around a blind thrust. "You chase this world of understanding of yours while carrying nothing but fear in your heart, clouding your judgment and reason!"

Hibiki grit her teeth and slammed her spear on the ground, cratering it instantly. Tsubasa was forced to jump away to avoid being caught in the aftershocks, landing on the other end of the street. "SHUT UP!"

"And I dearly want your wish to come true!" Tsubasa continued. "I wish to see this world you envision just as much as you do, but not under these circumstances! Not while you dwell on the past, seeing only your own pain and how you have been affected by it! That is exactly what allowed these curses to take a hold on you so easily!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Hibiki screamed, chasing after her. Tsubasa didn't have time to dodge as the spear slammed against her sword, and together the two combatants smashed through rows and rows of buildings, rubble and debris scattering in their wake.

They finally disengaged at one of the many open squares in the city, and Tsubasa jumped back to avoid another blow. "I will not! Not while the world you wish for will be built upon nothing but lies! That is why I will not stop for even a moment! I will tear your Gungnir apart with my bare hands if that will make you understand how mistaken you are!"

"**TSUBASAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"**

Thunder rumbled in the distance as the storm raged above them, the first flashes of lightning lighting up the sky.

-!-

_~But alas, for Izanagi's wishes would not come true. For those who eat from the hearth of Yomi shall not be allowed to return to the world of the living, and Izanami was one of those many. Fearful of her own appearance, the goddess made him swear that he would not look upon her~_

"I-incredible! Tsubasa-san is actually holding her own! Even without the Ignite Module!" Elfnein exclaimed in awe. She pumped her fists in excitement, not noticing she had an audience. "And this amount of phonic gain too! She's almost matching Hibiki-san's with nothing but her normal Gear!"

Several of the crew members joined in her enthusiasm, hope building in their hearts. From what it looked like, Tsubasa was going toe to toe with the divine power enhanced Hibiki, and at times it seemed like she was gaining the advantage.

Miku, however, was not nearly as mirthful as them. No, in fact, she was outright enraged by their cheers, of the fact that Hibiki looked to them like an enemy to be defeated.

Time and time again she'll repeat it: Hibiki is NOT the enemy. Something else entirely has that title, and Hibiki was just a victim of that enemy. Even if the grudges that the curses were feeding upon were her own, everyone and their mother knew that Hibiki would never act upon them in such a manner in any other circumstance.

And apparently, her anger was palpable enough, for one crew member had laid his eyes on her and noticed her glare, immediately shutting up. The others followed suit, quieting down, and Elfnein bit down the ramifications of her shameful act, quickly going back to her work.

Genjuro let out a sigh, "I do hope that it will be enough, but we just don't know. Hibiki-kun could come up with something new any second now that might turn the tables on Tsubasa in an instant. We can't say we are out of the woods yet."

"For once I agree with you," Adam added in. "As impressive as her performance seems, one cannot underestimate the might of the divine power. It's not a matter of if she will turn the tables, but rather a matter of when. Remember that every time Tachibana Hibiki loses herself to her rage the curses spread further, so she must be taken down before that spread engulfs the divinity completely."

And they could see what he meant. The process was slow, but they could see the changes coming upon Gungnir's Aufwachen signal live. It was not as abrupt or sudden as the first time, but a change it was nonetheless. The black hole was enlarging and the black veins were spreading further, consuming more of the blue ones as they grew.

"See, it's already starting to happen," Adam commented, focusing their attention back to the screen. The violent fight continued, and they watched as Tsubasa once again had to jump away from a destructive blow that Hibiki delivered, causing the building she was standing in front of to topple. "She is already beginning to lose her advantage. I would suggest she stop holding back."

"Eh?" Miku let out. "Tsubasa-san is... holding back?"

Genjuro answered her while his eyes remained glued to the screen. "Yes, she is. After all, she hasn't even used the Cursed Eden Module yet."

'_At least, not in front of others,' _he thought to himself. When she had abruptly shown herself on the bridge, he wasted no time going over what has happened as fast as he could, all the while Maria and the others were still fighting outside.

Once she was up to date, she immediately requested the chance to go through her own test with the new Module, something he recommended not doing in her injured state. However, her answer was glaringly obvious.

"_I have rested long enough," _She had said. "_I will not stand aside and let my comrades be slain while I watch helplessly."_

There was no talking her down, so reluctantly he agreed to let her proceed.

And what he had seen in that simulator... was absolutely mind-boggling.

"Will she be okay?" the black-haired girl asked, remembering the hellish side effects of its first-time use.

Genjuro smiled. "She will, don't worry. This is Tsubasa after all."

Yes, she'll be alright, he figured. But still, it did not sit well with him. There was just this pit in his stomach he could not explain, something that prevented him from looking at this optimistically. '_Damn it. Damn it all to hell.'_

There was nothing he could do.

'_Our fates are in your hands, Tsubasa.'_

"Commander!" Fujitaka suddenly called out. "I know this might not be the time, but I figured you'd want to know that storm clouds have begun to cover the city from the southeast! Our visual might be compromised!"

Genjuro sent him an incredulous look. It was a strange thing to report now, but considering they wouldn't see anything otherwise, these storm clouds—

'_Wait... storm clouds?'_

His thoughts stopped as he dwelled on the fact. This... this was important. No, this was more than important! Why? Why was it like that? Why did the knowledge of storm clouds give him such a scare—

There! He remembered! Of course! When Tsubasa was testing out the Cursed Eden Module, he had expected the usual procedure of her falling over in pain as she began to experience her inner hell.

It was no surprise when that is what exactly happened. She fell, squirmed on the ground for a few minutes... and then abruptly stopped. That was the first difference he noticed between her and the rest.

Right after that, he was caught completely off guard as her entire body shone brightly, blinding him. Then gale winds erupted from her, throwing him off his feet and causing him to collide with the far wall even though he was in a _completely_ _different room! _

Once everything had died down and he looked up again, he had heard a voice. He wasn't sure where it came from, but the voice had spoken and said to him a single sentence, followed by an incredibly loud crash of thunder.

Right after that everything stopped and Tsubasa emerged from the simulator, apparently none the worse for wear. She then undid her transformation and ran out to aid her comrades, not giving him even the time to try and ask any questions.

That was what had bothered him. Something happened at that moment in the simulator with Tsubasa, and he couldn't put his finger on it. Or he could? He wasn't sure of it. He wasn't sure of _anything_, in fact. Had the voice simply come from Tsubasa, he might have been able to rationalize it.

But why did it feel like the voice came from _inside _his own head?

The gears ran in his mind as he watched the battle, trying to figure out exactly what had occurred. This was some sort of sign, he could feel it; he wasn't much for superstition, but it could not be a coincidence that he heard a voice talk about a storm when one just arrived.

Something was going on here. But whether or not it was happening was not the question. No, the biggest concern...was whether or not it was going to be in their favor.

All that was left for him to do now was to wait and see.

-!-

_~Yet Izanagi broke his promise, and he lit a fire in the presence of his deceased wife, allowing him to see the rotten and maggot-ridden state of her being. Izanagi was struck with fear, and Izanami was both angered and ashamed he had gone back on his word~_

Saint-Germain grumbled to herself.

'_It seems Noise are rapidly being destroyed in their vicinity. I must withdraw my forces if I want to be able to sweep across the entire city successfully.'_

When half of the green regiment had been summarily destroyed as collateral during the confrontation between Tsubasa and Hibiki, Saint-Germain knew she needed to have them immediately pulled back from the area.

No, it might be a better idea to clear the entire ward and stick to the periphery areas and make sure to keep the Alca-Noise safe from being destroyed. She knew they'll have to be purged once the battle ends anyway, so she couldn't bring herself to care about them all that much.

But while the battles were raging at the heart of the city, the rest were still being assaulted by Babylonian Noise forces, a problem that she had to take care of quickly. Chris was still eliminating the ones sieging the harbor, and the Zababa duo were still acting in defense of the Skytree shelter. That left Saint-Germain in charge of everything else, and frankly, it was tiring work.

A beast tried to lunge straight at her, but she merely sidestepped its swipe and easily blew out its core. The Noise weren't what was giving her a headache; it was the black beasts suddenly turning their attention from prowling the streets like hyenas to ambush her forces, severely limiting her ability to defend the shelters.

At some point, Fujitaka switched roles with Tomosato Tomosato, who she found to be more dependable. She seemed to get along with the bridge woman far better than with the man, for she had an air of confidence around her that the alchemist could definitely respect.

"_Nerima!"_

Also, she was much more thorough. She didn't panic over the comm as Fujitaka did; she simply said the name of the ward and Saint-Germain automatically knew what to do.

"Orange! Cut through Suginami!"

"_Katsushika!"_

"Pink! Blue! Take half of your forces and ambush them from the eastern and northern sides!"

Tomosato was updating her on shelters currently under attack, and the alchemist quickly responded by ordering the appropriate troops to alleviate them. Simple, quick, and easy.

"_BBs at Minato!"_

But right, the black beasts. Had they not been part of the battle, Saint-Germain could have easily stayed on top of one of the city's skyscrapers and have a much easier time commanding her troops. Unfortunately, that was not to be, as every time the black beasts turned their attention on her Alca-Noise, she had to respond before the entire regiment was eliminated. And seeing as they couldn't do it themselves, it was up to her to go all the way to the designated ward and take them down.

It was back-breaking work, but at this moment she knew it would be foolhardy to try and join in on the fighting against Hibiki; she would only get in the way after all. Despite all of the power that the Cursed Eden Module provided, Saint-Germain knew from the get-go that she was outclassed. She had always endeavored to fight only when she knew she could win, and any time she lost it was due to circumstances far beyond her control.

Interestingly enough, Hibiki was the one who brought her the most recent and longest streak of defeats to date.

The alchemist began to make her way towards her target location. She leaped and jumped over buildings, soaring through the cloudy skies. As she landed on the roof of an office building in order to make her next jump, lightning suddenly struck the lone tree in the nearby plaza, causing it to catch fire. Saint-Germain stared at the burning tree with an inquisitive gaze, confused by the probability of such a thing happening right in front of her.

Centuries of instincts screamed at her that this storm was much more than it seemed. For all intents and purposes it should have been just a regular occurrence, especially during this time of the year, but this particular one... it felt like there was something more than meets the eye.

She glanced at the gathering clouds, and their only response was the rumbling thunder that accompanied the lightning that had just struck. Due to her proximity, it was incredibly loud, and she felt as the windows of the building she stood on shook from the force of the soundwaves it released.

'_Am I on edge for no reason?' _She asked herself. '_No, no use dwelling on it. Whatever comes, those girls will be able to deal with it. I must do my part in order to safeguard humanity's future.'_

That's right, each one of them had a role to fill. Whether it was to fight off the Noise, command armies, give regular updates, face the strongest enemy head-on...or serve as the secret trump card that will only be used as a last resort.

She briefly found herself wondering _again_ why she cared at all. But this time, the answer came much more quickly: they had all gone through the same exact experience with the new Module, so they could all sympathize with each other. They were on a very similar wavelength at the moment, and they all worked together to reach the same goal.

They could hardly be called allies now. They were, in essence, her comrades-in-arms, fighting on the frontlines in a war against a common and daunting enemy. But regardless of what anyone else believed, Tachibana Hibiki was not that enemy. That she knew for sure.

So she would do her best to match up to their expectations, and grasp victory from the jaws of defeat.

-!-

_~Thus, Izanagi was chased out of Yomi, hounded by the shrills of his former wife. Finally making his escape, he sealed the entrance at Yomotsu Hirasaka as Izanami declared vengeance upon him. Covered by soot and the blood of the dead, Izanagi washed away the grime at a river at Izumo, giving birth to many gods as a result. Yet, only three became known as some of the most important gods of Shinto~_

_(Play: The Assassins - Hokuto Musou 2 OST)_

The lightning strikes seemed to be getting far more frequent as time passed, and honestly, Tsubasa found it very fitting. For every time they clashed, more and more power was released from the blows, sending hurricane winds that created such devastation around them that she _knew _it would take a very long time to rebuild it all.

It broke her heart to damage the city so, but she had no choice in the matter. Neither the Noise nor Hibiki gave even half a damn about it either, and trying to hold back for the sake of the structural integrity of the buildings would be like asking for death.

Hibiki struck wildly again, and the Ame-no-Habakiri user dodged out of the way just in time. The very force of it continued, creating a shockwave that sliced a whole building in half. The entire structure began to crumble as Tsubasa stared at Hibiki, meeting her hateful glare head-on. She brandished her sword and sliced at her, and the Gungnir user pulled the spear back to smash the sword in the concrete.

She grinned savagely and brought the spear down in an overhead swing. The idol, however, found it all too easy to respond, twisting the sword so the edge faced upwards. Shifting her grip, she struck in an upward slice, and Hibiki was forced to abandon her swing to avoid being cut in half. She jumped back, gaining some distance.

Tsubasa raised her sword in response, and out of nowhere a shower of blades of light rained down on the rogue wielder.

'_**THOUSAND TEARS'**_

Hibiki did not even bother dodging, staring at the barrage with a bored expression. The swords struck her but merely clanged off her frame, doing absolutely zero damage. Every blade that did not crash against her armor was simply impaled into the ground erratically.

"Was that supposed to tickle?!" She yelled just as Tsubasa rushed her wordlessly. She brought up her spear to defend herself from the easily telegraphed attack.

Or at least, she tried to.

But at that moment, her entire body froze completely, rendering her unable to move.

"Wha—?"

She glanced behind her, and then made the connection. Right there, stuck in her shadow that was cast by a still working street light, was a small dagger.

'_When did she—?!'_

'_**SHADOW WEAVING'**_

Hibiki quickly turned her gaze back to her opponent, who was mere inches from her face. '_She hid it in between the light blades! But when did she have time to throw it?! I would have noticed!'_

And then it hit her as her eyes widened. '_In that swing, when she released her sword from the ground!'_

Damn it, she was caught off guard again!

No, she was not going to fall to such a cheap trick!

Time slowed as Tsubasa's sword came down on her. The rogue wielder grit her teeth, and power welled from within her in an instant. The ground shook and rubble began to levitate around them in a circle, and it was the idol's turn to be shocked as the dagger nailed into Hibiki's shadow shattered to pieces.

Tsubasa did not have the time to stop her swing, and the Gungnir wielder evaded the blow by a hair's breadth, and the blade struck her gauntlet just as she pulled herself back but failed to slice through it.

Hibiki took a single step back and responded with a powerful thrust, a tornado of power erupting from the spear's tip. The swordswoman's eyes widened and she sidestepped the rush, but it still managed to graze against her back. She felt the razor wind cut into her slightly, and she grit her teeth at the sharp pain, swallowing it down. '_This is almost like...'_

The twister continued on its path of destruction, obliterating anything that was in its area of effect. The ground and the nearby buildings were ripped to shreds by the winds, and it continued onward before naturally arching towards the sky and right into the clouds... yet for some reason, it did not part them.

Neither of them, however, noticed this fact as Tsubasa spun in place and sliced at Hibiki's neck, forcing the rogue wielder back. "Nice reactions, Tachibana. Far better than expected," the idol said, smirking.

Hibiki was not as amused. "Wipe that stupid grin off your face," she spit out. "You think cheap tricks will work on me?"

Tsubasa, however, kept the smile on her face, letting out a chuckle. "To be perfectly honest I did. You've always been a simple one after all. Overwhelming force but no planning ahead, simply seeing what's in front of your eyes and nothing else. I suggest you get that fixed if you want to take over the world, or someone else might beat you to the punch."

The glower Hibiki sent her was one for the history books, if majorly disturbing. Hibiki's face contorted into such an ugly and twisted expression that Tsubasa could swear the street was boiling from the sheer magnitude of her rage.

"**Is that so?**" Was the Gungnir wielder's reply, her voice laced with venom. Her fury took on a physical form once again as a crimson aura, levitating the debris in a large radius around her feet.

And Tsubasa could see how the glowing purple lines on her armor spread even further, twisting and bulging in various directions. Like eerie tendrils, they shifted and grew larger in number, and the previously thin line on her face thickened and ran right over her cheek and eye, ending right above her eyebrow. Her emerald eyes _shone_ in the dark as the curses grew stronger, manifesting their increasing strength right on their host's body.

Tsubasa's eyes widened in horror, staring at the transformation occurring right in front of her eyes. '_Shit, I went too far; I had forgotten that she is prone to outbursts of rage. I have accidentally aggravated the curses further!'_

And then the corrupted wielder took a heavy step forward, and the ground beneath her feet gave up instantly as it _exploded,_ clouds of dust being launched hundreds of feet in the air. Gale force winds burst in all directions, and Tsubasa had to plant her feet to not be flung away like a ragdoll.

'_Something... is coming!'_

She couldn't see a single thing beyond the tower of dust that sprouted around Hibiki, and it immediately put her on edge. The winds died down, and Tsubasa readied herself for anything that might pop out of the cloud, whether it was Hibiki herself or something else. She spread her senses around her, working to cover all of her blind spots. She half expected Hibiki to teleport behind her again, so she kept a great focus on her back, her stance ready to dodge any strike that came from that direction.

_~The first was the goddess of the Sun and the ruler of Takama-no-Hara: Amaterasu, who came into being when Izanagi washed his left eye~_

Her heart beat rapidly in her chest as the dust slowly began to settle and fall, a bead of sweat trickling down her brow. She could feel _something _happening behind the cloud but just could not pinpoint what.

She raised her sword in front of her in a defensive stance, preparing to counter whatever Hibiki had in store.

And then she saw it. Right in the middle of the cloud, hidden behind layers upon layers of rubble and dust, was a small glowing orb. She could see it pulsate in place, not moving in any direction. It stayed within its cover, and she watched as it grew slowly but surely, starting from being as small as a marble to as big as a basketball.

'_I see, she's going to try some sort of energy blast. I best be prepared to dodge it and counterattack,' _Tsubasa told herself. She had dealt with those many times in the past, so her strategy was fairly set in stone.

Only for it to be shredded to pieces when the cloud of dust was blown away by hurricane winds, clearing up the street they were in completely. Her hair buffeted around in the currents, and any sort of plan she had in mind was vaporized as her eyes lay upon what was uncovered.

A raging golden aura of power surrounded Hibiki in imitation of the blazing fire of the Cursed Eden Module. She held her spear forward with a single hand, the growing golden orb hanging before its tip. The winds around the orb seemed to be drawn into it at supersonic speeds, energy cackling madly around it, carving up the street and the adjacent buildings.

Hibiki's brows were furrowed in a scowl, completely unperturbed by the hurricane casually being formed around her.

And it was at that moment Tsubasa knew that whatever Hibiki was going to do... was not going to be easily dealt with.

"**LET'S SEE YOU SURVIVE THIS ONE!"**

The rogue wielder took a single step back, the spear still in line with the raging ball of golden light hanging in the air. Her gaze met Tsubasa's momentarily, and it was in that fraction of a second that the idol's mind, instincts, soul, and body all screamed at her in tandem one single thing.

'_RUN!'_

She didn't ignore their warning. Swiftly turning on her heel to the other side of the street, the thrusters on her ankles and back roared to life with fire, and immediately the Ame-no-Habakiri wielder was propelled forward in an attempt to escape.

And then Hibiki thrust the spear into the orb of light with all her might.

At that moment, everything ceased to exist.

'_**TWILIGHT OF THE GODS'**_

An absolutely gigantic beam of purely destructive energy surged out from the seemingly tiny ball of light. At least one hundred feet in height alone, it razed everything in its path, exploding outwards with such force all of the structures that had been by the street were uprooted like tree sprouts, crumbling to pieces just from the force of the blast. Akin to a condensed atomic bomb, it exploded forward towards the direction of the Ame-no-Habakiri Adaptor. Tsubasa very briefly glanced behind her and caught sight of the tidal wave on her heels, the searing heat it unleashed already scorching her skin just from proximity alone.

She knew that if that thing caught up to her, she would die instantly. Nothing would be left of her corpse, not even atoms.

She had to escape it, no matter what.

It was too late to do anything about whatever was caught in its path of destruction. Unluckily for Tsubasa, the street they had been fighting in was a long one, with no alleyways or intersections she could use to try and escape its path. Clenching her teeth, she poured all the power she could muster into her thrusters.

But it seemed to do no good in helping her outrun the certain death approaching rapidly behind her. Only the head start she had thanks to her instincts gave her the few precious seconds to try and think of a way out, lest her fight and her life ended on the spot by her own comrade.

The sunlike beam vaporized everything it touched, not leaving even charred remains of the inorganic and organic that it consumed.

Tsubasa raced forward at high speeds, trying to think of anything that might help her evade it. Trying to plant her huge swords in its path won't work as that failed even against the smaller and less potent light of the Shenshoujing. Even if its ability was to destroy relics, she imagined that it would pale in force against what was hot on her heels. This explosion Hibiki unleashed didn't need any special properties to annihilate everything; it was just that powerful, formed by the overwhelming divine power that she possessed.

'_Think think think think think!' _Her mind raced, trying to find a solution. As she looked forward, her eyes widened in shock as she noticed that she was quickly coming upon a dead end as a skyscraper of an office building stood right in the middle of her path. Thinking she was doomed, she clenched her teeth even harder, causing hairline fractures on one of her molars.

Until her mind once again went back to the Shenshoujing incident and she recalled what she did to avoid the beam of light it had produced.

'_It's now or never!'_

Pouring even _more _power into her thrusters as her sync ratio flared, she rushed forward like lightning. With her will alone she summoned forth a Heaven's Wrath sword, placing it in her path like a ramp, driving its sharp point into the building. She raced up the impromptu slope, the angle allowing her to conserve more momentum as she rose. Finally, her feet planted against the side of the building, and she ascended towards the sky, the windows she zoomed over in her path shattering to pieces.

Sweat poured down her brow as she cleared the building's height in an instant, and right on the edge she poured power into her legs and _jumped, _rising in the air.

And just in time as well, as the supernova passed under her right at that moment, consuming the entire building in its wake. It continued onwards for over a kilometer, gouging a long trench into the city's landscape.

Soaring through the sky, Tsubasa finally allowed herself to let out the breath she was holding as the beam slowly but surely began to decrease in size.

_~The second was the god of the moon: Tsukuyomi, born when Izanagi washed out his right eye~_

'_That was far too close!' _She thought to herself as she looked below her, studying the destruction the blast left behind.

Only for her instincts to scream once again in her mind, and she twisted in midair to bring up her sword behind her to block the powerful swing from the corrupted wielder's spear, who had teleported into her path right at that moment. Her defense was successful, but now helpless in mid-air she was swatted away like a fly, streaking through the air. She grit her teeth once more as she began to descend, flipping over to place her feet below her for the landing.

And just as her feet touched the ground of another wide-open plaza, Hibiki's spear came crashing down on her with the force of an explosion. Reacting in a split second, Tsubasa brought up her sword to defend herself once again, pouring her will into it at the last second to reinforce its frame and size, and its transformation finished just as the weapons clashed.

The sword was promptly destroyed by the force and the ground cratered beneath them. Luckily Tsubasa retained her life and jumped back from the follow-up swing, putting some distance between herself and her opponent. She withdrew another sword, entering a stance to prepare for another engagement.

Fortunately, Hibiki did not pursue her, merely standing in place where she had appeared and glared at the Ame-no-Habakiri Adaptor. Tsubasa panted heavily and wiped her brow, glad to have managed to escape death three times in a row.

"You're like an annoying fly that doesn't know when to quit," Hibiki suddenly said, her voice heavier than Tsubasa could remember. "You should just drop dead and stop interfering!"

The blue-haired idol did not grace her with a response as her mind raced again. However, before she could formulate any plans, Genjuro's voice rose up from the comm, his voice urgent and panicked. "_Tsubasa! You can't afford to hold back anymore! You have to use the Cursed Eden Module! She's grown way too powerful for you to face with the normal configuration! That blast of hers almost cut the Chiyoda ward in half!"_

_~But the third was a little bit different. Having come into being when Izanagi cleaned his nose, the younger sibling of Amaterasu was a mischievous fellow: he razed rice fields, defiled her chambers, and even tossed a flayed horse into her weaving hall, causing the indignant goddess to place herself into exile due to his behavior~ _

"I know," she answered. "I wanted to see how far I could get without it, but it seems I have no choice in the matter anymore."

Rising to her full height, Tsubasa stood in opposition to her comrade, her face even. "I don't know if it will be enough, but I sure hope it is."

Lightning struck the trees in the plaza around them, the crashing thunder emphasizing the intensity of their confrontation.

Meeting Hibiki's gaze head-on, Tsubasa began speaking, her voice unusually calm. There were a few things she wanted to say, a few things she wanted Hibiki to know despite everything.

"Tachibana... no, Hibiki," she said, catching a glimpse of the rogue Adaptor's eyes slightly widen at the idol's use of her first name. "I reckon you found plenty of reasons to loathe me, yet I wish for you to know that no matter how much time passes, and no matter how much you change... I will never hold any resentment towards you. Never again. In fact, I'd say it's quite the opposite."

She grasped Ame-no-Habakiri's pendant tightly in her hand. "Over the time we've shared in each other's company, I've come to view you in a very different light," she said, her voice gentle and graceful. "Your outlook on life clashed wildly with my own, and yet I could not help but be swept along with your antics and enthusiasm. You have granted me strength beyond measure simply by your presence, and it is thanks to you that I've finally found the place I believe I belong."

"What's your point?" Hibiki bit out, confused by her out of nowhere confession.

Tsubasa chuckled. "That's right, I tend to ramble on don't I?" She said. Then, her expression changed from the gentle and warm one that had come over her to a fierce and determined one, the fires of her resolve raging brightly. Lightning struck the ground around them wildly, the windows of nearby buildings shattering into pieces.

"You are an irreplaceable part of my life, and through the bonds we have formed over the past year that run deeper than blood, I will admit that I am proud to call you my _sister_!" She declared loudly, her voice echoing. "And as an important member of my family, I will do all it takes to bring you back home! That is the will of Kazanari Tsubasa! And for the day that will dies is the day that my life shall expire! Carve it into your heart and mind as our blades clash once more, _HIBIKI!"_

And Kazanari Tsubasa's voice joined in with the thunder as she pressed the activation switch.

"**IGNITE MODULE!"**

"_**UNSHEATHE!"**_

Her entire body was engulfed by the blazing black flame of the Cursed Eden Module, rising up to unprecedented heights.

And right at that moment, a bolt of lightning struck her, blinding all those watching.

-!-

_~But alas, for the treatment of his sister the god was banished from the Heavens by his father and sentenced to walk the Earth. Yet despite all of that, legends are sung of his deeds and might, and his name rings out in the hearts of all those who revere the gods~_

"We've lost all visual on Tsubasa-san!"

"We can't get our satellites to work!"

"What about the others?! Is it still working?"

"Yes! But I can't see anything about Tsubasa-san! All of the sensors are completely blind!"

As urgent updates poured out from various crew members on the bridge, Elfnein's eyes widened as Ame-no-Habakiri's Aufwachen signal suddenly began _changing_, in ways like Gungnir's yet having a clear difference in them.

"W-what is happening?!" She asked in a panic, her eyes darting around, trying to look to someone for answers. Adam, who had been watching the fight, narrowed his eyes at the completely white screen.

Her gaze finally fell upon Genjuro, who had stood up from his chair at some point during their exchange. "Genjuro-san, what is going on?!"

Yet, the commander did not answer her. He simply _stared _at the screen, his eyes distant.

And stared.

And stared.

And stared.

And _stared._

And then... everything clicked. Everything that has happened until now regarding Tsubasa, everything that had to do about the storm... finally fell into place.

All operation on the bridge stopped in an instant as Genjuro threw his head back and began to laugh uproariously, causing absolutely everyone to stare at him in shock and confusion. There was no sound in the bridge except for his laughter, unnerving his subordinates.

After a few seconds, the screen slowly began to clear as the image began to return, and Genjuro gazed back at it, a huge grin on his face. "Well, Adam Weishaupt, I have to admit that you were right!" He said. The former head of the Illuminati simply looked at him with his narrowed eyes, not at all amused.

"Let me ask all of you a question," he said, turning his attention to absolutely everyone else. "Why do you think Tsubasa is the only Adaptor who has a relic based on her heritage?"

_~For he is the god of the sea and storms, an existence that holds a special place in the heart of the Japanese people!~_

His question garnered no response as they looked at him, and he continued with a mirthful voice. "That is because she was _made _for it. Tsubasa's very existence, since the day she was born, was to be the wielder of Ame-no-Habakiri. Adam Weishaupt spoke of compatibility, and you'll find that Tsubasa is the only person in the world, past, present, _and _future, that will have an absolute 100% compatibility with her relic. The others, while fully synchronized, do not even come close."

The image began to clear even more, and they could start seeing parts of the plaza again slightly. Hibiki came into view, but Tsubasa was still obscured by the light.

"Kazanari Fudou is a mean bastard, but he is also very loyal to the country. So loyal, in fact, that he wanted to do absolutely everything he could to preserve _his _legacy. For the Kazanaris are a family that has existed for generations, finding its roots in a tiny little province in the west known as Izumo. And their first known ancestor was a simple yet brave man that went by the name of Okuninushi."

Yes, just thinking about it filled him with glee. Of course he would hear the voice from inside his own head! Of course Tsubasa would wake up when the storm arrives! Of course that is what would happen when she uses the Cursed Eden Module! _His_ blood flowed in the veins of all the children of Kazanari, and out of all of them who exist in the world, none are as compatible with him as Kazanari Tsubasa!

And just as Tsubasa was a part of that lineage, Genjuro was too!

Tomosato's eyes widened. "No way... Izumo... Okuninushi..."

She gasped. "You can't possibly mean—!"

"The Cursed Eden Module nudges the door to the abilities of the gods that wielded the relics. But in her case? It smashes it wide open, letting it all flow right into her!"

_~The ruler of Neno-Katasu-Kuni, and the wielder of one of the legendary swords that were granted the name Totsuka-no-Tsurugi!~_

"For she is the one and only heir to the legend of the god of storms! Learn and believe! Witness and be amazed!"

-!-

From his office in Kamakura, Kazanari Fudou watched impassively yet with a measure of pride as the screen on his computer cleared away, revealing what had happened on the battlefield.

He stared at the figure of his granddaughter and narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, Tsubasa, that is your purpose. That is the reason I have allowed you to come to this world. Now go, and bring glory to our nation, and the legacy of our name!"

-!-

_~Worship and sing! Praise and pray! For he is the mighty god that shaped the future of the land of the rising sun!~_

When Hibiki could finally see again, she noticed that major changes had come over the plaza.

For one, the air itself seemed electrified, and tree-like fractures ran over the ground in a very large circle around Tsubasa.

And that is what shocked her the most. Rather than receive the same sight as what had come over the other relic users, Tsubasa's Symphogear was, strangely enough, _not _tainted with the dark purple hue and crimson veins. While the several plates had darkened considerably, it managed to retain its blue shine as several glowing sapphire lines ran over the area where the several plates connected. The comb that had been holding her hair in place had apparently disintegrated in the heat, letting her now electric blue and _shining _hair flutter behind her in the wind.

But that was not it just yet. No, as Hibiki studied her, she noticed more and more changes that shocked her to the core. The previously black flame that surrounded her form was now also cerulean in color with electricity cackling madly around her. And her sword too was now engulfed by a flame so hot it also glowed blue, and like her aura, an electric current ran through it.

Yet all that paled when she looked into her eyes and _froze._

They had become an incredibly light azure, but just like her own they too _glowed _with an otherworldly light, and wisps of electricity escaped from their sides. As she looked deeper and deeper into her orbs, she found that she was looking at a raging storm, threatening to engulf her in its entirety.

After what seemed like an eternity, Tsubasa spoke, and Hibiki found herself paralyzed from the sound of her voice.

"_**For you to garner our attention is no easy feat, child of Man," **_she said, confusing Hibiki more and more.

The rogue wielder grit her teeth and her brows furrowed. "Who are you?" She asked incredulously. "What are you? What did you do to Tsubasa?"

But her opponent merely smiled. "_**Even with thine eyes shrouded in chaos, you still find it in your heart to care for **__my_ _**well-being. **__I_ _**am truly grateful for that, for that is all **__I_ _**required," **_the changed Ame-no-Habakiri user continued. "_**Although your inquiry astounds **__me__**, Hibiki. **__I am Kazanari Tsubasa__**, and always have been."**_

"Bullshit," Hibiki replied. "You are not Tsubasa. Who the hell are you?"

Tsubasa chuckled and met the rogue wielder's gaze head-on. Shining blue met shining green in the plaza. "_**Hmph, you still remain unconvinced. We can only speak the truth, but you are not completely mistaken, corrupted friend of mine." **_

What sort of insanity was taking place before her, Hibiki wondered. This... this wasn't normal. Tsubasa wasn't usually like this. Sure, she was stern and serious, but never had she sounded so...superior. So overwhelming. This was not the Tsubasa she remembered.

_The one she admired._

"_I_ _**thank you, Hibiki, for the kindness you have presented to **__me_ _**despite **__our_ _**differences. Were it not for your intervention, **__I_ _**would have found **__myself_ _**in the depths of Yomi at the company of Mother, far before **__my_ _**time. But since you have asked for our name, We must comply with thine request, **__dear sister._"

It was as if her words were accompanied by the roar of the Heavens, and lightning struck around them with reckless abandon. Yet Tsubasa stood in the middle of it all, taller and grander than ever before.

"_**We are the child of He-Who-Invites, and we are the first and the last of the line of the Kazanari. We beheld the great sword Ame-no-Habakiri as a gift from the Heavens, and legends of our deeds have been sung in the land of your home. We are the embodiment of the storm and the sea."**_

There was no response Hibiki could even think of that would suffice for this. She may have not listened too much in lessons about the history of Japan, but this was one legend that even a baby was aware of.

For he was one of the most revered. For _he _was an existence that transcended everything she had ever seen!

"_**Tremble and fear! Be awed and beg at the sound of our name, Hibiki!"**_

-!-

_~For his name his:~ _"For his name is:" "_**For our name is:"**_

AND THE LIGHTNING STRUCK

"_**SUSANO'O!"**_


	18. Chapter 18: Storm God's Descent

More and more Noise of various shapes and sizes were continuously blown away by Chris' barrage. Despite everything that had happened in the last few minutes, including Tsubasa's triumphant return, did not allow Chris the luxury of forgetting what exactly she was supposed to be doing.

Another beast somehow survived through the still ongoing rain of death and lunged towards the Ichaival user with its claws outstretched. Chris prepared to respond to its attack and was about to drop her Devastator once again. Suddenly the beast was sliced in half, the two sides disappearing into dust a moment later.

She looked to see where the slash came from, and right at that moment Maria landed next to her, her Cursed Eden Module still burning strong. "Thought you could use a hand," she said, holding her sword before her.

Chris smirked, focusing her attention back to the next wave of Noise. "Much appreciated!" She screamed over the noise of the beginning of the second volley. "Just don't get yourself caught in the crossfire ya hear!"

Maria responded with her own smirk and crouched low to the ground as she prepared to charge into the fray.

Only for Saint-Germain's voice to come through the comm. "_Maria Cadenzavna Eve," _the alchemist said, catching the idol's attention. She rose back to her full height and looked to Chris inquisitively, but the Ichaival Adaptor just shook her head in response, equally as confused.

"_I understand you wish to support your comrade in eliminating the forces attacking the harbor, however, I would like to request your assistance in my own endeavors,"_ she continued, further confusing both Maria and Chris, as the communication was on their shared connection, and not a personal one.

Relaxing her guard, Maria raised one hand up over the headpiece, trying to hear the alchemist better over the sounds of the explosions happening in the harbor. "You want my help?" She asked. It was then she noticed a single beast that somehow again survived the barrage and charged right at her. With a quick sidestep moved out of the way and slashed down on it, slicing through its core nonchalantly.

"_Yes," _The alchemist replied, and Maria could hear gunshots from her end of the comm. Saint-Germain continued explaining, "_As you may have heard, I have called upon an army of Alca-Noise to assist in our defense of the city. While they are capable of eliminating their counterparts, it seems that the black beasts have turned their attention to my forces. They greatly inhibit my ability to defend the outlying shelters from being breached. While I have been doing my best to eliminate all of the beasts encroaching on them, they are far too numerous for me to destroy all on my own." _

Maria's eyes narrowed. "So you need someone to cover some of the areas?"

"_Yes. I am currently in the western part of the city, and I would request you take the east under your jurisdiction; Tomosato Tomosato will update you on which wards require reinforcements when they are being attacked."_

"I see..." Maria mumbled. That was a fairly solid plan, she had to admit. She looked to Chris who had her eyes forward, her Devastator launching barrage upon barrage of rockets towards the Noise. "Chris, will you be okay on your own?!" She shouted.

"No problem! I got this! You go help out where you can!" Her junior responded in her own shout.

"Okay!"

With that said, Maria leaped away from the combat zone, making sure to avoid the area of destruction. She jumped over the various storehouses lining the harbor, eventually making her way into the city proper. She landed and slashed apart the small contingent of Noise in her way, then leaped up to the rooftops of the buildings.

The Airgetlam user raised her hand again to the comm. "Alright, Saint-Germain, what do you need me to—"

The entire city shook, and she looked in shock and horror at the massive beam of light at the distance. The light traveled on, eventually carving a path straight through the buildings even further in the distance, and only dissipating a whole minute later. "Wha—"

"_It seems their battle has reached a new level of intensity,"_ the alchemist said in her ear calmly. "_It would be best if we do not attempt to intervene."_

"What are you talking about?! If Tsubasa is in trouble I have to help her!"

"_And do what?"_ Saint-Germain asked bluntly, causing Maria to freeze. "_You have not been able to defeat Tachibana Hibiki despite your best efforts. Need I remind you that even when we joined forces against her she held us all off at once? She has gotten even more powerful since then, and she is now at a level that even the Cursed Eden Module cannot compare. If Kazanari Tsubasa has not requested assistance yet, then it stands to reason she has no need for it yet."_

Or she was dead, Saint-Germain left unsaid. However, she figured Maria knew that already.

The idol grit her teeth in frustration, still staring ahead at the location where the beam of light had been.

She desperately wanted to go over there and help Tsubasa. She wanted to fight alongside her and just make sure she really was there, that she was awake and moving about. That feeling in her chest had blossomed even more when she had paid her visits in the medical room, and now she just had to go there and see if it was real... if she was real.

But Maria still had her logical side, and that side won in this battle of wills. She turned her back to the sounds, missing a particularly strong bolt of lightning striking something in the distance. "Tomosato-san... what's the first target?"

It took a moment for the crew member to respond. "_Adachi."_

"Roger."

No use overthinking things now. Saint-Germain asked for her help, which was a very rare thing indeed. It would not do to betray her expectations in this matter.

Her resolve strengthened, Maria leaped away towards her goal.

-!-

Susano'o.

If there was one name in Japanese Mythology that was recognized by absolutely everyone in the country, it was his.

The god of storms and the sea, and one that is said to be so mighty he was almost unmatched.

And somehow, that god had appeared right in front of Hibiki, and out of all places, in the body of her friend and comrade Kazanari Tsubasa.

She may have divine power on her side, but even someone as ridiculously strong as Hibiki could not allow herself to underestimate him, no matter what sort of form he took.

And anything he said otherwise was pure bullshit.

The air continued to cackle with electricity, power radiating off of Tsubasa in such amounts Hibiki could physically feel it.

"_**What is the matter, Hibiki? Where has thy fighting spirit gone? Has our presence caused the flower of fear to bloom in your heart? Or perhaps it is the worry for **__my __**well-being?" **_Tsubasa asked with that thunderous voice. It was still entirely feminine and carried that deep tone that Tsubasa always had that made her songs so much more impactful.

"Shut up," Hibiki spit out in response. "I know you're not Tsubasa, so stop trying to pretend to be her."

"_**And you choose to remain ignorant of what is in front of thine eyes,"**_ Tsubasa said sadly. "_**How very unfortunate, **__my __**friend. However, it matters very little what you choose to believe, for **__I __**have**_ _**made an oath, and we shall do all in our power to uphold it."**_

Hibiki brandished her spear, pointing it straight at her. "You don't scare me, Susano'o. I don't care who comes to try and stop me, because you like everyone else will fail. You also forgot that I can kill you very easily with the god-slaying power, so in fact, you should be the scared one!"

Her bold declaration however only served to make the Ame-no-Habakiri user sigh in disapproval. "_**And you choose to discredit **__my __**efforts as well. How very disappointing indeed, Hibiki," **_

She then stared at Hibiki with her shining eyes, causing the rogue wielder to take a step back in caution. "**Let us make something very clear to you, **dear sister: **that divine-slaying curse that has blackened thy mind shalt not be able to defeat us. We suggest you cease relying on that power, for it will only bring you further torment."**

Tsubasa then let out a slightly amused huff. "_**We wonder how Odin would react to discovering his precious spear has been reduced to housing the grudges of humanity. It is a shame to see a wondrous relic in such a state. But alas, there is nothing to be done about it now; the beliefs of mankind are very potent indeed."**_

"If it's a fight you want, then you got one. I'll make sure you bite the dust, and then when you're gone I'll send Tsubasa to join you."

"_**Ho, so you will face us in combat? Very well, then **__I __**shall respond with **__my_ _**full might to your challenge."**_

The electric blazing aura around Tsubasa flared to the Heavens, dwarfing Hibiki's own. Raising her shining sword and taking her stance, Tsubasa said the final words before the battle resumed. "_**Come, Hibiki. **__I __**shall cleanse and purge thy mind and body of the curses that bind them, and return thee to the place where you rightfully belong!"**_

Lightning struck around them again wildly.

And Tsubasa made the first move.

Hibiki blinked.

At that moment, lightning struck again and Tsubasa appeared right in front of her without even moving a muscle. Her swing was like light, moving so fast the rogue Adaptor could barely catch it, managing in the last possible second to raise her spear to block the blow.

Only for the sword to slice through the spear like it was made of butter, and Hibiki was forced to jump back to avoid sharing the same fate. The spear's severed half fell to the floor with a clang, and she stared at what remained of it in her hand in shock.

The sword hadn't just cut through the spear; it melted it in an instant, the full heat of lightning focused exactly on the point it was cutting. It left the spear in two complete yet useless halves, both seared at the point where they previously connected.

She looked up at the idol and grit her teeth, tossing the remains of her spear aside. Tsubasa smirked mischievously. "_**Have you forgotten, Hibiki, that **__I __**pledged to make you drop that spear by any means necessary? Consider that proof of our sincerity."**_

"So that's how you want to play it..."

Susano'o wanted to face her fists? Fine then, she can work with that.

Hibiki entered her stance, the one stance she had painstakingly learned for a long time and polished over many battles. The one that she came to Genjuro to learn...

And the one she had used to defeat him a little over a week ago.

In response, Tsubasa entered her own stance. Their auras exploded upwards, cracking the ground and causing rubble to float in the air as if gravity itself had surrendered to their power.

"_**LET'S GO!"**_

_(Play: Susano'o Theme - Warriors Orochi 3 OST)_

The very definitions of speed and power were shattered as the two combatants charged towards each other. Fist met sword in an atomic explosion, and the entire plaza was razed from just the shockwave of their clash. Thunder rumbled loudly in the background as the two struggled against each other, neither one giving ground for the other for even a moment.

And then came the exchange of blows. Hibiki's fists and Tsubasa's sword simply disappeared from sight as a hurricane of strikes cleaved the ground even further, and any and all foundations beneath their feet simply collapsed. The tiled floor ceased to exist, a gigantic crater being carved into the ground beneath their feet.

Yet even with that, it did not stop either of them. Tsubasa's sword, laced with fire, electricity, and the will of a god was truly the embodiment of a storm and the sheer futility of standing against one. It crashed, roared, and rained down hundreds of swings and slashes in a mere second, a sight that a regular human... no, even the most powerful humans would not be able to come close to understand.

But Hibiki did. She understood, and she faced that storm head one with all her power. The chaotic harmony of good and evil within her powered her to the extreme, and her fists blurred, phasing in and out of sight. One punch became a thousand, and two became ten thousand. So many blows that defied reality surged forward, and nothing in the world of Man could stand up against them.

The battle between the two was a contradiction in on itself, a true representation of the age-old question that baffled humanity to this day:

What would be the result when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?

There was no answer to be gleaned from this exchange except one:

Destruction.

What was once a beautiful plaza filled with greenery and life was reduced to its bare elements, unveiling the raw ground beneath it. Everything that existed around them simply ceased to be, the heat and power of their blows reducing everything to their tiniest bare particles.

Divinity against a god.

Curses against a storm.

The two shot towards the sky in an instant, stopping their mad clash for less than a second before it resumed in the air. Tsubasa slashed forward, and a veritable wall of fire erupted from the edge of her blade, searing and igniting the air. The oxygen detonated due to the sheer heat, and a fireball roared to life right in between the two.

And all that force came upon Hibiki instantly, rendering her almost unable to respond.

But only almost.

She teleported, evading the wave of death by a moment and struck at Tsubasa with a supersonic punch. But the descendant of Susano'o spun around and struck the fist with her blade, once again creating a shockwave that sheared the top of the buildings beneath them.

Tokyo would be a shadow of its former self once they are done, Tsubasa realized. It would not matter who won in the end... for it will be the people who will have to pick up the pieces. Her heart broke at the thought of their misery, but she could not allow herself to despair for their sake.

For the alternative was death, and a city devoid of life might as well be destroyed anyway.

She deflected Hibiki's punch only for the rogue wielder to send another hundred with her other fist, and the idol blocked them all with the edge of her blade. The very fact that despite all of her power, her blade was still not injuring Hibiki all that badly was incredible, and showcased the immense strength she wielded.

But the invincible girl laced with divine power finally met her match by the hand of the very first comrade she gained since she had taken up the Symphogear, and the two were reading each other perfectly.

Neither could gain ground, and that was detrimental for Tsubasa.

For Susano'o's might was fleeting, while the power granted by the divine power was not. That was why she had to give it her all, regardless of the destruction she causes. So long as the shelters are left untouched and the people still live, they will be able to rebuild.

Tsubasa swiftly flipped backwards, the blades on her legs stopping Hibiki's barrage and causing her to retreat, putting distance between the two opponents.

Hibiki prepared to charge, and Tsubasa raised her blade to the sky and towards the storm. When the rogue wielder finally began her rush, dozens upon dozens of lightning bolts struck the sword. The massive amounts of electricity contained within them flowed through it and right into Tsubasa.

And stopping the corrupted Adaptor mid charge, for an impassable ring of lightning sprung to life between her and her opponent. Hibiki realized that even if she tried to teleport past them, not only would she fail, but if she succeeded Tsubasa would undoubtedly cut her down in the process.

So she decided to try something else.

She reared her fist back, and power gathered inside her hand. The air around her shone with golden light as she poured more and more energy into her attack, her eyes narrowed on her opponent.

In response, Tsubasa aimed her sword forward, and the ring of lightning coalesced into the blade itself, causing it to cackle wildly and uncontrollably as millions upon millions of joules ran through it. And all at the command of the descendant of the god of storms.

The light in Hibiki's hand reached its peak, and she thrust her fist forward with a mighty yell.

"**GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"**

An explosion of golden light surged forward towards Tsubasa, rending the air and reality as it passed through.

Yet the shining haired idol answered by thrusting her sword forward, and the collection of lightning fused into a giant bolt that roared across the sky, making its way to Hibiki.

The two attacks clashed in the middle, and raw power imploded at their point of impact. They struggled against each other, pushing each other back momentarily yet neither gaining any ground. Divine power once again clashed against the storm, and several loose bolts rent the ground asunder, destroying more and more of it with each pass.

With neither one gaining the advantage, the two of them called off their attacks and charged. However, just this time Tsubasa was faster, and Hibiki was forced to block or dodge her barrage of attacks, not giving her even an instant to try and switch to the offensive. The flaming and electrified blade was simply death incarnate, and she had to do her best to not be killed on the spot. She didn't know what Tsubasa's intention was nor did she care, but this was far more than she had expected any of the wielders to be able to do.

And just for a moment... just for a singular, tiny moment, Hibiki found herself awed. 'As expected of Tsubasa-san.'

The strange thought that had intruded upon her mind caused her to miss a swing from the right. Gritting her teeth, Hibiki teleported backwards, trying to gain some distance and regroup.

But Tsubasa wouldn't let her. Lightning crashed and thunder rumbled, and the swordswoman simply tore through space forward, using the crashing lightning as her footsteps towards the rogue wielder. Teleporting between the bolts, she closed the distance to Hibiki unbelievably swiftly. The rogue Adaptor barely had time to respond and brought her hands up to block the overhead swing.

Only to be caught completely and utterly off guard when Tsubasa instead let go of her sword at the last moment, letting her close the small distance she needed to enact her trap.

And before Hibiki could respond, Tsubasa's free hand clenched into a fist and smashed with all the might of a hurricane behind it right into the rogue wielder's stomach. Lightning traveled from the descendant of storms to her opponent, and the Gungnir user was paralyzed as her muscles spasmed from the sheer intensity of the current.

That would have been the result had Tsubasa simply cherry-tapped her. No, what she had done was push all of her might into the strike, and even though hand-to-hand combat was not her forte, there was no denying her power.

Hibiki was launched across the sky to the other side of the city, crashing through the very top of the Skytree in her path, raining steel and debris down on the ground. Kirika and Shirabe, who had been fighting right beneath it, heard the rumblings and looked towards the sky to the streak of lightning that had engulfed the rogue wielder...

And at Tsubasa's form that was quick to follow.

"Eh?! What's going on?!"

-!-

No one in S.O.N.G's bridge worked. No one typed, no one gave any updates on any situations. The numbers kept flowing in, but all they could do was simply stare in awe and amazement at the spectacle displayed on the screen and marvel.

"This... is Susano'o-sama's power!"

"Amazing! This is way too amazing!"

"I can't believe it! She can actually win! Tsubasa-san can do it!"

"She can bring Tachibana-san back! This is incredible!"

This was indeed incredible, Genjuro noted in his mind. There was no denying what was going on here. The sheer might that Tsubasa was displaying was something for the history books, even if the city was reduced to smithereens as a result.

This was what it meant to be a descendant of one of the oldest families in the entirety of Japan. This was the entire reason Kazanari Fudou kept her, and by extension them on a tight leash: he had bred her specifically because he wanted her to inherit the blood of Susano'o, and to display the might of the country to the world at large. To make them tremble in fear and awe as the avatar of the storm brought ruin upon them for daring to put the country in their sights.

But in the end, it was instead used to rend the land asunder as the wielder of that power clashed against her own comrade in a desperate bid to rescue her from the grasp of humanity's curses.

It was truly an irony that did not pass over Genjuro, and he found himself slightly amused by the prospect. Anything that can be done to break Fudou's expectations was a blessing in disguise.

And even Adam found himself impressed. "What an intriguing thing to witness, the legacy of Susano'o," he said. "It has truly not disappointed so far. I'm almost curious to see how it proceeds from her and what more she has to bear. This is just the beginning after all."

"You're right about that," Genjuro responded to him, for once surprised that Adam was not quick to judge or retort.

Unfortunately, his surprise was quickly shattered.

"But that is not truly Susano'o, is it?"

Genjuro widened his eyes, and even several of the crew members with a more active attention span turned their heads to look at him in shock. He smirked at their surprise. "Anyone would be able to tell just by looking at the Aufwachen signal. That god contained within him divine power after all, and Kazanari Tsubasa does not. It's only a matter of putting two and two together... but that makes her even more intriguing, to say the least. To think she held just that much power all on her own."

Many eyes were quick to look towards Genjuro for an answer. Realizing they were waiting for his response, he sighed. He wanted them to stay marveled, but it seems he'll have to spill the beans. "It's true," he said. "Everything you see here is Tsubasa's power, not Susano'o's. She may have declared herself as such, but that is in fact not the whole truth."

He gazed at the display showcasing the battle evenly, his concentration on his niece. "The will of Susano'o that you saw? It is nothing but an illusion. It is merely a symptom of the massive power released due to the Cursed Eden Module and his blood that runs through her; a sort of split personality, if you were. It rose to the surface due to Ame-no-Habakiri's connection to her, and all those factors combined allowed that will to spring forth and letting her get a true grasp on its full scope."

The mad clashes, the casual throwing around of lightning and fire, were all part of it. "In order for that will to manifest, certain conditions must first be met: Tsubasa must be using Ame-no-Habakiri, a sufficient amount of power must be channelled at once, and a storm must be raging overhead. Without these three factors combined, Susano'o will not manifest. It is more correct to place it on the level of a miracle like the X-Drive rather than anything else. In fact, the only reason it manifested at all is to work as an intermediate between her and that massive power. Without it, she does not have full access to what it can do."

"But how do you know this, sir?" One crew member asked.

Genjuro huffed. "Who do you think I am? I am Kazanari Genjuro, and his blood runs through me just like it runs through her. Of course I would know the intricacies behind manifesting the strength of our ancestor. However, unlike her, I was not raised to be its receptacle, and therefore will never be able to use it."

Not that he gave a damn about that.

"Gaze at it and marvel everyone, for this may be the only chance you'll ever get to see this power in action in your lifetime. I just wished that it would be under different circumstances."

And that it would be enough, he left unsaid. No matter what, Tsubasa MUST defeat Hibiki before the storm passes. If she does not, all that power will be rendered virtually unusable and she'll be defeated in an instant.

-!-

_(Play: Dark Colossus - Nier Automata OST)_

Hibiki crashed into a building, her entire body wracking with pain due to the electricity running through her. She only had a second to groan in pain before she had to dislodge herself and dodge as Tsubasa's sword sliced through the structure, searing through it like it was thin air.

"Why... isn't it working?!" Hibiki growled out as she dodged another blow. Her god-slaying power was not doing anything! She remembered how it felt when she punched through that divine snake and the Divine Weapon, but now it wasn't doing a single thing!

"_**You assumed we were bluffing, and are now paying for your arrogance, Hibiki,**_" Tsubasa said as she trudged towards her. "_I __**have informed you that your cursed power will not be able to defeat us, yet you chose to ignore **__my __**warning. Now come, we are not finished yet."**_

Tsubasa charged like lightning again. Hibiki clicked her tongue and reluctantly realized her opponent was correct. She thought she'll be able to depend on the god-slaying power to get rid of Susano'o quickly, but it seems that her gamble was thrown out the window.

Fine then, if that was the case then she'll just meet him head-on with her own full power.

She knocked her knuckles together and planted her feet. This time, she won't catch her off guard.

Once more fists and sword met in a clash, and one of the few untouched parts of the city was reduced to rubble almost instantaneously. The closest Noise were over a hundred meters away, yet they too were flung aside like paper. They disintegrated due to the explosive force that sent waves upon waves of destruction through the ward.

The searing heat of Tsubasa's sword was causing the asphalt to melt beneath their feet, and even Hibiki was not safe from it. She felt as if she was being roasted alive just due to her proximity to the sword, and her fists felt like they were the ones on fire every time she blocked a powerful swing.

Looking for a way out of this deadlock, Hibiki copied Genjuro and suddenly slammed her foot into the ground, causing a huge chunk of it to rise right between her and the blue-haired idol, forcing them to disengage. Tsubasa, however, did not retreat and swung, slicing through the wall that sprouted before her.

Only to not find Hibiki on the other side, and her eyes narrowed, expecting her to appear behind her again. However, it was then that the bottom part of the wall she had sliced exploded outwards towards her, pelting her with hot asphalt chunks.

And Hibiki's fist followed, and for the first time in their battle, finally managed to find purchase. Her punch slammed into Tsubasa's stomach, causing spittle to fly out of her mouth. The pile bunker on her gauntlet, having been cocked back during her desperate tactic, then slammed into the idol at full force.

The mere shockwave of the release collapsed the structures in their vicinity, and a moment later the Tsubasa was propelled at supersonic speeds backwards, crashing through rows upon rows of buildings without stopping.

The entire way she made Hibiki take she was now experiencing herself. Except now, her back seared in pain every time it slammed against a solid concrete wall that a human should never have been able to crash through.

Finding herself in Shibuya crossing infested with Noise, Tsubasa flipped and skidded across the ground. The Noise around her noticed her presence, and immediately stopped everything they were doing and turned on her, charging recklessly towards the opponent that vastly outclassed them.

She rose up to her full height, and Hibiki appeared on top of one of the buildings surrounding the landmark, watching from afar.

The idol did not even bother responding to the Noise and did not feel anything when a humanoid one slammed into her and failed to make her budge. Instead, an electric current ran from her to it, and the offending Noise was vaporized without any real input from her.

They were pests, nothing more. But just like real bugs, too many of them at once can prove bothersome.

"_**Know your place!"**_ She declared and swept her arm.

Lightning struck around her in a circle, eliminating the Noise close to her. Then, the circle expanded as lightning continued to strike, and more and more of the charging Noise were wiped out without a glance, going beyond even the crossing and covering a huge two hundred meter area. Feeling merciful for the buildings, the lightning only struck the Noise and nothing else, and each individual bolt found its own target, thousands upon thousands coming down all at once.

Nothing was left of the Noise except burning piles of ash.

Hibiki narrowed her eyes and jumped down to the ground, meeting Tsubasa's gaze. "_I __**assume you did not believe these automatons will be able to defeat us."**_

"Obviously not," Hibiki responded. "But these might."

And then over a hundred beasts leaped from the shadows of the buildings to converge on Tsubasa all at once, all of them growling and snarling like wild animals.

"_**Fool."**_

The beasts, so sure of their victory were caught completely off guard when Tsubasa grabbed the first one that closed the distance by the face. She held it in the air, staring at it with narrowed eyes for less than a second before slamming it into the ground. The famous crossing cratered and fractures rapidly extended into the streets around them for dozens of meters.

The beast growled in pain, but she was not done yet. Wordlessly, she plunged her sword into its core, and it shrieked as its life ended and turned to dust. But then, from where the sword had been stabbed into the ground light ran through the cracks previously created, and a moment later exploded upwards, sending chunks of earth into the air that struck the army of beasts, stopping their wild rush in its tracks.

All of the beasts screamed in tandem, but Tsubasa was not done yet.

"_**Wretched abominations,"**_ she uttered sternly.

And rain fell. It was so out of place that even Hibiki was shocked to see it.

It rained, yet it was such a strange rain it could hardly be called that. Falling in a circle around the idol, not a single drop touched her, and the sudden downpour did not extend past the crossing itself.

Having summoned a small localized rainstorm, the beasts were helpless as they suddenly found themselves hanging in midair as if they were floating. They tried to claw at her wildly, but the lack of friction removed their ability to move as they liked.

"_**BEGONE!"**_

She swept her arm once more.

And the beasts were washed away, the rain becoming a deluge of death as each individual drop became as sharp as a sword, slicing into them. None survived as they were diced, the black dust left in their wake draining away through the street and into the storm drains.

The rain then stopped in but a second, leaving the remains of the crossing wet except for the circle the idol stood in. Lowering her arm, Tsubasa stared at the corrupted Adaptor with a disappointed expression. "_I am_ _**insulted, Hibiki, that you believed these beasts of yours will be able to overcome us,"**_ she said. "_**Is this all **__I am __**to you?"**_

"You are nothing to me, Susano'o. I don't give a damn about you," Hibiki answered harshly. "But you are getting in my way, so I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you disappear so I can deal with Tsubasa myself."

Tsubasa stared at Hibiki with her eyes wide, taking in what she just said and...

Proceeded to laugh loudly, something Hibiki had never seen her do before.

"_**We see now! We understand your predicament, Hibiki! In that case, if you want to get at **__me, __**we shall respond accordingly. As you have summoned your own beasts against us, so shall we respond with one of our own."**_

"What?"

To answer her question, Tsubasa pointed her sword towards the ground, holding its handle with one hand. Its tip barely touched the ruined earth beneath, and right in that small space between them, flames began to churn out without limit, rising to partially obscure the shining haired idol from the rogue wielder's sight.

And her voice once again became roaring thunder, echoing throughout the area.

"_**We are Susano'o! We are the storm, we are the sea! We bring forth the thunder, and we churn the waters! By the name of our Father Izanagi-no-Mikoto, we call upon the one that fell to our blade! By the name of Totsuka-no-Tsurugi, by the name of Ame-no-Habakiri, we summon thee forth, beast of calamity!"**_

And she released her hold on the blade. Hibiki watched with narrowed eyes filled with confusion as the sword fell towards the flames, slowly descending into them and disappearing within, melting away until nothing remained.

"_**Thou art the one who ravaged the land in the name of greed, and thou art one who took and indulged upon the sorrow of the people! For every one of your heads, thou feasted upon the weak, and for your crimes, thou have fallen to our blade! Now, by the name of Takehaya Susano'o-no-Mikoto and Kumano-Ketsumiko-no-kami, thou shalt rise to do our bidding in the land anew, and unleash thine wrath upon our foe!"**_

The ground shook, and Hibiki planted her feet to avoid being knocked over by the earthquake Tsubasa... no, Susano'o summoned, and she watched as the sea of flames that poured out of where the sword had begun to morph, and change, and rise.

_~Susano'o was banished from the heavens by the word of his father Izanagi and descended to the Earth at the province of Izumo. It was there he heard the cries of an elderly couple, who told him that seven of their eight daughters were devoured by an eight-headed dragon, and it was nearly time for the eighth~_

"_**We are Susano'o! And thou shalt rise as our servant in this day and age!"**_

And the flames began to take form, ascending higher and higher, and Tsubasa rode upon them, taller and grander than ever before; she rose into the air with the flames as her mount.

_~In exchange for being allowed to marry the eighth daughter Kushinada-hime, Susano'o agreed to slay the dragon for them. He then on the spot transformed Kushinada-hime into a many toothed comb which he stuck in his hair. He then proceeded to make eight tubs of sake, one for each head of the dragon~_

The flames began to separate, morph, and change as if they were simple clay, yet their ferocity and heat were unmatched by anything on this earth.

Hibiki watched. She watched and took steps back, her mouth gaping, as the tower of flames grew taller than the highest skyscrapers in the crossing, and she had to tilt her head up just to be able to take in the sheer size of the thing.

The separated flames, divided into eight long and massive wisps, finally began to take their real form.

And from where she could see, the eight wisps became heads, growing fangs, and ears, gaining true beast-like and snake-like appearances. And through all of that incredible transformation, Tsubasa stayed standing upon the flames, looking down on her comrade with an even expression.

"_**Thine eyes shalt be only for one, and no more than one! Heed our order, and bring forth thine might! Eight-headed dragon of Koshi, for this day you shall work to purge the land of the taint that plagues it!"**_

On that day, the world watched.

On that day, the world saw.

And at that moment, Hibiki was once more taken aback, caught completely by surprise by the beast that surpassed all beasts!

Fiery tails struck wildly as the eight heads rose, and eight pairs of flaming eyes locked upon the rogue wielder.

_~That night, the dragon truly appeared before Susano'o. The dragon that would forever be known for being slain by the god, heralding him as one of the greatest in the land of the rising sun! And its name was:~_

"_**We are Susano'o-no-Mikoto! And thine name, Eight-headed-snake of Koshi, is:"**_

AND THE BEAST ROARED

"_**YAMATA-NO-OROCHI!"**_

-!-

Black light sliced through the Noise as Kirika's scythe once again bisected over a hundred of them with a single slash. They continued charging recklessly, but none could get past her guard at all. Even after using that incredible technique, she had enough juice in her veins to run on for the rest of the night if she had to.

That is of course unless the Cursed Eden Module gave out first.

"Kiri-chan..." Shirabe hesitantly called out, causing the Ig-Alima wielder to turn around in a hurry at her concerned tone of voice. Shirabe, still slicing through her own contingent of the Noise, pointed towards another part of the city that seemed... strangely illuminated. "What is that?"

Following her partner's sight, Kirika looked to where she was pointing, and true enough she saw the strange illumination as well.

And right before their eyes, it rose even higher, and they watched as even from their distance that whatever it was gained a form as it seemed to be made entirely out of flames.

There wasn't any question as to who was the one that summoned it, and their surprise could only be vocalized with a single name.

"Tsubasa-san?!"

-!-

Maria stooped atop one of the buildings on the east side, looking from afar at the strange lights. They were like a second sun in the night, bathing the city's horizon with an orange and yellow glow.

Her eyes widened as the flames in the distance took upon a shape of monster that she did not recognize. She could plainly see as eight long and fiery heads slithered back and forth as they stared down at something she couldn't see.

There was only one answer as to what had caused it to appear, and Maria's worry grew tenfold.

"Tsubasa?!"

-!-

"Commander, isn't this... a bit of an overkill?"

"No, it isn't," Genjuro answered. "In order to surpass the divine power, we must use everything at our disposal to purge Hibiki-kun of the curses. If summoning forth the great beast of legend brings us closer to our goal, then that's what we shall do."

"But the city, sir..."

"Nothing we can do about the city now. Either Hibiki-kun destroys it herself or we consider it collateral in the fight. We must stop her before it's too late. If that goal can only be reached by burning Tokyo to the ground, then we will accept that as an unavoidable fact."

And he hoped that it would be enough.

-!-

It was massive!

The gigantic monster, now identified as Yamata-no-Orochi, was composed of nothing but flames, towering over absolutely everything in the square. The eight heads of the serpent rose even higher, and all of them stared down at Hibiki, awaiting their mistress' command.

The gargantuan eight tails flailed around behind it, and everything they touched simply melted and caught on fire instantly. It was as if a sun had suddenly been birthed in the middle of the crossing. Everything not directly touched by the monster was slowly but surely heating up, and even solid concrete was lit ablaze in defiance of physics.

And standing atop the beast's mighty back was Tsubasa. How the hell was she standing on top of fire Hibiki didn't know, but at this point, she knew it would be pointless to ask. Her arms were crossed as she too looked down on the rogue wielder, and Hibiki could feel the intense heat bore into her. A bead of sweat rolled down her cheek as the heat pierced through the empowered Gungnir's protection.

"_**This is our answer, Hibiki. As have you unleashed thine creations upon us, so have **__I __**responded to your challenge with **__my __**full might. Thou shalt face our servant as thine opponent," **_Tsubasa declared, her voice once again echoing throughout like thunder. The Orochi heads slithered and hissed, wisps of fire escaping their mouths as they prepared to pounce on their target.

But the rogue wielder steeled herself. Cracking her knuckles loudly, she stared back at the monster with her eyes narrowed, power building up within her. "Fine then," she let out dangerously. "Let's see what this thing of yours can do."

The idol smirked and extended her hand forward. "_**Go, Yamata-no-Orochi! Burn away the curse of All the Evils of this World!"**_

Her command was met with a monstrous roar.

_(Play: Theme of Orochi - Warriors Orochi 3 OST)_

The eight heads surged forward, tearing through the air as they made their way to Hibiki at lightning speeds. Gaping flaming maws reared open, and just as they were about to strike she jumped into the air, floating above them and hopefully out of range.

But they were quick to follow. The main body not moving an inch, Orochi struck, the eight heads elongating in an instant as much as necessary to reach their target. The very air burned as they moved through it, and Hibiki teleported a distance away to avoid them, clicking her tongue.

Only for her eyes to widen when they responded much quicker than she expected, already closing the distance to her as she finished her jump. She dove towards the ground just as one of the heads passed over her, and the asphalt cracked under her feet.

However, another one of the heads somehow foresaw her move and charged towards her, its fanged mouth open wide to swallow her whole. Left with no choice but to counterattack, Hibiki thrust her hands forward just as the gaping maw closed in on her.

She planted her feet, and just as it approached she grabbed it by the fangs, stopping its jaw from closing. Her palms burned as the sheer heat of the fiery teeth seared into her, bypassing her armored gauntlets almost completely. She wasn't sure how she was able to grab something made entirely out of fire, but at this point, she didn't care to know the specifics. The Orochi head tried to snap its mouth shut, but Hibiki refused to allow it, pouring more power into her arms.

It was then she sensed another head close in on her from behind, and reacting quickly she heaved upwards, throwing the head she was facing towards the sky. She took off after it and slammed her fist into its chin, and the mighty serpent head exploded into a shower of flames that fell with what seemed like actual weight to the ground, melting through the asphalt.

She didn't have even a moment to continue her offensive as another head closed in on her, and twisting in mid-air she punched it away, throwing it off course.

Only for another to come in its place and try the same thing, giving her no time to rest. She punched it away as well, only for another to follow.

Upon punching away the fifth head, her eyes once again widened as the head she thought she destroyed suddenly regenerated. Coming back with a mighty vengeance, its mouth opened and it spewed a jet of flames right in her direction. Caught off guard again, she pulled back her fist and teleported away, skidding across one of the building rooftops.

But Yamata-no-Orochi was relentless. Having retained its greedy appetite from the ages past, it was quick to follow after her. More and more buildings caught on fire in its wake, and the eight heads all opened simultaneously to rain hellfire upon her from all directions. She evaded the flames by charging low, smashing her fist into one of the heads, exploding it too.

Before its remains even managed to touch the ground she switched targets. Weaving through the bundle of fiery necks, she punched another, raining down even more fire.

She was going to have to work quickly, she realized. If the Orochi can regenerate its heads, then she'll never be able to defeat it. If she can take down all the heads before they come back, then maybe it will extinguish by having no brains left to work with.

"_**That will not work, Hibiki!" **_

Taken by surprise by Tsubasa's sudden shout, she turned around to see the first head she punched already back and roaring towards her faster than she could register it. Once again caught in a pincer move, she was forced to grab the fiery teeth again in order to avoid being devoured, only for three more heads to surround her, charging flames in their mouths. She grit her teeth and jumped away, the maw snapping shut just as she left its range.

Three jets of fire exploded towards her, and in the last second, she teleported high above. Joining her fists together, Hibiki charged downwards with a mighty yell, bringing her full might down on one of the heads. It immediately exploded, the very shockwaves of her strike causing the rest to reel back with a loud shriek, thrown about by the gale winds. The head, along with the neck, crumbled to nothing all the way to the base, raining even more heavy flames down onto the street below.

But that did not stop the Orochi. The seven heads charged all at once, and she shot higher towards the sky to avoid them. They answered by continuing their chase, roaring along their path, climbing upwards like missiles. One of them reached her first, and she answered by smashing it aside.

And then another replaced it.

And then another.

The Orochi heads attacked non-stop, moving in for the kill at blinding speeds. '_Shit, I can't get past them like this!'_

How can she take this thing down? How does it work? How does it live?

Her wondering was interrupted as the eighth head that she destroyed earlier closed in on her from behind, its mouth was once open to let out a stream of fire at her.

They were like waves. Nearly unstoppable, they crashed against her with all their might, and when she thought she'd finally held them off, another appeared in its place. A vicious cycle of constantly destroying the same heads over and over, it did nothing to stop the onslaught that this beast was.

She dodged backwards, evading the flames once again. Dashing through the air, she darted between the many buildings in Shibuya in an attempt to shake them off. The Orochi heads were hot on her heels, slithering rapidly through the streets from all directions as they tried to close in on her. The city burned as Orochi passed through like the angel of death, searing anything that was even remotely close to it. Hibiki took a hard right, barely avoiding a wall of flame one of the heads unleashed just as she passed by the intersection.

'_This makes no sense. It's like they know where I'm going to be!'_

That was the strangest thing out of everything here. She noticed it the first time she clashed with it: somehow the Orochi heads foresaw her moves and where she was going to be, letting them catch her by surprise despite her best efforts. Had they not been so prophetic she wouldn't have nearly as trouble with them.

She shot forward, and another two heads followed after her, spewing even more hellfire right on her heels. Rather than keep on running away, she dove to the ground and braked hard, her feet throwing up rubble into the air. The sea of flames passed over her head just at that moment, and she took the opportunity to jump back.

Only for her back to slam against a blazing wall that was another one of the heads. Having predicted her gambit, it had weaved through the streets and waited for her to maneuver herself into this position, taking advantage of her attempt to shake them off.

Hibiki cried out as her back burned, and she turned in a hurry to see the head's gaping maw open up to swallow her once more. Clenching her teeth hard through the pain, she smashed her fist into its upper mouth, blowing off its nose and eyes in another downpour of fire.

'_I have to do something about this prediction of theirs!'_ She said to herself, darting away from the destroyed head and jumping upwards towards the rooftops. Trying to outrun them is more or less impossible at this point; she needed them where she could see them and make her plan from there.

The destroyed head regenerated, and along with its brethren, the eight heads of Yamata-no-Orochi towered over her, their blazing gaze boring into her. She grit her teeth, the gears running on full speed in her head as she tried to come up with a solution.

The eight heads surrounded her, and all at once charged massive amounts of flames in their maws. Each one shone brightly, drowning out the night as the storm raged overhead, coloring the black clouds in a radiant orange. The area was basked in what almost seemed like an afternoon glow as if they had turned back time.

Hibiki planted her feet and prepared to meet the barrage head-on, realizing that all they've been doing is going on a wild goose chase. Their battle could go on forever at this rate, with neither one gaining the advantage. And through it all, Tsubasa would be standing by leisurely on its body, waiting for the beast to do its work for her—

'_Tsubasa!'_

Of course! Her mind suddenly lit up, finally realizing what was the source of their frustrating ability. Tsubasa must be the one doing the predictions here and giving the results to the Orochi heads! Since she knew how Hibiki's mind works, she would definitely know how she would act in any given situation!

And if the eight heads are here...

It means that Tsubasa is vulnerable!

Her plan set, Hibiki took off into the air. Nearly reaching the clouds, her eyes locked onto the distant main body of the Orochi in the heart of the Shibuya crossing.

She'll finish it in one, powerful blow.

The eight heads quickly followed after her into the air, but she did not spare them even a glance as she immediately charged with such speeds towards her target that the heads we veered off course just from the shockwaves. Her body was engulfed in an aura of golden light, sonic booms being left in her wake. She roared, rearing her fist back, the pile bunker pulled back as far as it could go, making a beeline for the blue-haired idol.

She closed the massive distance in less than ten seconds, and Tsubasa raised her head to stare at the charging rogue Adaptor. Locked in place on the beast's back due to having summoned it, Tsubasa did not have the option to dodge out of the way of Hibiki's punch.

And as it turned out, she had no need to.

The shock on Hibiki's face could not be described as instead of smashing her fist into Tsubasa's face as intended, she found it caught in the idol's palm. All of the buildings in the crossing were blown to pieces from the sheer force of the strike, the flaming rubble raining down on the ward like a meteor shower. Yet Tsubasa stood undeterred, a single hand extended forward with Hibiki's punch struggling in her hold.

"Wha—how?!"

"_**As expected of you, Hibiki, to see through their clairvoyance. However, **__I __**have also expected you to respond in this manner. To aim for **__me __**was not mistaken of you, however, it was meaningless. For you stand before the might of the storm, the force of nature that humanity has never been able to conquer!"**_

"You sure like to run your mouth, don't you Susano'o?!" The rogue wielder growled out, still hanging in the air with her fist caught in her opponent's hand.

Tsubasa however only sighed in response, once again disappointed by her friend's vehement denial. "_**So you still refuse to call **__me __**by **__my __**name?"**_

"How many times do I have to tell you? You... are NOT Tsubasa!"

Suddenly, the eight super elongated necks of the Orochi were reeled back, shortening quickly at blinding speeds as the eight heads re-appeared right by their master's side. They moved not, waving in the air as they waited for the next command.

And Hibiki found herself flanked on all sides.

"_**In that case, **__dear sister, I __**shall remind you of **__my name__**," **_Tsubasa said. Putting a tiny bit of power into her arm, Hibiki had only a moment to glance downwards at something strange in the Orochi's body before she was flung away. She twisted in mid-air and landed back on the ground before the great beast, putting them back at square one. "_**With **__my __**endless song! The song of a sentinel and a blade, the song that binds together the Heavens and the Earth! For **__I am Kazanari Tsubasa__**, and **__I shall __**remind you of what lies... beyond the blade!"**_

The eight heads roared in tandem once more.

And accompanied by the sound of thunder, Tsubasa's voice rose to the Heavens as a familiar song rang out.

_(Play: Beyond the BLADE [IGNITED ARRANGEMENT] - Kazanari Tsubasa)_

The eight heads charged with renewed vigor, faster and stronger than before. Hibiki barely had a moment to dodge out of the way as they all slammed into the ground, diving into it like it was water. She watched incredulously, jumping back as the heads bobbed in and out of the solid ground, swimming through it.

Realizing she won't be able to outrun them now and that she won't be able to get rid of Tsubasa's ability to assist them, she planted her feet into the ground, prepared to take them head-on.

Two heads rushed towards her at lightning speeds, but right before they could slam into her she raised her hands and opened her palms. Two heads smashed against them with a mighty force, sending flaming debris in all directions. The ground under Hibiki's feet cracked further the pressure, fire racing over her.

Orochi struggled against her, and pain ran up her hands as her palms burned at the touch of their flaming form. Her gaze focused, she spread her arms apart, and the two heads smashed into the buildings by her sides, melting through the steel in an instant.

An additional four surrounded her, and deciding to hold her ground, met them ahead on. Her fists blurred as she smashed away the snake's heads, and each time one fell another came to take its place in their assault.

That's right, she realized. No point in trying to think cleverly against these things. She was after all not much for planning, just like Tsubasa said.

So she won't plan. She won't strategize. She will smash through the mythical beast with nothing but the might of her fists, and take down anything that gets in her way! That is her infallible justice, and no one will stand in the way of it!

One of the heads charged flames in its mouth, and a second later a fireball of massive proportions descended on her with a blazing roar. Clenching her fists, she took a step forward and smashed the ball of death away, sending it soaring through the air to pierce the storm clouds and into the hidden night sky.

Another head then unleashed a blast of flames, and she decided to counter it with her own blast. Taking another step forward, she thrust a closed fist forward, a golden beam of light smashing against the flames. It dispersed the flames and struck the head, blasting it away.

And then came the third. It circled around her, forming a ring of fire with its neck. Towering right above her, it clamped down on her with its gaping maw. She caught its teeth once more before they closed, and she could feel as flames leaked out of its open mouth to wash over her. The heat was truly unbearable, and she clenched her fists even harder, her hold on the fiery fangs tightening.

"**UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"**

Letting out a guttural shout, she spun the head above her head. A twister of fire began to form as the head was thrown about, and at the apex of her spin released her hold, throwing it all the way back to the main body.

She spun on her heel to slam her fist into another head that tried to ambush her from behind, and it too was thrown back into another building at the end of the street, melting through it.

It seemed like holding her ground was proving far more advantageous for her. However, she didn't lose her mind enough to realize that just beating the Orochi about won't bring it down. She had to take care of Tsubasa, who was controlling it.

Or she didn't have to focus on Tsubasa at all.

She saw something inside the main body right under Tsubasa, as if she was standing on top of it, guarding it with her own body. Hibiki didn't know what it was, but she had a gut feeling that it was incredibly important for the Orochi's existence.

Then it would make sense to aim for whatever it was instead.

But how will she get to it?

She got her answer when the head she had thrown back began to bob in and out of the street once more, swimming through it as it made its way to her once again. It closed the distance in a second and charged at her, attempting once more to bite down on her.

So she decided to go with a different route this time.

Hibiki gathered power into her arm and punched the ground with all her might. It instantly cratered and shattered to pieces, the asphalt street breaking down into pieces right under her. Shockwaves ran through the ground, shaking the buildings next to her like an earthquake. The eight heads were thrown back by the force, and Hibiki took the opportunity to jump down in the hole she made and out of their sight.

Hovering above the nasty sewers in the Tokyo underground, Hibiki charged forward, her eyes locked on the direction where the beast sat right above the ground. Charging with a blazing aura, she crashed through solid walls, not stopping for anything as the Orochi heads charged in after her. They melted through the various steel-reinforced walls, and the ground above began collapsing as both powerful beings rampaged through the underground.

Eventually, Hibiki reached her destination, marked by the ceiling that burned red hot, signifying the place where the Orochi's main body sat. It was then that its heads burst through the walls from all directions, intent on stopping her from enacting her plan.

But it was too late. Her power exploded and the heads were thrown aside like ragdolls, and with her full might crashed through the ceiling with all the power she could muster.

Right under the belly of the Orochi's main body.

She smirked as she smashed through its flame-made stomach. The fire immolated her all over, but she pushed through it, groaning all the while as she extended her fist upwards, trying to reach her target. She closed one eye to protect her eyesight, and her vision blurred through the flames.

And her efforts were rewarded. Staring ahead, she looked to see what she was looking for: a sword, black and blue, floating in place right under where Tsubasa was standing. Pouring more power into her charge, she crashed through the fire and her fist struck the blade serving as the Orochi's core.

Causing it to promptly shatter under the force.

Yamata-no-Orochi was lifted off the ground as Hibiki pierced through it. Tsubasa, having noticed Hibiki's strategy a mile away, jumped off the Orochi's body just as Hibiki passed through. The heads, having erupted from the ground in an attempt to give chase, shrieked loudly as their core was destroyed. Hibiki took the opportunity to jump away and land onto the street, grinning widely at her handiwork with Tsubasa watching.

The Orochi flailed, its steps faltering. The heads writhed in agony and crashed against buildings as their life was snuffed out of them, falling silent as they lay to rest.

"How was that, Susano'o?!" Hibiki yelled, causing Tsubasa to turn to her.

But rather than stop singing in shock by the fact that her beast was destroyed, the idol simply stared at the rogue wielder with a fiery gaze, their shining eyes meeting. The thrusters on Tsubasa's back and feet roared to life with an inferno, and she charged forward towards Hibiki, her hands empty of any weapon.

The corrupted wielder looked with confusion at her desperate charge, and with a full sense of victory, decided to stand her ground and meet her head-on.

And it was the worst mistake she could have made.

One head of the Orochi, still able to respond to its mistress' will, crashed over the length of the street the two Symphogear wielders were in. In response to its final act of loyalty, Tsubasa thrust her hand into the fiery snake's neck as she charged towards her opponent. Her arm was buried to the elbow, yet her speed did not drop even a bit nor did she lose sight of her target.

For she had one final surprise in store for her dear sister.

Everything up until now, from the summoning of Yamata-no-Orochi to Hibiki destroying it, was all part of Tsubasa's grand plan. The great snake was just a means to an end.

And that end being delivering her final and true weapon into her hands.

_~The greedy Yamata-no-Orochi drank from the tubs of sake, one for each of its heads. Soon enough, it lost consciousness as drunkenness overtook it. Having taken advantage of the dragon's love of drink, Susano'o enacted the perfect plan to kill it. Now, with Orochi at his mercy, Susano'o cut off the dragon's eight heads, slaying it once and for all~_

Her song reached its climax just as she reached the end of the Orochi's head, and from within its flaming carapace, she withdrew a sword. A sword so hot it glowed white, and she raised it above her head, lighting up the street and blinding the rogue wielder.

But her strategy was not done yet. All of the flames that had made up the Orochi, as well as all of the flames that burned through the city were drawn into the sword from all directions like a black hole. With each flame it consumed, its size and radiance increased tenfold. Only Tsubasa was able to hold it her hands, for it was the final and greatest sword that the storm god Susano'o has ever held in his life!

_~However, Susano'o was surprised to find something strange in the tail of the dragon: a sword. A sword so magnificent that it shone like the sun, and thinking it would appease his indignant sister, gave it to her as a gift, finally settling their grievances. That sword then passed down her lineage, finally becoming one of the Three Imperial Regalia of Japan!~_

There was nothing Hibiki could do to dodge in time. Blinded by the radiance and having decided to hold her ground, there was nothing she could do to avoid the coming strike.

Tsubasa's face lit up with resolution.

And with a single, powerful swing, brought its full might down on Hibiki.

_~A sword of valor and honor, a blade that gathers the heavenly clouds!~_

"_**Sing, Sword of Virtue That Brings Forth the Dawn!"**_

AND THE BLADE SHONE

"_**AME-NO-MURAKUMO!"**_

And thus, Western Tokyo was consumed in a sea of flame.

-!-

The entire world lit up right in front of their eyes.

S.O.N.G HQ rocked as if an earthquake had hit it, the full power of Tsubasa's attack blinding them completely. Hot white light erased everything from their display, and the various crew members cringed, groaned, and covered their eyes from the sun that was suddenly born in the middle of the city.

Everyone held on for dear life except for Genjuro, who looked straight ahead at the light with an even expression. The shouts and cries of his crew members were understandable, but he held no fear or worry for their well-being. He knew they would be okay and that the violent shaking will cease soon enough.

No, he was more worried about the city, and the combatants within. Having unleashed Susano'o's most powerful relic, he was worried that this time Tsubasa had completely overdone it, even if he knew about the special properties it contained.

Only the Kazanaris were aware of the true qualities it had. The original sword, more commonly known as Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, was stored and enshrined at the Kazanari's original stronghold at Izumo, now known as Chugoku Province.

And he knew a lot about it. So much, that he could exactly the extent of the damage that this final attack had dealt.

They were gonna be in one hell of a surprise if he was right.

Behind him, Miku groaned as she covered her eyes, attempting to hide away from the light. He glanced back to her for a moment, then turned his eyes back to the screen, which was already beginning to clear away.

'_Please, be enough.'_

-!-

Saint-Germain had never believed in luck or fortune in her life. She had always gone by her own strength and her own will, forcing fate to bend to her whim as she moved forward, not stopping for anything.

But if there was one time she could consider herself lucky, it was this exact moment. Having made her way into Itabashi ward during her attempts to defend the shelter, she was miraculously saved when _ALL_ of Western Tokyo was engulfed by a tsunami of fire.

Not a single building, Noise, Alca-Noise, or black beasts was spared from being incinerated. The blazing wave that erupted from the heart of Shibuya ward outwards in a gargantuan cone razed everything it touched to the ground, with no exception.

Her eyes widened at the absolute destruction caused by the flames, and she could easily tell who was the one that had caused it. 'Has she completely lost her mind as well?' She wondered. Raising her hand to the comm, she called for headquarters. "This is Saint-Germain. Please give a status report."

She was met with static momentarily before Tomosato spoke up weakly. "_Give... me... a moment..."_

Waiting for an answer, she studied the massive difference between where she was now and the charred areas. It was like the heat didn't even touch anything beyond the line of Western Tokyo, leaving a very disturbing difference, like a separation between Heaven and Hell.

"_Saint-Germain, do you copy?"_ Tomosato asked her.

"Yes. What's our status? What was the extent of the damage?"

"_Only the aboveground was razed,"_ Tomosato answered her, causing the alchemist to narrow her eyes. "_All of the shelters have been left completely untouched, and all hostile signatures have been erased without a trace. The only Noise and black beast signals are now coming from the eastern half of the city."_

"I see," the alchemist answered. So this was a calculated effort on Kazanari Tsubasa's part? Take down all of the enemies in the area while still dealing the maximum amount of damage she could?

That was fairly smart, she had to admit. Even though nothing remained of the western wards except ash, all of the people were still alive while everything else in them was eliminated. A bit tad excessive in her opinion, but still effective.

Now to see if it bore fruit.

-!-

Smoke and steam rose from everywhere as Tsubasa's attack ended. Rising back to her feet slowly, the light covering her sword died down and shattered, leaving her once again empty-handed.

Ame-no-Murakumo was the final and most powerful attack that she held in store. While she still had others she could use, none were as nearly as potent as it was. The mere setup that it required was more than a massive undertaking, but in the end, provided results. She had contained the full damage to just the western part of the city, aiming for the rogue wielder and all of the enemy units that were still prowling the streets. While she realized she could have held it back a bit more, she knew she couldn't allow it.

And besides, the entire area was already burning to the ground anyway, and it would have turned out this way whether or not she used that attack. It was better to put an end to the battle as fast as possible, as her time was running short. The storm overhead was already beginning to pass over as she could see the tiniest bit of the night sky far on the horizon. While that wasn't any indication of time in any regard, she still had to watch out lest she be left in Hibiki's mercy.

But it seems she has achieved results today anyway. In the very middle of what remained of the street, and surrounded by burning and smouldering wreckage, was Hibiki. She was lying sprawled out on the ground, her face downwards.

"_**It seems this is our victory, Hibiki,"**_ Tsubasa announced.

With this, this entire incident is finally over. All that's left to do is remove Gungnir and the divine power and they could finally have her back. While she hadn't had the slightest clue how they would do so, they achieved the first step in getting to that goal: stopping her rampage.

Hibiki ended up a short distance from her due to the power of the attack, so Tsubasa took slow steps forward. "_**It's time to come home, **__dear sister._"

She stood over her, looking down on her with a sad smile_. 'I will have a lot to answer for, but as long as we get Hibiki back, I have no regrets.'_

And she reached down.

Only for her instincts, both ingrained in her blood and in her training to scream all at once, and she immediately summoned a new blade to block the surprise blow. Having been caught off guard, she was launched across the ruined street all the way back to where Shibuya crossing used to be and looked at where Hibiki had laid just a moment before.

The rogue wielder rose on unsteady feet, trembling slightly. "This... isn't over yet!" She panted, her breaths coming in deeply.

And Tsubasa watched in shock and horror as space tore open, and to each side of Hibiki parallel dimensions suddenly erupted to all sides, all displaying the rogue wielder in her entirety. They spread out for a dozen meters, hanging in the air for a moment before rapidly collapsing right into her.

'_Oh no, this is just like—!'_

The light died down, and there Hibiki stood, apparently none the worse for wear yet still panting, as all of the damage she incurred was erased in but a second!

"_**Impossible!"**_

-!-

This time, Genjuro could not help but contain his horror. He slammed his hand on his console in frustration. The bridge crew of S.O.N.G gasped, some even covering their mouths in muted dread.

"How... unfortunate," Adam said evenly, processing the new development. "It seems our luck has finally run out."

That line was delivered with such finality no one could argue with it.

They had worked painstakingly hard to get this far. Whether it be surviving Hibiki's initial onslaughts, to creating the Cursed Eden Module, to surpassing the hells it brought, to holding back the army of Noise and beasts. And finally, to go so far as to summon a facet of Susano'o to the Earth, all to finally bring Hibiki back.

They had cried blood, sweat, and tears in order to make that possible. Tokyo was reduced to rubble in the battles as they fought their hardest to save her.

And in the end...

It was just not enough.

The ability Hibiki had displayed was the one ability they'd hoped she wouldn't develop. The same power as the Divine Weapon: the ability to open up holes to alternate dimensions, and exchange the damage incurred with another undamaged copy.

While it left her exhausted from the unexpected use, all of Tsubasa's efforts... essentially boiled down to nothing. It was only a matter of time before Hibiki catches her breath and renews the fight, leaving Tsubasa without her strongest attacks. While he didn't doubt that she'd be able to keep fighting, sooner than later the storm will pass and Susano'o will be gone.

And then everything they'd done would have been for naught.

Genjuro wracked his brain. He tried to think of anything, anything, that might turn this situation around.

But... there just wasn't.

All that was left... was the last resort he hoped he'd never use.

He leaned forward, and spoke up with pain in his heart, "Elfnein-kun."

The homunculus, who had her eyes glued to the screen, looked to him. He met her gaze, and he could see her eyes glistening with unshed tears as he realized she too had reached the same conclusion.

Her gaze was begging him not to say it. To not say the words he was going to say. That he was going to have a different solution that doesn't have to end up like this.

But in the end... her wish was not granted.

"We... have no other choice now."

He could see the moment her heart broke in her chest, and she glanced behind him... to the person who was going to have to bear the burden.

Genjuro rose up to his full height. "Tomosato, you have the bridge. Please keep Saint-Germain updated about any endangered shelters on the eastern side."

She nodded and went to work as command was transferred to her.

That left one thing.

He turned around fully, his gaze falling upon Miku, who had her hands covering her mouth in shock at what she saw on the screen. "Miku-kun, please come with me," he said. The girl dropped her arms to her sides as she looked at him in bewilderment. "There is something that we must discuss."

He headed over to the door of the bridge, and Elfnein was quick to rise up from her console to follow him. Miku looked to the commander of S.O.N.G and the homunculus in confusion but did as he asked and followed them out.

-!-

Genjuro walked ahead, and the two girls had to run slightly to catch up to him. Elfnein knew what his destination was, and so she walked beside him as he led the way, Miku right on their heels.

After weaving around several hallways of the submarine, the three of them finally reached their destination: Elfnein's lab.

"Miku-kun, please come with us inside," he said, gesturing her forward. She looked up to him, still puzzled at what he was referring to, and her heart beat rapidly in her chest, not sure what to expect. The door closed behind her and locked, separating them from the rest of the submarine. Behind him, Elfnein tinkered with something Miku could not see, and a moment later Genjuro took something from the small homunculus, then turned back to the schoolgirl.

His golden eyes met her innocent green ones, and his heart shattered at the thought of what he was about to do. His expression fell, and she tilted her head in worry. "Genjuro-san?" She asked with concern.

He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. "First thing I'd like to do Miku-kun... is apologize."

She narrowed her eyes, having not a clue what he was talking about. He continued. "I'd like to say I'm sorry... for seeing you as nothing more than an extension of Hibiki-kun. Everything I've done until now has been with the utmost intention of making sure she lived happily. That she would be able to achieve her dreams and that she'll never lose sight of herself. As a result, I ended up seeing you as nothing as a means for an end, and for that, I'd like to say I'm truly sorry."

She blinked her eyes several times at him, taken aback by his sudden and out of place confession. "Genjuro-san, I—"

"But there's more than that, Miku-kun," he added, cutting her off. "I promised her a lot of things. A lot of things that unfortunately I have to break, because... we just don't have a choice anymore. We did our best to get her back... for our sake, your sake... and her sake. But our power was just... not enough. You've been with us this entire time, and I'm sure that as you watched you felt severely out of place, haven't you?"

Her eyes widened, making him realize he was correct. Of course, he knew he was correct. It was after all a part of his plan.

But that didn't make this any easier.

"I'd like to thank you, Miku-kun, for standing by our side throughout this whole ordeal," he said, clenching his one closed fist a bit harder. He extended it to her, and she stared at his large hand with uncertainty.

"Genjuro-san?"

"I... don't have the right to ask this of you, especially after what you've been through. It's going against everything that I believe, and it only hammers deeper in the fact that I've failed to do as I promised. And I cannot even imagine the sorrow and pain you've been going through, praying and hoping that we'll finally succeed."

Her heart beat even more rapidly, and she clenched her shirt tightly with her hand. A certain part of her mind, a part that she'd thought was long gone, spoke to her at that moment... and whispered to her something she never thought she'd hear again.

"But we didn't. We failed, Miku-kun. All of our efforts were for naught, and we have been left with no choice... but to come to you for help."

She gasped.

'_No... he wouldn't...'_

Behind him, Elfnein held her hands together, looking to Miku with tears in her eyes.

And that told the black-haired girl more than enough.

At that moment, his giant fist open.

And both her mind and her heart ceased to function as she took in the sight of what was in his hand. For what lay in his open palm...

Was a tiny red pendant.

Her gaze moved up slowly to look at him straight in the eyes.

And look upon his defeated and sorrowful expression.

"Miku-kun... there's something I need to ask of you..."


	19. Chapter 19: Confession in the Twilight

"_Wait, what?!" _

That was the first thing Chris said upon hearing from Tomosato exactly what caused that incredibly bright light in the western area of the city. With more than half of the invading Noise army suddenly obliterated, the Ichaival wielder found that the force attacking the harbor had also decreased significantly. So much in fact that she didn't even need to keep Megadeth Orchestra active anymore, nor did she have to keep on using her Devastator. Simply switching to her standard firearms seemed to be getting the job done much more easily.

Not that there was much left to save of the harbor either way.

It was during that apparent period of grace that Tomosato took the time to inform everyone of exactly what Tsubasa had accomplished, with expected results.

"As I said, Tsubasa-san was the cause of that. She attempted to subdue Hibiki-chan, and it reduced Western Tokyo to ashes."

"_Wait, ATTEMPT? You mean she failed?!"_

Tomosato's face fell at Chris' blunt and completely accurate summation. "Yes. We believed she had succeeded, but Hibiki-chan suddenly developed the ability to rapidly regenerate, just like we saw with the Divine Weapon."

"_The Divine Weapon..." _Chris repeated to herself. "_Wait, you mean that huge thing she blew to pieces that wouldn't go down no matter what we did to it? And she can do the same thing now too?!"_

"Yes, that's what I'm referring to," the bridge woman confirmed.

"_Shit," _The Ichaival Adaptor bit out in between firing her weapon. "_What the hell are we supposed to do now?! I thought you said Senpai had this in the bag!"_

Tomosato sighed in defeat. "I don't know what to tell you. I just... don't. I don't know what we're supposed to do."

And their time was running short too. The storm above was already beginning to drift away, and the moment it disappears completely Tsubasa will surely lose, no matter how well she holds her own. If she can't do any damage, what's the point of all that overwhelming power?

Tomosato could see it on screen too. The battle had summarily resumed, and it has been at least ten minutes since Genjuro disappeared from the bridge with Elfnein and Miku in tow.

"The commander stepped out for a bit, and once he comes back he'll tell us what we are going to do. For now, focus on eliminating the Noise. Now that their numbers have been reduced it will be much easier to handle. With all of you on the eastern side, you should be able to take them down without too much effort."

That was true as well. Currently, the only two combatants on the western side were Hibiki and Tsubasa. Even after doing major sweeps over the immediate area, not a single hostile enemy signature could be found anywhere in their vicinity. Aside from the still miraculously standing shelters, the ruins of Western Tokyo were essentially deserted. That gave the Ame-no-Habakiri wielder plenty of room to maneuver without being interrupted by anyone else.

But that still brought them back to the major problem. Once the storm passes and Tsubasa loses access to her Susano'o persona, she'll be defeated instantly.

And then what are they going to do?

That was the question that went through absolutely everyone's mind. Once Tsubasa falls, who exactly will be able to stop Hibiki in her tracks?

Even the Cursed Eden Module turned out to not be enough. It may have allowed Maria to hold her own for a certain period of time, but in the end, she was defeated. They were, as a result, forced to rely on an incredibly coincidental power that will go away in due time.

Chris and the others acknowledged her orders, and the bridge was once again filled with the sounds of explosions, slashes, and fire. The bridge woman kept her eyes glued to the screen displaying the fight between Hibiki and Tsubasa, making sure to note exactly everything she could, including anything she could do to assist Tsubasa from afar.

It was right at that moment, about two minutes later, that the door to the bridge opened. Tomosato looked back and watched as Genjuro and Elfnein walked back in, one right after the other. The small homunculus went back to her seat wordlessly, intensely focused on the numbers running over her console's display.

That was the first red flag in Tomosato's mind. Her gaze then fell upon Genjuro, and she realized that his expression was almost completely unreadable. His face was hard, his posture stiff, and he stood at the commander's console with his arms crossed, his eyes narrowed.

"Chris-kun," he commanded. "Your task is to clear the skies above headquarters. A helicopter will be launched from there in a moment, and it _must _reach its destination as fast as possible. Its path must not be impeded no matter what."

It took a second for the Ichaival Adaptor to respond, slightly confused by the strange order. "_Alright, got it."_

There wasn't much for her to do, as the entirety of the Noise army was focused solely on the one human in front of them. Chris simply blasted them in a moment and then turned her attention to the few flying Noise above the submarine.

And indeed, a second later large whooshing sounds were heard in the sky as one of S.O.N.G's emergency helicopters lifted off from the top of the submarine. It immediately took off, its destination unknown to anyone save for three people.

Genjuro watched the helicopter's marker on the screen intently as it made its way to its target location, and Tomosato could not help but speak up again in question. "A helicopter, sir? What exactly are you sending over there?" She asked, noticing that it was going in a straight line directly to the combat zone in Shibuya.

"Our last resort," he simply answered and said nothing more.

Tomosato looked at him with a puzzled expression, trying to somehow read it or understand it.

The gears spun in her head, and her mind wandered back to something she heard not too long ago... something that Kazanari Fudou said, perhaps?

Her concern became visible on her face as she looked behind her commander.

And saw that a person that had been standing there the entire time...

Was no longer there.

It took her exactly one second to put two and two together, and her mouth gaped as her gaze fell back on Genjuro.

"Commander... you can't possibly be referring to‚"

"_So the time has come, I see," _Saint-Germain said from out of nowhere, forcing Tomosato's head back to the screen.

"Yes," Genjuro answered her, rapidly turning Tomosato's head back to him as she realized the two of them were in on what was going on.

Her gaze then fell on Elfnein. The homunculus noticed her stare and immediately turned her head away in shame, making Tomosato understand that she too was more than aware of what was happening.

Not a single one of them was trying to deny it or hide it at this point.

For they knew that it was going to be revealed to everyone here, as well as the wielders, in very short order.

And that at this point, it was impossible to stop.

"_That's... unfortunate. I too wished that this outcome would not come to pass, but we have truly run out of options. We can only hope that now we shall obtain the desired results."_

"Out of options..." Tomosato repeated to herself. Her stare flew back to her commander in a hurry, and he did not meet her gaze nor move his eyes even a bit to acknowledge her.

For Kazanari Genjuro had hardened his heart and set himself on a path he will surely come to regret.

"Commander! That's-that's just too much! We can't make Miku-chan do—"

"We have to, Tomosato," he cut her off before she could continue. "There is absolutely nothing else that we can depend on at this point. If we do not act, then the world is forfeit. To save us from certain ruin... I had no choice but to go against my principles. I do not mind being judged for this, so long as we get Hibiki-kun back."

He clenched his fists hard and his voice became brittle as he finished. "No matter what I have to do."

A heavy atmosphere fell upon the bridge at his words, and silence descended upon them.

Until it was broken by Chris once more a moment later.

"_Wait, what is this about Miku?"_

-!-

_(Play: Stormfang - Fate/Grand Order OST)_

The wind picked up as the clouds began to fly by, the supercharged storm passing over their heads slowly. More and more of the night sky became visible above them, bringing Susano'o's time to a close faster than Tsubasa would have liked.

Fists and sword met once again in a violent clash, and the shockwaves of their impact crushed down any remaining rubble or building that managed to remain standing in their immediate area. The aftermath of Ame-no-Murakumo was absolutely devastating, leaving nothing but charred structures that would blow away in the wind from the most delicate touch. Plenty of the area was burning as well, left behind by the enhanced fire of the cloud-gathering sword.

It could only be described as hell. A hell brought about by the attempt of a person to reclaim someone they considered family, casting aside any sort of regard to what was around them. Tsubasa knew that going down this path would be nothing short of burdening, but she did not regret it.

Regret was something she could not allow herself to have, for secretly in her heart she harbored a deep sense of guilt. Guilt born of nothing but her own misplaced sorrow and anger pointed at the girl she was now fighting.

She had pointed her sword at her due to her own anguish, and in the end, the idol believed that this result was something she had a heavy hand in bringing about. Sadness she had not experienced in a very long time filled her to the brim, and that emotion was brought to the forefront by the force of her strikes. Even though her attacks were ferocious, all spectators would notice that her sword was crying, lamenting the fact that it had to be pointed at someone so dear to its wielder.

"_**Tch—!"**_ She let out, parrying aside a hard blow from the corrupted Adaptor. Not only did she suddenly develop that incredibly frustrating regeneration ability, but it seemed that she got even stronger in that moment as well. It was a tell-tale sign that the influence of the curses was spreading even further and corroding even more of the divine power by the minute.

This was the only result that her actions here brought about. Caught off guard by something she could not have expected, her reducing half of her home city to ashes, in the end, yielded nothing but more difficulty.

And she knew that at this moment she was the very last line of defense against the menace that Hibiki has become. If she did not take her down now, before long, Hibiki would become a destroyer with nothing left to stand in her way.

With nothing left to lose, Tsubasa fought even harder than before. Her meticulous planning had failed, and her strongest attacks and techniques were now useless against an opponent that knew all about them.

All that was left to beheld was pure force, an attempt to surpass her opponent with nothing but her own strength. Strength born from years of experience and a bloodline connection that went back generations upon generations. The will of Susano'o flared, drawing out Ame-no-Habakiri's full power as it clashed against the spear of Odin and the curses it housed.

"What's wrong, Susano'o?! Ran out of juice?!" Hibiki yelled as her fist once again smashed against the empowered idol's blade. Forced back by the punch, Tsubasa skidded across the ground, her armored boots throwing up the melted pieces of asphalt into the air. The Gungnir user charged forward with both arms reared back and blasted her way towards the blue Symphogear wielder.

Tsubasa's response was simple: grasping the handle of her blade with two hands, she _pulled, _a second blade being recreated in her free hand. Now dual wielding her swords, two fists met two blades in an even more violent clash, cratering the ground below them even more. The Ame-no-Habakiri wielder struggled against the charge, groaning all the while. She let out a yell, and pouring power into her arms forced Hibiki back, causing the rogue wielder to jump back a distance.

And she took the opportunity to strike. Taking a heavy step forward that sent rubble into the air, she slashed the two blades in a cross, launching an X-shaped shockwave forward.

'_**AOI JUJISHO'**_

Hibiki's foot touched the ground just as the shockwave was about to strike. However, with her improved reactions, she teleported out of the way just in time. The attack continued onwards and into another burning structure, causing it to crumble as its foundations were slashed apart.

She reappeared right in front of Tsubasa and struck. However, before her fist could land she was once again forced to disengage as lightning almost crashed right on top of her, striking the ground in front of the Ame-no-Habakiri Adaptor. It continued crashing in Hibiki's directions, the bolts following her across the ruined street.

Neither of them noticed through the noise and battle the sound of a helicopter landing a small distance away.

Planting her feet, Hibiki thrust her fist upwards and struck the bolt that came down on her. The lightning attempted to find purchase, but the very force of her strike veered it off course, and it crashed against a pile of rubble at her side.

The skirmish ended, and the two stood on opposite sides of the street. Of the two combatants, Hibiki was the one heaving, her breaths coming up short as exhaustion set in.

It was something that Tsubasa had found to be extremely strange. Ever since the regeneration ability had manifested, the rogue wielder was panting far more than before. Even though she did not have a single scratch on her, she still seemed to be having trouble breathing, acting like she had just run a marathon across the entire world.

It seemed that the regeneration ability acts on its own without her will, and in exchange for healing her wounds, it drains her stamina every time it occurs. That was something Tsubasa believed she could use: by inflicting as much damage as she could on Hibiki, she could perhaps cause that very regeneration to drain her so completely that she wouldn't be able to move an inch afterwards.

But Hibiki was not one to give in when tired, and that essentially brought them to a stalemate. Tsubasa could match Hibiki blow for blow, but could not injure her in any significant way, nor would she be able to fell her through abusing that new regeneration she has obtained. Meanwhile, Hibiki had yet to inflict a strong blow against her in any shape or form after that one punch she landed, meaning that Tsubasa was still going very strong and without any sort of impediment to her performance.

So a stalemate. Neither one of them could get the upper hand on the other, and they could end up fighting forever at this rate.

Or until the storm passes completely, automatically resulting in a loss for Tsubasa as Susano'o disappears and leaves her without access to the vast majority of her power.

She knew this.

The crew members in headquarters knew this.

So she had to give this absolutely her all and go wild without restraint. Fanciful gambits are thrown out the window, and any attempts at subterfuge had to be discarded.

The only thing that remains is nothing but sheer force that would clash head-on, and only one will come out on top in the battle that follows.

Hibiki wiped her brow with her arm. Meanwhile, Tsubasa threw aside the blade in her left hand, making it disappear into azure sparkles in the wind.

With her remaining blade, she acted out the action of sheathing her sword in a scabbard, lowering her body to take on an Iaijutsu stance that was unfamiliar to Hibiki. An electrified aura rose around her, carving up the ground beneath her feet even further.

"_**Here **__I __**come, Hibiki!"**_

Hibiki braced herself.

The Ame-no-Habakiri Adaptor slashed the air in front of her in a wide arc.

And Hibiki looked on in confusion as absolutely nothing happened.

No impressive powerful shockwave exploded out of her opponent's sword, nor did her blade suddenly elongate to close the vast distance between them in an instant. Tsubasa had simply swung her sword, drawing it from its 'sheath'.

"What are you trying to—"

And at that moment, blood spilled from her chest as she was sliced from shoulder to shoulder, a deep and angry cut being etched into her from out of nowhere. Hibiki let out a growl at the sharp pain that accompanied it, looking down at her injury with wide eyes.

"Wha—?!"

Her eyes glanced back to the idol, who still stood on the other side of the street unmoving.

'_How... how did she do that?!'_

And then right in front of her eyes, space _shattered_ as everything in her vision crumbled like glass, the very fabric of reality being torn asunder. Then right in the middle of it all, a cut appeared in the shattered pane; and as the shards fell to the ground, reality seemed to reassert itself right at that moment.

And Tsubasa was just _there_, standing right in front of her, her sword at the position where she would've finished her swing as if she had been there the entire time.

'_**PHANTOM HURRICANE BLADE'**_

Hibiki grit her teeth and jumped back, putting distance between her and her opponent. Tsubasa rose back to her full height just as she landed. A second later the regeneration ability kicked in once more as dimensions tore open at the rogue wielder's sides. They collapsed back into her a moment later, leaving her once more without a scratch.

Tsubasa narrowed her eyes, staring at her comrade with a thoughtful gaze. Hibiki's arms fell to her sides as fatigue overtook her once more, and her back hunched forward as she took in short breaths.

"_**We are surprised, Hibiki, that you have reached such unprecedented levels. It worries **__me,_ _**but **__my __**spirit is not yet broken, for **__I __**have made a vow that **__I __**have sworn to uphold," **_the sword wielder said with that thunderous voice.

"Keep on talking, Susano'o," Hibiki responded with a huff, straightening her back. "I'll make sure to seal that mouth shut when I kick your ass."

Tsubasa smirked, "_**Hmph, even as exhausted as you are you can still keep on going. Very well, then it seems we cannot allow strength to be preserved, for this clash will settle everything."**_

She entered her stance once more, power rising from her from the umpteenth time in the battle. In response, Hibiki retook her own stance, as tired as she was from the unexpected use of that instant regeneration.

Lightning crashed once more between them.

"_**Let us bring this to an end, Hibiki!"**_

"Fine by me!"

The two of them were already tired of this endless battle. They were far too evenly matched to be able to one up the other.

All that remained was to meet each other head-on with their full power, and the consequences be damned.

The street was once again blown apart by the sheer power radiating off of the two of them.

They took a single step forward.

And just as they were about to begin their final charge...

"That's enough, Tsubasa-san."

That a familiar and completely out of place voice rose up from behind Tsubasa, causing the incredible tension in the air to be slashed apart.

It was as if the voice alone managed to instantly dispel the aura of bloodlust. Their fighting spirit dwindled, and the two combatants nearly faltered by the sudden intrusion to their battle.

"_**What?"**_

Tsubasa's head turned to the source behind her faster than ever before.

And she froze when she realized exactly who it was.

Standing there behind her, holding something she did not recognize under her left arm, was a gentle sunshine. Wearing a simple white skirt and a purple jacket, the black-haired girl met the idol's gaze with an even yet determined expression.

"_**Kohinata?! What are you doing here?!" **_Tsubasa asked in shock, completely taken aback by the appearance of Hibiki's best friend.

Speaking of Hibiki...

The sword wielder twisted her head to her opponent and saw exactly what she expected: The Gungnir user was frozen in place, her mouth agape. Not a single noise escaped her mouth as she just _stared,_ her eyes locked on Miku.

Her head turned back to the intruder, concern filling her thunderous voice, "_**Kohinata, **__I_ _**do not know what possessed you to come here, but you must withdraw. It's not safe here, even for you."**_

Tsubasa's warning was not one she said lightly. She knew exactly what Hibiki was capable of, and she could not allow Miku to be caught in the crossfire.

Yet the girl did not move and continued to meet the Ame-no-Habakiri Adaptor's gaze.

"Please, Tsubasa-san," Miku pleaded. "Leave this to me."

And once again the idol narrowed her eyes, puzzled by her friend's insistence. "_**Kohinata?"**_

Silence fell on the ruined street. The only sound that could be heard was the sizzling fires in the charred remains of the various buildings that surrounded them. Joining them now were the very distant rumblings of thunder.

That was until Genjuro's voice came in through the comm, "_Tsubasa, let her do as she pleases."_

The idol's hand shot up to her earpiece, trying to understand if she heard him right. "_**What? What is thine meaning?"**_

"_You heard me, Tsubasa. Go and help the others and leave this to Miku-kun," _was his straightforward and commanding answer.

Her hand fell to her side, and her eyes returned to peer at Miku, studying her thoroughly. With her enhanced perceptions, she tried to comprehend the meaning behind the two's words. There was clearly something here she was not seeing, but what?

The entire time, Hibiki remained silent, as if Miku's appearance had caused her mind to shut down completely. It was a response no one expected out of her, especially now and especially after how she reacted to her presence previously.

What was the change now? What was it she was seeing?

And then she saw it.

It was all Tsubasa needed to make the connection. With 'Susano'o' allowing her to decipher those deep green eyes, she realized at that moment exactly what was in store.

And the crestfallen expression that followed was one that would be forever engraved into Miku's mind.

"_**Kohinata..." **_Tsubasa let out sadly. She heaved out a sorrowful sigh. "_**So... this is what we have been led to."**_

She glanced back to Hibiki once again, and the rogue wielder remained still. Tsubasa briefly wondered what was going through her mind right now.

And once again sighed as she figured that whatever she was thinking about would pale in comparison to what was to come.

"_**Then... **__I_ _**shall leave her in your capable hands, Kohinata," **_she added. And then she walked forward, facing away from Hibiki, who made no move to try and stop her. The sword wielder passed by Miku, whose own eyes were too locked onto her best friend on the other side of the street.

She stopped by her side, looking towards the ruined crossing, their backs to each other. "_**And... **__I'm __**sorry."**_

Miku blinked once. "Thank you... Tsubasa-san, Susano'o-sama."

The sword wielder huffed. "_**So you will refer to us both... you truly are a kind one," **_she said with a small smile. "_**Then know that the Heavens stand at your side. May they bless and guide your path in the trials ahead, **__my_ _**friend—"**_

She took a few steps forward, putting enough distance between herself and Miku.

"—_**and may your heart never falter in the face of despair."**_

Lightning struck her at that moment. The air remained electrified for a fraction of a second, then settled down.

Revealing that Tsubasa had disappeared, leaving only Miku and Hibiki in the ruins of Western Tokyo.

-!-

Airgetlam sliced through the air as Maria cut down more and more of the beasts that were assaulting the Edogawa shelter. Evading the lunge of another opportunistic fake Hibiki, she jumped up onto the rooftop of one of the buildings.

At least a dozen of the beasts followed her up, climbing the side of the structure at breakneck speeds by digging their claws into the solid concrete. Their charge was animalistic and wild, and as they reached the top they once again lunged at her from all sides.

Maria brought up her sword, prepared to meet them head-on.

And then lightning crashed right next to her, throwing the beasts off the rooftop.

The Airgetlam Adaptor yelped in surprise by the sudden bolt of electricity and backpedaled to gain some distance.

Only for her eyes to widen as Tsubasa appeared when the air cleared.

"_My_ _**apologies for surprising you, Maria. The commander requested that **__I __**come to reinforce your position."**_

Maria however barely heard her. Taken aback by her sudden appearance, she was caught off guard by her idol partner's dazzling new form, leaving her gaping at the sight. "Tsu-Tsubasa?!"

The Ame-no-Habakiri Adaptor turned to her, tilting her head in confusion. "_**Yes? It is **__I, __**Maria. Is there something amiss?"**_

"Wh-what? You-I mean... how?" The Airgetlam user stuttered out, her mind still in overdrive, her eyes still _staring _in awe at the incredible beauty that she was looking at. The shining hair, glowing eyes, and the incredible aura that she was releasing all worked in tandem to make the older idol gulp nervously.

'_So this... is what they were talking about when they were referring to Susano'o out of nowhere?'_

Tsubasa seemed to catch her meaning and smiled. "_**Ah, you seem to be in awe due to my current form. Fear not, Maria, for it is still **__I._"

"Th-that's now what I'm worried about! I-I mean, what... "

Everything she wanted to say was immediately cut off when Tsubasa giggled, and Maria could not help but blush at the sweet yet... impactful sound that escaped the Ame-no-Habakiri user's lips. "_**It is amusing to see you react this way, Maria," **_she said with a smile. "_**It is a sight for sore eyes. You remind us of Kushinada-hime in that regard. She too was one that was easily surprised."**_

"Wh-wha—"

"_**Ah, but fear not Maria, we shall endeavor not to transform you into a comb. You are much more dazzling as you are now; and besides, we are certain the situation will not call for it."**_

Tsubasa's playful teasing worked to make Maria blush fiercely despite the circumstances.

It seemed that Susano'o's mischievous nature was coming up to the forefront due to Maria, and stirred a certain desire within Tsubasa to keep up the pressure.

"_**Ah, forgive us. It is rude to compare wives, for each one is a magnificent flower in her own right. Although, Kushinada-hime was a goddess of rice; for you to match her in that regard, you must first learn to cook rice yourself."**_

Maria's stammer was so adorable Tsubasa could not help but laugh.

"Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha—! That's-that's not funny!" The older idol exclaimed, throwing her head aside to hide the obvious blush on her face. "Geez! What's come over you? The Tsubasa I know would never t-tease me like that!"

"_**Our apologies. We were simply bedazzled by you on this night. We wished to convey our sincerity before the storm passes and we vanish into the wind along with it," **_Tsubasa explained, a smile still plastered on her face.

Maria raised her voice in response, her cheeks still many shades of red. "There is a time and a place for everything!" She said, crossing her arms. "I thought you were busy dealing with Hibiki-san! What brings you all the way here now?!"

It was then that the beaming expression on Tsubasa's face fell, and she looked in the direction from where she came, far into the horizon. "_**As **__I __**said, the commander requested **__I __**come and assist you in your endeavors. And besides, we believe there is now someone much more suitable... for taking on that role than us."**_

Yes, that was the only description she could use to describe Miku at that moment. 'Someone more suitable' was a severe understatement of what her role was.

And she knew she would never be able to bring herself to forget the fire that was in her eyes. A fire that made Tsubasa wonder whether or not...

It was simply a reflection of the outward flames.

Maria narrowed her eyes. "Someone... more suitable?"

Tsubasa's cryptic words served only to make Maria nervous.

And then Chris' booming voice exploded out of the comm, directed at Genjuro's recent revelation that shook them to the core.

"_WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?!"_

-!-

_(Play: THIS ILLUSION {piano ver.} - Fate/Stay Night OST)_

What would one say should they look upon this scene? How would they explain what their eyes lay upon, looking at the ruins of Shibuya?

And how far would their lament reach as they see these two souls, connected by something deeper than blood, facing each other under such terrible circumstances?

Miku stood, her eyes gazing upon only one other. She stood, a certain precious wrapped object cradled under her left arm, letting out not a single word out of her mouth.

Hibiki's mind had apparently decided at that moment to restart, and she could only stutter out the following words. "M-Miku?! Wh-why? Why are you here now?! Why... Why are you getting in my way now?!"

The sound of the sizzling fires filled the air once more as Miku formulated her answer. "Hibiki... I have to apologize too."

"H-huh?"

Miku took in a deep breath. "I broke a promise I made to you... and I'm sorry," she said painfully, biting her lip. "I promised you... that I would never turn against you... I meant that with every fiber of my being. But now... I have to break that promise."

The miserable expression on Hibiki's face served to break Miku's heart. "M-Miku? What... what are you saying?!"

"I can't watch any longer, Hibiki," she answered, taking small steps forward. Her very presence in this hell was a dissonance, a clash of right and wrong. For the battlefield was not a place for someone like her, who shone like the sun. "I just can't. I can't stand aside anymore and watch you do so much wrong."

Hibiki gasped. Throwing her arms around, her voice rose as she became frantic. "No! You're just saying that because it's just like back then! It's Genjuro this time, isn't it?! He did something to you to make you say that didn't he?! I won't let that happen again!"

Her vehement refusal to accept reality caused Miku's face to fall.

-!-

"_Genjuro-san... what—"_

"_It's exactly what you think," He said, holding out the pendant to her. "I didn't want to get to this point... but nothing we have will work now. This... is the only thing that we have that will be able to bring her back."_

_Miku's eyes widened in astonishment. _

"_I suppose... that it was always meant to lead to this outcome. That maybe everything we have done only served to delay the inevitable," he continued sadly. "I didn't want to burden you with this role... of having to face her like this... but we have completely run out of options. I'm sorry Miku-kun... There is no one we can depend on now except you."_

_-!-_

"Even now... even now you won't believe that I stand here by my own free will?" Miku asked Hibiki, stopping her march only a few single meters away.

"There is no way I will believe it!" The rogue Adaptor screamed, frozen in place. "You said you would always support me! You said that you will always stand by my side!"

In contrast to Hibiki's brash and loud responses, Miku was... eerily calm, but melancholic. As if she was holding herself back from reacting similarly. The entire way she made here she had spent deep in thought and her emotions became a swirling torrent of colors that she could not describe.

Her heart was being pulled in many different directions at once, and it was oh so very slowly starting to tear. "Then please tell me, Hibiki... when did you start believing..."

She swallowed down her own uneasiness, and her voice shook as she spoke. "When did you start believing... that I would ever support something like this?"

Hibiki went rigid, speechless from Miku's question.

"A-ah—"

A gentle breeze picked up, blowing throughout the ruined city.

-!-

_Miku's head tilted downwards, and she clutched the hems of her skirt tightly. "How... how dare you... ask something like this of me... how..."_

_Genjuro's stare remained hard, his arm still extended forward. "I don't have the right to, I know that," he said. "But there is no one else we can turn to. I tried, Miku-kun... We all tried to avoid having to come to you for this. We wanted to be able to bring her back to you without you having to be involved... which is what I promised her as well."_

_Her entire body trembled as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. The combined anger and sorrow were raging within her, nearly causing her to lash out at the man in front of her. "Then... then why... how can you ask this of me... knowing I won't be able to refuse?"_

_He clenched his other fist tight by his side, his eyes turning away from her as he spoke. "Because... you are the only one who can bring her back. From the very beginning... there was no one else who was destined to do so."_

_She gulped, forcing everything down. "This is exactly... this is exactly like before. You... you are acting exactly like him..."_

"_I know," he answered. "I know. And I also know that you have absolutely every right to hate me. That you have every right to be angry at me. For this, and many other things."_

_The man sighed somberly. "I wanted... to keep my promise to Hibiki-kun. I wanted... to help you keep the happy days that you cherish so... but I was not strong enough. No, we as a whole were not strong enough. We were not ready, and now it came back to bite us. And the only thing left for me to do... is to break the vows I made for the sake of those days."_

_They went silent._

_And Miku lost the battle against her sadness, tears beginning to drip down to the metallic floor of Elfnein's lab._

_-!-_

"Hibiki... there is no one else in this world... that knows me better than you do," Miku said softly. "So you of all people should know... that I would never support or stand by such a path. You of all people should know... that I will never be able to accept it."

Hibiki's response came out as a garbled mess, her heart in tatters.

And Miku kept on speaking, laying her own heart out. "Hibiki... you've always, ever since that day, chased after the beautiful ideal of making a happy world for everyone. And I stood by your side, watching as you wholeheartedly believed in it, and entrusted your everything to it. And how, ever since you gained the power to fight, you became much happier and you shone much more beautifully."

She tightened her grip on the item held by her left arm. "And I only wanted to support you in your path... even if I didn't believe in it as much as you did."

Hibiki could not voice her shock, Miku's sudden confession coming completely out of left field for her.

It was surreal to all those watching. Before, Hibiki was like an uncaged beast, held down by absolutely nothing.

But now, she was simply a deer in the headlights, stopped in her tracks by the one thing she dared not bare her fangs against.

"I'm sorry, Hibiki, for pretending to understand, and that I can only tell you now," She said regretfully. "You were right. I... I don't know you as well as I thought I did, because... I can't be a hero like you. I can't... bring myself to embrace justice for the sake of others. I can't... try and take the entire world and embrace it."

That's right. In the end, that's just who Miku was.

She was not a hero. She did not wield a weapon and fight in the defense of the many. She could not extend her hand out to others in the same way that Hibiki did.

Kohinata Miku was not a hero.

She was simply a girl, who cared about the things that were important to her.

"I can't... bring myself to care about the world, just like you do."

It was just like Saint-Germain said:

That the only thing Kohinata Miku looks for...

Is the small share of happiness that belongs to her.

"And that is why... I can never support what you wish for. I cannot stand aside as you twist your own justice, and bring it about in such a horrible manner. I can no longer pretend that I understand your ideal completely... but I know more than anyone that this is not what you wished for."

"Ah-ahh... Mi-Miku..."

Hibiki looked at her.

And finally understood _who_ it was she was looking at.

Even with her mind tainted by the many grudges and curses... she could no longer deny it. She could no longer deny and try to delude herself.

For the person in front of her was truly, and undoubtedly Kohinata Miku. The girl who was her gentle sunshine, her warm place to come back to.

And that this was her own will, held down by no other.

It began to rain. Hibiki could feel it, as something washed down her face beyond her control. Her vision began to blur from the sudden wetness. She wiped her eyes, attempting to clear her sight, but a single simple question suddenly rang in her mind.

'_Why... is Miku not getting wet too?'_

"Yes... I can only care about the things that are important to me. The things that I hold close to my heart. And that is why... I will allow it no longer."

And she finally raised what she had held all this time, allowing Hibiki to see it.

"What I'm doing... is nothing more than following my own desire. My own selfish desire to get back what is important to me, to finally take back those shining and happy days."

She tugged on the wrapping.

And the cloth fell away, flowing down to the ground like a waterfall, revealing what was hidden.

At that moment, Hibiki's entire being _froze. _Her heart, her soul, her mind, her absolutely everything became as still as a mountain. She could only stare ahead, her eyes wide, at what Miku was holding in her hand.

-!-

"_I can't force you to do anything, Miku-kun. I can't order you around and force you to head out there and face her," Genjuro let out sorely. "I can only come to you and ask you... no, beg you to do so."_

_The tears kept on falling. Flowing without end, they were a downpour, dripping down against her will. _

"_I know... that you can't bring yourself to care about the world. And I'm not asking you to. I know that for you, there is something that stands above everything else," he said. "And that is the only thing I am asking you to care for."_

_She let out a sob she had held back this entire time._

"_That... is the only thing I am begging you to save."_

_And in a move that surprised both her and Elfnein, Genjuro went down to his knees, placing the tiny red pendant on the ground before him. _

_Through the blur, she looked at him and met his resolute gaze._

_The man placed his hands on the ground._

_And lowered his head to touch the cold, steel floor._

"_Miku-kun... please, save her."_

_-!-_

Her breaths came up short. No, it was as if she has completely forgotten how to breathe.

For the thing that was in Miku's open hand...

Was a small, blue box.

"W-w-why... Why do y-you have that, Miku?"

The gentle sunshine's eyes were rigid, just barely holding her composure together. "Maybe I don't know everything, Hibiki, but I know about this. I know... about what that has been going through your mind all this time. I know all about the things that you hate, that you fear, that you resent. I know all about... how you try to be happy for everyone's sake... how you give your all so no one else would go through what you have."

A box containing nothing but darkness, the true feelings of a girl who put up a cheerful front for everyone else to marvel at.

So they could not see what lay underneath, just below the surface.

"But even more than I know this, I know myself. And I can tell you wholeheartedly... that this thing is no longer needed."

"E-eh?"

Miku's hold on the box tightened. "No, it's more than that. You never needed such a thing. You never needed these... hideous reminders of a past I wanted you to leave behind more than anything. I invited you to come with me to Lydian for the sake of turning over a new leaf... and not be shackled down by such a wretched thing."

Hibiki finally managed to take in a breath. "A-Ah-ahh—"

Her whimpers were something Miku wished she'd never hear in her life. Never had she wanted her ears to hear such a soul-wrenching sound. But for the sake of their happy days...

She will steel her heart and her resolve and surge forward regardless.

"And all I did was watch, and look on from the side as this thing kept on being your lifeline. But... I can no longer allow such a thing," she breathed out through clenched teeth, the surface of her anger beginning to bubble.

"I will no longer watch. I will no longer stand aside—"

The muscles in her arms tensed.

"—and I will not allow such an abomination to taint our lives any longer!"

And she cast it aside.

Hibiki could only look on, her eyes shaking, as the box she had held onto for years...

Fell into the blaze of a nearby ruined building and began to burn to cinders.

Her entire body _trembled_ as if an earthquake of the highest magnitude rocked the Earth to its core. Her legs, held up by nothing more than the strength of her will, began to wobble uncontrollably.

Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out of it. The rain grew stronger, her vision clouding over. Her shining irises shrunk to an unbelievably small size, her anguished gaze falling upon the one she considered more special than anyone else.

But Miku's gaze was resolute, driven, and strong, her form grander than she had ever been before.

Like a knife had been driven into her heart, Hibiki finally began to form actual words. "W-w-w-w-w-w-why! Miku, WHY!? WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!" She _screamed, _the volume shaking the air. "I-I NEEDED IT! WHY! WHY DID YOU THROW IT AWAY?!"

Her voice was marred by agony and confusion.

Yet Miku looked on, trying to remain unaffected.

"I told you, Hibiki. You _never _needed it. And that is why I am here now; to remind you of what it is it that you have, what it is that you need... and what is waiting for you back home."

She raised one hand to the zipper on her jacket. She held it tight between a finger and a thumb, and she choked back a sob that rose up to her throat.

And the flames burned, the box and its contents turning to ash at their touch. The many newspaper clippings, and pictures of present and past days. The curses and grudges of the many that had stained the walls of Tachibana Hibiki's home disappeared into the fire, purged from the world by the hands of nature.

-!-

_She could only look at his bowing form in shock, her eyes still stained with tears._

_The girl clenched her teeth as his head remained glued to the ground. She tried to speak, to formulate some words to say to him._

_Only one thing came to mind. "You're... you're horrible," she said._

_He did not move an inch, simply remaining low, prostrating himself before her. "You-you are not even giving me a choice... But how can I... how can I possibly hate you when you speak and act like this. How am I supposed to respond... when you know exactly how I feel about such a thing."_

_Yes, it was no secret to Genjuro. Even if it was nothing more than his own educated guess, formed from many days of watching, seeing, and understanding a mind very similar to his own._

_Kohinata Miku loathed the existence of the Symphogears with every fiber of her being. The tiny pendants, the special form they took, and absolutely everything they represented was something she will never be able to agree with. Even though she knew that they are used for the sake of protecting the world, and even though she knew that it was through them that Hibiki had achieved many great things and made many friends. _

_She could never bring herself to have even a tiny bit of love for the creations of a priestess of a bygone age._

_For they were exactly the root of the problem. For they were, in the end, nothing more than ticking time bombs, waiting for the day they can finally explode and bring them all down with them._

_For it was they that took Hibiki from her, forcing her to watch as she went farther than she could reach._

"_I know," he said, raising his head to look her in the eyes once more. He placed his hands on his lap, straightening his back. "And yet I will still ask you... to take it up for the sake of what you care about. I will do nothing to get in your way. I... no, everyone will stand behind you and assist you. I will not give you orders nor will I let anyone interject on the way you will do things. In the end, what I am doing is simply handing it over to you... and letting you choose your path from this point on. I can wholeheartedly promise you that."_

_Her lower lip shook. This man, this unbearably considerate and incorrigible man knew exactly what to say to make her consider things in a manner that she will accept._

_And she could only be swept along by his words._

_Just like back then._

_She went down to one knee and placed her hand on the pendant on the floor. "I won't ask if you promise, because you already said you will... and I know I can trust your word."_

_Her fingers shook against the floor, her fingernails tapping against the cold metal. "I will do things my way. I... this time, my will is my own, and belongs to no other. This time... I'm being true to myself."_

_And with tears still flowing down her cheeks, her palm closed around the crimson gem._

"_I... will take back our happy days."_

_-!-_

"That is my purpose here, Hibiki. That is what is driving me forward against everything."

She pulled the zipper down, the jacket's two joined parts giving way. Removing her hand from the zipper, she clenched the cloth covering her shoulder tightly.

"And that is my new promise... no, my _vow_ to you. I will take all of your fears, all of your resentments, and all of your hatreds... and I will wash them all away. I will do everything I can... I will do everything I must, to bring you back home."

And with a single, strong motion, threw the jacket aside.

At that moment, Hibiki's heart shattered to pieces.

For what hung around Miku's neck by a metallic chain...

Was a tiny red pendant.

_~Kohinata Miku loathed the Symphogears with every fiber of her being~_

"And for the sake of that goal, I am not afraid to put my life on the line!"

Her hand closed around the jewel.

_~Even though she knew that their purpose was to save the world, she could not bring herself to support their existence~_

"That is my oath to you, Hibiki!"

_~She could not bring herself to care about the world.~_

The rain fell.

_~So she did not~_

"I will take back our happy days!"

_~And on that day, the power meant for everyone's sake~_

"**NO MATTER WHAT!"**

_~She vowed to use it for a single person~_

And she chanted the holy words that caused the world to vanish in light.

"_Rei Shenshoujing rei zizzl!"_

-!-

Anything more that Chris wanted to say was summarily drowned out as a tower of purple light rose from the heart of Shibuya ward. Every single head turned to it, whether on the battlefield or in headquarters. The mesmerizing sight drew them in, leaving them speechless.

There was only silence on the bridge of S.O.N.G as the beam lit up the night sky, piercing through the clouds.

Tomosato looked at it with a stupefied expression.

It was only when a familiar beeping rang out from her console that she finally recomposed herself, and together with the rest, stared at the Aufwachen signal that appeared on the large display.

A flower of purple stars bloomed to life at the side of the twisted and corrupted signal of Gungnir.

"T-that's—"

"Yes," Genjuro answered. "That... is the Shenshoujing. The Symphogear with the power to erase relics—"

High levels of phonic gain were detected as they stared at the form they have seen only once before.

"—and the symbol of our salvation."

-!-

_There was something Miku had always wondered._

"_I've been meaning to ask you this for a while now, but how do you manage to sing while fighting the Noise?"_

_It was such a strange and out of nowhere question that Hibiki wasn't sure how to answer her for a moment. She contemplated how to respond, and eventually gave her usual, Hibiki-style answer._

"_Hmmm, well to put it simply, I guess the Symphogear is like a karaoke machine!" She replied._

"_Eh? Karaoke?"_

"_I don't really understand it myself," She had said. "But when the music starts playing from the Symphogear, the lyrics just come to me from within."_

_Miku looked confused at her words. "They come to you from within?"_

"_Well, something like that," Chris interjected suddenly._

_Tsubasa joined in as well and explained a bit more thoroughly. "Dr. Sakurai used to say the lyrics reflect the imagery the user forms in their mind."_

_It was an answer that made Miku think back to the day Frontier emerged, and to think back to her own song that day._

_At the time, the thought of what it implied embarrassed her greatly. Of knowing that Hibiki had access to her most bare self._

_But as time passed, she began to take joy in it, fully understanding what it meant. Even though it was a song twisted by someone else, it was still her own in the end._

_And it was one she would begin to wield with pride._

_For that song, along with all of her others, were dedicated to one, single person._

-!-

_(Play: Waikyou Shenshoujing - Kohinata Miku)_

The light died down. Dispersing into motes of violet sparkles, it rained down on the form of the girl within.

There, surrounded by the remains of the city, was Miku, clad in the Symphogear form of the Shenshoujing. She opened her eyes, feeling the weight and the power coursing through her, now unrestrained.

And she sang, and this time, it was completely her own.

Hibiki could only backpedal in shock and agony, staring at the form she wished to never see again.

But the purple Adaptor held back her own sorrow. There was a ghost of a memory in her mind, akin to remembering something and having it lie just at the tip of her tongue. A small, tiny memory, engraved in her muscles.

There was no mind-bending apparatus connected to her brain that could feed her the necessary knowledge. Had the members of S.O.N.G tried, they would have been able to replicate it, but there was no way in hell they were going to.

So all Miku could do was to depend on that engraved memory, and strike forth with all of her power.

With the only thing driving her forward being a single, overwhelming desire.

Springing forth into her hand was a fan. A large folding fan, similar to a baton, that served as the Armed Gear of her Symphogear.

And together with the special property that belonged to it, she charged forward, carried on by the wind.

She didn't know how to fight.

So she would go along with her heart tells her to.

Hibiki was taken aback by the sudden charge, and unwilling to raise her hand against Miku, instead covered her face with her arms.

With a yell, Miku slammed the fan against Hibiki's forearm. The blow lacked any real impact behind it, but Hibiki faltered anyway, still shaken by recent events. She stumbled backwards from her best friend, her eyes pleading.

"M-Miku—!"

But the Shenshoujing Adaptor ignored it. She drowned out her pleas and her grief and thrust the fan forward. And from its tip, a beam of violet light shot out. Taken by surprise once again, the only thing the rogue wielder could do was to raise her arm again to block the blast.

It struck her gauntlet head-on.

A burning sensation rose up Hibiki's arm as the Shenshoujing's beam seared through her Symphogear as if it wasn't there in the first place, causing the cursed armor it struck to flake away like snow.

That was the ability that Genjuro depended on. The Shenshoujing was the only Symphogear in existence, and perhaps the only relic in the world that could be used in such a manner.

The ability to erase relics and everything related to them, and vaporize them until nothing remained.

However, it turned out to not be potent enough. Even though the small beam pierced through the corrupted Gear, it was not enough to defeat the curses completely. Like veins, the grudges that took on a visible form reclaimed their territory on Hibiki's arm, reforming the small hole that had been erased. The rogue wielder groaned in pain at the involuntary action, her mind still reeling.

It was not enough.

But Miku didn't expect it to be.

She was no fool. She knew exactly what this Symphogear she had unwittingly obtained was capable of. Something this small was most definitely not going to be enough to bring her victory.

But it still proved that her Gear had the capability to dispel the curses, if only for a moment.

That ability was something that had come into being due to two simple yet vital reasons:

The first was the Shenshoujing's nature. Also known as the Divine Beast Mirror, it found its origin centuries ago in the lands of China. It was originally made of bronze and was carved with images of gods and animals from their mythology. As it was created and passed on, and the technology to reproduce it traveled through the land, it became an object of worship that people cherished. From then on, the Shenshoujing was known throughout Eastern Asia as a symbol of good luck and became a charm to ward off evil.

And what were the curses other than a pure concentration of it?

The second reason, however, was much more personal: Before the emergence of Frontier, Kohinata Miku had sorely wished that Hibiki would be able to live in a world she would not have to fight in. That wish had grown stronger when she had discovered what exactly her fate would be if the fragments of Gungnir inside her body were allowed to spread without limit. When she was taken hostage by FIS, a certain man known as Dr. Ver came to her and presented her with the opportunity to release her friend from the world of fighting. Even if in the end that wish was twisted by his meddling, it was still something born from within herself.

Those two reasons melded together to form the ultimate anti-relic Symphogear, powered both by its own origin and the wishes of the girl that wielded it.

That was all its purpose was going to be.

Miku knew exactly what her enemy was. With both her initial strike and her beam, she had aimed for exactly one thing. After all, out of everyone, she was the utmost advocate of a very simple mindset: that Hibiki is _not _the enemy.

She never was. In her mind at least, Hibiki was a victim of the circumstances just like they were. A person held hostage by the _true _enemy, and the root of the cause of their sorrow.

And that enemy took on the form of a tiny red pendant, hanging freely above her chest.

'_Give her back.'_

No, it could not even be called a pendant at this point. No, it was a _demon, _a monster that took Hibiki from her and taunted her, promising suffering to all those who stood in its way.

'_Give her back.'_

And Miku absolutely _refused_ to surrender to this demon. She absolutely _refused_ to allow it to get away with all it had done. Even if it was formed from the many grudges and curses of people of ages past, Miku could not bring herself to care about their plight even a little bit.

Because she didn't give a damn about the world.

She only cared about the prisoner that they had taken into their arms and refused to let go of.

And she swore, with the Shenshoujing as her sword, her heart as her shield, and her love as her strength, that she will cut down this demon and take Hibiki back with her!

'_GIVE HER BACK, SYMPHOGEAR!'_

She charged forward once more, grasping the handle of the fan with both hands. With her target in sight, she yelled a mighty shout and once more swung, a whole lot more force behind her attack.

All Hibiki could bring herself to do was block once again. She had already understood what Miku was aiming for and knew she could not allow her to get a good shot at it.

But at the same time, her entire body refused to move, to even try and think of hurting her in any way.

That storm of contradiction raged inside of her, throwing off her focus. So the only thing she could do was block, and dodge, and try to think of what she could do.

The rogue wielder once again took steps back, reaching the end of the street. Miku kept on her assault, striking wildly and clumsily with the fan like it was a sword. Her attacks were light and predictable, a true representation of her complete lack of experience.

But nothing could be done about that. The Shenshoujing would never again be used as it was in the past, and as a result, left her at a severe disadvantage. She knew that Hibiki surpassed her in every way possible: power, skill, experience, and familiarity with her Gear.

The only thing she had over her was a concept that could overwhelm any relic and a certain harmony with her Gear that granted her more power than before.

"_Miku-kun!" _Genjuro's voice echoed in her ears. "_I'm going to send you data of a few of the techniques we know the Shenshoujing has! We can't feed it directly to your brain, but we can display it on your visor and you can learn it as you go!"_

Distracted by his words, one of her strikes missed completely, but rather than counterattack, Hibiki jumped back, putting distance between the two of them.

Miku grimaced. Just the blurry memory she had of that thing was enough to take away every tiny bit of trust she had in it. She knew it was useful, but...

'_There's no point in caring about that now.'_

That's right. She had absolutely no justifiable reason to not use every tool in her arsenal in order to achieve her objective, even if she was incredibly averse to it.

There was no longer any hesitation to be had.

And with her _own _will, she forced the jagged visor to close over her eyes. Less than a second later, her vision was filled with red as she looked through it. It was incredibly unnerving, and the girl could feel bile rising up her throat from the dizzying glow, but forced it down with all her might.

The data streamed in rapidly right then and there, and she almost found herself lost in all of the numbers and words that filled part of her sight.

'_So this is what he meant.'_

Intellectually, the Shenshoujing Adaptor could understand why feeding it directly into her mind would be a far better idea. But the moral ramifications were far too large for them to accept. And besides, unlike Ver, they did not alter the Symphogear except for a few modifications to have it be up to par with what everyone else was using.

So her eyes darted through all the streaming data, and with her will forced it to display only what she found was relevant.

Settling on one simple thing, she decided on her next course of action.

She had to keep up the pressure as much as she could. She had to find a hole in Hibiki's defense and strike the vulnerable pendant in exactly the right moment. If what she had seen in the past was true, the moment the converter unit is destroyed, the entire thing should collapse and take the armor and everything that is a part of it with it.

Miku charged once more, letting her bare instincts guide her forward. The data he sent, unfortunately, could not teach her on the go how to move her body or how to strategize her offensive in the best possible manner.

She had to depend on her own heart to give her the answer to that.

She swung, the fan slamming against Hibiki's arm once again. They locked for a moment until the fan suddenly unfolded, becoming a circular mirror. Light gathered in the reflective surface, and Hibiki's eyes widened, forcing her back once again.

Right at that moment, several beams of light exploded out of the open mirror, all heading straight to her.

'_**SHINING FLASH'**_

The rogue wielder tried to weave her way through the beams, but her lack of fighting spirit caused her to stumble, and a large number of the beams struck her straight on. Now much more potent than before, the light made far bigger holes in her armor.

But it was not over yet. No, it was far from over. Hibiki's groans almost came out as screams as the holes once again resealed themselves, reforming over her body like a cancerous growth.

Miku clicked her tongue in frustration. '_Not letting go so easily, are you?'_

Unlike what Tsubasa had done, the Shenshoujing's light could not inflict true physical wounds. No, the only things it could truly erase were relics and evil, both of them making up the corrupted Symphogear Hibiki was clad in. It was not using the ability derived from the divine power to restore itself, but rather the all-consuming nature of the god-slaying power and the curses themselves. It latched onto the Gungnir user's body like a clingy child and patched up the damage she was doing as fast as it could.

It felt as if it was directly opposing her. As if the curses realized the danger she posed to their existence, and so held on tighter than before. In just a few short moments, the holes were sealed up. Miku narrowed her eyes in focus.

'_Still not enough.'_

She had to give more.

And she charged _again_, boosting off the ground.

-!-

It went just as he had predicted.

"H-Hibiki-san is not responding to her attacks at all?!" Fujitaka exclaimed as he studied the battle.

Yes, exactly what Genjuro had believed would happen took place: Hibiki could not bring herself to harm Miku, and as a result, was holding back against her. Not only that, they could all breathe a sigh of relief as the Shenshoujing proved to have the capability to eliminate the curses, just like they had assumed.

But it needed to be stronger than that. The light needed to be much more potent than just what she was unleashing right now. If the Gear's normal configuration proved not to be enough, then she would probably have to use the Ignite Module.

Quite frankly, he didn't want to think about that. Hurrying out the moment she took the pendant, Miku did not even try and attempt to overcome the darkness it contained first thing first. Not only that, she didn't have experience with the regular Ignite Module either. If she used it as it is now...

'_Would she be able to handle it? And what will she see?'_

He found it strange, how different Hibiki's reactions were. It just went to show how volatile her emotions were at the moment, affected by the curses in the Gear. Beforehand she was an unstoppable juggernaut, yet still had a sense of stability to her actions.

Now? She was a wildfire, one moment burning uncontrollably and another acting like a dwindling spark. It was a stark difference to the Frontier incident, as she did not hesitate to use force against Miku for the sake of freeing her from Ver's control.

But this time, she was so hesitant and torn she was paralyzed.

And that was definitely _not _a good sign.

Anything more he wanted to think was cut off when Chris' voice once again called in from the outside.

"_Old man," _she said very simply, her voice trying to stay even. She had, unfortunately, seen and heard everything, and now that the cat was out of the bag, her reaction was more than expected. "_You're going to be getting a piece of my mind after this. I'm not letting this slide."_

"I don't expect you to," he answered, and she cut off the connection from her end.

She was angry. The very fact that she had held off on screaming her ears off in the comm was already a blessing, but he knew he wouldn't hear the end of it later.

But he couldn't let that stop him. He had made a decision and acted on it, and now he will see it through to the end.

-!-

_(Play: Epic Man - Dynasty Warriors 7 OST)_

She attacked.

And attacked.

And attacked.

Following through with the only thing she knew how to do, Miku did not let up even a tiny bit as she struck with her fan from every possible direction she could.

'_Just like running a marathon.'_

Her strikes were stronger now, but still very easy to catch and anticipate. In between, she launched barrages of beams, all intent on striking the pendant hanging above Hibiki's chest. But so far, her efforts did not provide her with any results. The rogue wielder simply blocked or dodged everything, but did not strike back against her in any way.

So she took advantage of her unwillingness and tried to come up with some sort of plan. How could she get past her guard? What could possibly work in this situation?

Her fan struck Hibiki's arm for the hundredth time. Miku poured power into her hands, struggling against Hibiki's block.

What could she do? What should she do?

And then it came to her.

Disengaging from the lock, and before Hibiki could jump away from her, Miku removed one of her hands from the fan's handle...

And grabbed Hibiki's own that was raised to block.

The rogue wielder was so shocked by the maneuver she didn't even respond, and with a strong heave, Miku pushed the offending hand away from her path. And in that small open space, she thrust the fan forward, the shining mirror at its tip nearly touching the demon's vessel.

'_With this—!'_

She fired the shot.

Only for Hibiki to smash her fist against the fan at the last possible second, causing the beam to fly off in a completely different direction. Her eyes still wide, and acting purely out of instinct, the Gungnir user grabbed Miku's arm in response and threw her over her shoulder. The Shenshoujing user was caught by surprise, and she streaked through the air until her back smashed against a ruined building. She cried out in pain and fell to the ground in a heap.

Hibiki instantly turned to her and took a single step forward. "A-ah—! M-Miku, I—"

Only to stop, a million conflicts taking place in her mind at once. So many screaming at her to finish the job, and many others telling her to stand down. The screams pounded and raged in her ears, drowning out her own mind.

As Hibiki was frozen, unable to decide on what to do, Miku rose back to her feet, groaning all the while.

"_Miku-kun!" _Genjuro yelled.

"This much... is nothing!" She spit back, gritting her teeth. '_Hibiki suffered pain... much greater than this!'_

She had to give more. She had to keep going, without stopping, until she got her back.

And Miku charged again, both hands gripping the fan's handle. The rogue wielder was still frozen on the spot, and this time could not respond.

The Shenshoujing user swung with all her might, and her fan found purchase in Hibiki's side. Using all the force she could muster, it struck true and strong and batted her away, sending the rogue wielder flying in the other direction of the street. She crashed onto the ground, rolling across it like a ragdoll.

This was the opportunity she needed. Displaying in her visor the next part, Miku got ready for action.

She unsummoned her fan, and floating off the ground slightly joined her legs together, the two bulky knee guards clicking into place. And from within them, a circular ring of mirrors folded open. The cables hanging off her arms connected to their ends, and together they all joined at the top to create a large circular mirror, with Miku at its center.

Spreading her arms to the sides, she locked onto Hibiki's position with her visor.

And the light began to gather.

The rogue wielder rose to her feet unsteadily, barely able to hear anything over the chaos in her mind. Her vision swimming, she looked ahead and saw as motes of purple light coalesced into the mirror. Before long, it began to shine brightly.

Brighter than the moon, more radiant than the sun, Miku held nothing back as she prepared the Shenshoujing's strongest attack. The light of her soul became a beacon, and all those in the night could not help but be awed as it became a star.

Hibiki could only stare at it and stay in place, unable to move.

And then, powered by the origin of its relic and the will of its user, the light of the Shenshoujing shot forth in a magnificent shining brilliance.

'_**SHOOTING STAR'**_

A violet beam of light tore through the ruined street. Pure and innocent, and filled with the resolve of its wielder, it closed the distance to her friend almost instantly.

And Hibiki still exhausted from before, and both her heart and mind in tatters, could not move to avoid it in time.

The only thing she had left to do was to try and survive meeting it head-on, and she raised her hands in a cross over her chest.

Moments later, it washed over her. Overflowing over her entire form, her feet dug into the ground as the anti-relic radiance became a tidal wave that threatened to blow her away. Almost immediately, her armor began to boil and warp under the special property laced within every inch of the light. Both Gungnir and the curses that lined it began to evaporate together, slowly but surely being purged in their entirety.

But the beam didn't stop just on her. It tore through everything a long distance behind her, smashing through what remained of the buildings in Shibuya crossing, melting the steel and concrete with its heat.

Everyone on the battlefield could see as it flew into the horizon, its full might not dwindling for a moment.

Miku kept it going. She poured every bit of power she had into it, entrusting her entire being into the light. It became stronger as a result, growing bigger by the second, causing Hibiki to vanish from her sight even through the visor.

And those in headquarters looked with wide eyes as the Aufwachen signal of Gungnir stuttered and glitched and warped. The various forces within it tore it to shreds and reformed it under its old and new forms at the same time. Next to it, the Shenshoujing's signal was shining, glowing brightly as the phonic gain levels from Miku rose to the sky.

It took over a minute for the light to finally disperse. The beam slowly died down, only smoke and steam being left in its aftermath. Miku zoomed in with the visor, attempting to identify Hibiki's position from within the smokescreen. With her vision completely clouded, she had no option but to go investigate herself. The cables on her arms disconnected from the mirror, and the two half rings collapsed back into the armor on her knees, sealing shut. She floated back down to the ground, her steps light, staring into the cloud.

'_Hibiki... '_

She looked on nervously. She wasn't sure if she overdid it or not, but her experience in watching everyone else fighting told her to let the cloud disappear first and then see what was the result. Too many times have they gotten caught off guard because they thought an enemy was defeated when it wasn't. Even with all her desire, Miku knew she could not forgo such a fundamental thing.

Her heart beat rapidly in her chest as she watched the smoke and steam dissipate, and finally, Hibiki's form could be seen through the thicket.

The Shenshoujing Adaptor took in a sharp breath in shock.

She was still standing. Somehow, her best friend was still standing after having taken the light head-on. She was hunched forward, panting heavily, her head downcast. Her knees were buckled inwards, barely keeping her on her feet.

But that was not what was important. No, the biggest change was that the armor was in absolute tatters. Very large parts of it were completely missing, failing to keep her modesty in check. One of her legs were now completely bare, and the other had bits and pieces of black armor dangling off of it. The wings she had growing out of her back had been completely vaporized, restoring her much more human appearance. One of her breasts was hanging out in the open, making Miku realize that her strike had been true.

But not close enough.

Somehow, the pendant had survived in one piece. Zooming in on the demonic gem, she could see that even though smoke was rising from it, it was still exactly as it has always been.

'_It... wasn't enough?!'_

That damn Symphogear was being stubborn.

Fine, then she'll go and finish the job and finally take Hibiki back with her.

But as she took the first step forward, the rogue wielder slowly raised her head to look at her.

And their eyes met, and Miku's heart stopped as just for a moment... just for a tiny, singular moment, she once again saw those amber orbs she cherished stare back at her.

Up until Hibiki threw her head back and _screamed._ A pitch-black aura enveloped her, and Miku watched in horror, her gaze locked on the pendant, as tendrils of darkness grew from it in all directions. They writhed over Hibiki's body, and the girl was shrieking, her voice piercing into the ears of everyone listening.

And wherever the tendrils touched, the cursed armor regrew. Truly reminding Miku of cancer, all of the vaporized parts, save for the wings, bubbled and bulged back to the surface. They warped abnormally as they returned to their previous form on the Gungnir wielder's body.

Only, it wasn't the same. With Hibiki's mind in pieces due to recent events, the flaring emotions that broiled within her exploded violently outwards. The curses took advantage of this, and drew upon the divine power further, accelerating their corruption of it right before Miku's eyes.

And when the process finally ended, Hibiki did not look anything like before. Barely any of the dark orange parts remained, the vast majority of the armor now colored black by their influence. So many of the glowing purple lines found their root in the pendant, pulsating eerily. Her head leaned forward once again, her eyes hidden.

'_No! Hibiki!'_

Miku raised her fan once again, prepared to launch another volley of beams to stop the grotesque process she was witnessing from finishing. But the light did not even have time to start gathering as Hibiki's head suddenly straightened, and Miku had to force herself not to drop the fan.

_**An otherworldly, eldritch green stared back at her.**_

And Hibiki reappeared in front of her before she even had time to blink.

The rogue wielder threw an uppercut right at her chin. Miku had no idea how exactly she managed to dodge it in time, but her head moved back just enough to avoid having it be punched off her shoulders completely.

Her visor, however, was not so lucky. The knuckles on Hibiki's fist smashed into the very bottom of it, and the reinforced relic-made steel shattered to pieces right on top of her eyes. Her head flew back, the shards blown in all directions as her regular vision was restored all at once.

But it didn't stop just there. All of a sudden Hibiki threw her other hand forward and grabbed Miku by the face with the entirety of her palm. The Shenshoujing user yelped as she was yanked off her feet. She was thrown across the street to once again smash against another building. The force of the throw caused the already fragile structure's foundation to crumble right on top of her, sending rubble and debris in all directions.

The corrupted Adaptor stood to her full height, her now almost completely black armor radiating a dark aura that was unlike anything that any of them had seen before. What came previously paled in comparison, and the amounts of energy she was radiating reached an unparalleled height. She stared with her shining eyes into the collapsed structure silently, waiting for the one within to climb out of the wreckage.

-!-

The only way Genjuro could voice his frustration was by slamming his fist against the console, the metal beneath buckling. "God damn it! It was not enough!"

It was indeed a total disaster. Unfortunately, Miku's beam was just not potent enough to be able to erase Gungnir's converter unit, and the power within responded by rapidly reforming.

It all happened right in front of their eyes. They watched not only the screen displaying the fight, but also the ever-changing Aufwachen signal of Gungnir. When it had begun glitching and warping, they had truly believed that Miku had done it, that the signal will once and for all disappear for good and they could finally reclaim Hibiki.

But then the corruption accelerated almost instantly, and now once again the Aufwachen signal was stable... but looked nothing like what it was before. Now, the original orange flower was almost completely covered by the black hole in its center, with single-digit millimeters remaining of the original underneath. They could count the amount of the blue veins representing the divine power on one hand, and what they were looking at was pretty much a void, lacking any sort of coherence or substance.

"This... is not good," Adam said. "I had expected the corruption to reach this level, but not this quickly. The girl's efforts were commendable, but I'm afraid with her failure to destroy the source, she only gave those curses the leeway they needed to spread even further upon Tachibana Hibiki's body. Not only that, but I'm afraid that her interference has only made things worse."

Genjuro grit his teeth so hard a crack appeared on one of his molars. He knew what Adam was getting at. He was referring to Hibiki's state of mind before and after; previously, her attitude was one of something they could maybe understand, for her own ego was still in one piece underneath all of that darkness, even though it was fragile.

But Miku's appearance changed that. What was left of the once complete ego shattered to pieces, and with that final attack the curses were beginning to fill in the cracks with their own influence.

This wasn't just the Gungnir housing the curses anymore. Now Hibiki's very _being _was beginning to be tainted by them.

And that will make their efforts all the more difficult.

"Miku-kun—!"

-!-

Miku groaned painfully as she picked herself off the ground, pushing off the concrete blocks that fell on top of her in the collapse. She coughed, breathing out the dust that entered her lungs, and slowly rose back to her feet, the night sky greeting her above.

"Hibiki..." She muttered. Her face and her back stung even through the armor, but she took in a sharp breath, swallowing the pain down.

She couldn't allow it to affect her now.

The moment she rose back to her feet completely, her now bare eyes locked onto her best friend in the middle of the street.

And the corrupted wielder spoke, her voice making Miku shudder.

"**Miku... even if it's you, I can't allow you to get in my way."**

It was Miku's turn to forget how to breathe.

She didn't even know how to describe it. She could hear Hibiki's voice, but it wasn't alone. With every word the Gungnir user spoke, a chorus of different voices joined in with hers, nearly drowning it out. Some were scratchy and derisive. Others were sensual and sinful. There were also some gritty and infuriated. Many were high-pitched and wailing.

Yet, all of them together sounded like a maddened cacophony, reaching and clawing for some unseen depraved desire. A chaotic amalgamation of every horrible sound she could and could not imagine, emerging in the form of language. Toneless and guttural, it penetrated to her core, making her blood freeze. And within that disarray, she could feel an underlying animosity directed at her.

Her entire body was screaming just how _wrong_ what she heard was, so much that she shuddered involuntarily. The massive difference from before was throwing her completely for a loop.

Hibiki spoke again, "**I will do what I must to make you understand, even by force."**

Miku's eyes widened at the straightforward warning, taken aback by what she was hearing. She had intended on coming here to get Hibiki back, not to make her condition far worse than it was. None of the previous changes were as significant as this one, causing Miku's heart to clench in despair.

Uneasily, she climbed out of the wreckage to stand at the foot of the collapsed building's edge. Only fifty meters or so stood between her and Hibiki. Her fists tightened at her side, contemplating on her next move.

Her visor was gone, and so was her only source of strategy. She did not have enough time to go over everything before it was destroyed, and now she was left with big holes in her knowledge that she could have made use of.

What course of action did she have left? What else could she possibly do now?

The frustration rose to the surface, and her anger, already bubbling beforehand, began to boil just underneath, threatening to overflow.

She couldn't allow this to continue any further, but what did she have left? Those curses, originating from that _damned _Gungnir, only grew stronger due to her efforts. All she took from that now was that the Shenshoujing only served to accelerate the process they were desperately trying to delay.

What was she supposed to do? How was she supposed to take her back now—

'_Ah, of course.'_

How could she have forgotten about it?

She stared down at her own pendant, taking note of the two extended switches at its sides.

Yes, that was the only option that was left. She had watched, ever since its conception, how the special modification that Elfnein made for the Symphogears worked. She watched the first time the wielders activated it, and how they were nearly consumed by the darkness that emanated from it, threatening to swallow them whole.

She had never experienced it herself, for she did not have a Symphogear at the time.

But now she does, and now... it was her turn to go through the same process.

For the sake of the one she loved, and for the sake of those happy days.

There was no more hesitation to be had. She dispelled her trepidation and her sorrow. She knew exactly what it was made of and what it entailed, but she couldn't allow herself to fear it as she had before.

And she briefly wondered if the others went through the same feeling when they had done so.

She grasped the sides of the pendant, placing her fingers on the two switches at its side. Her gaze locked ahead at Hibiki, who was standing still, the blackness still radiating off of her.

And she had noticed what Miku was prepared to do.

"**You will stand against me regardless?"**

Miku's stare hardened, washing away the terror the voice brought forth.

"I already told you Hibiki, that I will. I already told you that I will take you back with me, and take back our happy days. Even if it means fighting you head on right now... I will not hesitate, and I will _not _turn back, no matter what!"

Her hold tightened.

"I made an oath. I made a vow!"

Her fingers pressed the switch.

"AND I WILL MAKE MY WISH COME TRUE, WITH MY OWN HANDS!"

There was no point in holding back now. Facing the might of the curses head-on, Miku decided to place her entirety on the line to defeat them.

And she will do so with their own power, using it against them!

But she didn't give it one click.

She gave it three.

And having heard the activation a million times in the past, she roared out the words.

"**IGNITE MODULE!"**

"**FULL RELEASE!"**

She tore the pendant off, clutching it tightly in her hand.

The mechanical, glitchy voice followed.

'_**ddDDDDDddAaaAAAAaaiNnnnNNsSSsSsLLLeiFFFfFf'**_

But unlike the others, who let it float before them freely, she did not let it go. The pendant transformed, the previously pressed switches elongating, almost piercing through her palm.

And the crimson blade followed, erupting from the gem's core.

There was a reason one did not keep a hold on the pendant as the Ignite Module activated, and now that reason was showing itself in full.

Her hand _burned, _the searing heat digging into her so deeply she could feel it in her bones. Yet she held onto it, this time fighting against her own instincts to release it.

Her gaze met Hibiki's head own, her eyes teeming with resolve.

And with a single hard motion, plunged the shining sword into her own chest, right into her heart.

The effect was immediate.

Black smoke poured out in gargantuan amounts, covering her form into its entirety. Her eyes disappeared, replaced by glowing red orbs just like the beasts.

And she _screamed._


	20. Chapter 20: Roar of Sunshine

_Endless and timeless._

_Many say that these two words are a physical impossibility. They say that there is no such thing in existence, scientific or otherwise, that can adequately embody them. There is no such thing that can stand the test of time, not is there anything that does not come to an end. Everything must eventually perish, and have its place taken by something new and improved. That is the natural order of the universe, before and after the dawn of civilization._

_Humanity is one such thing. Regardless of how long it will survive, it will one day disappear from the cosmos, and its influence upon the stars shall vanish along with them._

_Yet, there are some things that even an insignificant existence can accomplish that nothing else can. While every human is an individual, it is said that beneath the surface, mankind shares a united consciousness. An unspoken chase for survival, and the fear of death that exists in every person upon the planet._

_Those emotions, desperate and volatile, can alter the very fabric of reality. Fear, envy, hatred. The countless amounts of negative passions coalesce into something much greater. The struggle for freedom and the desire to undo the shackles that had been wrapped around the neck of mankind for millennia. That desire had eventually overthrown forces humanity could not even imagine toppling and did so without raising a single finger. It simply brought forth a foregone conclusion that was fed through generations._

_How twisted it all became over time. Corrosive, like the most hazardous acid, and burning, like the very core of the sun._

_Century upon century, millennia upon millennia, eon upon eon. The world had changed, and mankind has evolved, yet that single concept did not. It contained within it those __**timeless**_ _fears and __**endless **__grudges that men had carried. Hatred for oneself, for the world, for others, and God._

_And they will never disappear. So long as humanity exists, so will that bottomless abyss of evil and sin. It always was, and always will be, an inseparable part of mankind._

_But that is not all there is to it._

_After all, every coin has two sides. Two sides that never meet, yet exist in tandem. Two facets of the same concept, sometimes considered to be completely different. While both can exist, they can never meet._

_They must never meet. _

_Not even the strongest magnet can repel its competing poles as strongly as they do. Incompatible to the core, all that would be left in their wake would be a barren wasteland. _

_Of course, the nemesis of hatred is not as forward as its counterpart. It cannot emerge without assistance from its other._

_But that would not be a problem._

_For all it takes is just a little push..._

-!-

"NO! MIKU-KUN! THAT'S TOO DANGEROUS!"

Genjuro's scream, however, fell on deaf ears. It was already too late to stop her now. With the Ignite Module now activated, it is almost completely impossible to stop the process before it was finished.

But he knew she didn't have a choice. Her base Gear had proved it was not enough to defeat the curses. It needed more power, more intensity, more light. Miku herself also needed the extra boost in strength to keep up with her far more experienced opponent.

That's not what concerned him though. What kind of influence would the Cursed Eden Module have on her? What kind of change would it bring about in the Shenshoujing? He knew that the relic was different from the other Adaptors'. What would it mean for it then?

Too many variables. Too many unknowns. Too much they simply didn't know. Where would this lead them?

"Phase Rubedo confirmed! Phonic gain levels are rapidly increasing!" Fujitaka exclaimed. Alright, that was to be expected. The use of the module, even the regular Ignite one, always carried such a massive boost. To go straight away into the highest level, however, was nothing short of madness. The other Adaptors had only ever done so once, and it was only as a last resort. The timer on the last phase was simply too short to be used over a long period of time.

What the hell was Miku planning? Was she even planning at all?

Adam narrowed his eyes at the rising numbers. He studied everything carefully, his mind wondering how things would develop.

"Nothing else we can do, then," he said. "At this point, it's all or nothing—"

Yet he couldn't help but feel that things were not going to be so simple.

-!-

_(Play: Ridicule - Umineko OST)_

When Miku opened her eyes, she found herself surrounded by complete darkness. She stood still in the middle of nowhere, lost and confused. She looked to and fro, left and right, up and down, yet there was not a single source of light in any direction.

"What...where am I?" She inquired, trying to uncover the mystery. The last thing she remembered was activating the Cursed Eden Module and since then—

Her eyes widened. "Hibiki!"

That's right, she was fighting Hibiki, who was getting more corrupted by the minute by those curses. She had decided to go all out to defeat them and was consumed by whatever had flowed out of her Gear.

She figured, then, that this is supposed to be a look inside of her own mind. If she recalled correctly what the others had told her, this is what was supposed to happen. Yet...why was it so barren and ominous?

What was waiting for her in here?

As she looked around, the answer came to her mere moments later. A high pitched screech echoed in the blackness, coming from all directions at once. Then, cracks began to form, running over the entire canopy of darkness around her. Miku hurriedly took a cautious step back, preparing herself for whatever was about to show itself.

She was not, however, prepared for this.

A blood-red tapestry of vaguely human faces squirmed, grasping and reaching for anything they could grab. Immediately Miku realized what the chorus of noises she had heard along with Hibiki's voice was. It was _them, _the gathered hatred and grudges of mankind that merged into a hellscape of unbelievable proportions. They had accumulated strength beyond normal conception, empowered by time.

They wanted to meet her. They wanted to see her. They wanted to reach out to her and understand her.

And once they accomplish that, they wanted to tear her to shreds. They wanted to tear her limb from limb, to hear her suffering joining in with their own. They wanted to destroy her mind, to devolve her into insanity. Their unnerving shrieking intensified by the second, and their unending squirming only further added to the horrid sight that met her eyes.

At this point, their screams sounded like nails on a chalkboard, worn down until the finger bled and crumbled. The maddened world Miku found herself in quaked and roiled.

But there was one thing the girl instantly realized: this wasn't normal. This is not what the others saw when they used the Module. No, they saw something far more personal.

No, this wasn't her own mind. She was _brought _here, before these things, for an explicit purpose.

"**YOU...YOU. YOU YOU YOU YOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOU!"**

Their voices rang in her ears. They all watched her, cursed her, loathed her.

She didn't need to guess that's what they thought. She could feel it with each time they repeated her name. They hated her to their very core, unable to stand her existence.

They had brought her here to murder her. They refused to allow her to overcome them.

"**DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!"**

Oh, how deep their hatred ran. It was expected from an existence such as theirs, who embody the grudges of mankind. All they could do was hate, fear, loathe, envy, and curse until the end of time.

But they had a special place reserved for her. Her, the one exception. They could not allow exceptions.

Yet Miku stood firm. She did not waver before their hatred. She did not care for it, after all. Their fear was of no consequence to her, and she couldn't care less about what they cursed or envied.

"Give her back."

That's all she had to say to them. Everything else didn't matter in the slightest.

Their response, however, was swift. As if their hatred took on a visible form, a giant of pitch-black darkness suddenly materialized right in front of her. Its hand was swift, and before she could respond, it grabbed her, wrapping its hand around her and lifting her into the air. Its grip on her tightened, as it raised her. Its blood-red eyes opened, and the many voices around her resumed their demented screaming, once again cursing her name.

The girl struggled in the giant's massive hold, but its grip wouldn't budge.

Her gaze met its own, and it uttered one word. One word in that chorus from hell that paralyzed her in her entirety.

"**NEMESIS."**

-!-

Genjuro bellowed as the numbers continued to rise.

"What the hell is happening?!"

"Sir! We... we don't know!"

They couldn't see anything in that cover of black smoke that had engulfed Miku. The air seemed to grumble and quiver with each passing second, yet...

"The Aufwachen signals are—!"

Elfnein's cry did not go unnoticed by the bridge crew. They immediately turned to look at the large display, and as one, their eyes widened at the shocking change.

"What... what is this?!"

There was no way to describe it. A phenomenon they never thought was possible was taking place in front of their eyes, and they could barely believe it. As if the Aufwachen signals took on a life of their own, they seemed to directly interact with one another. They attracted and repelled each other, twisting and turning within themselves as if they were assaulting the other.

It was a surreal sight, something that felt impossible. Out of everyone there, only Adam could bring himself to speak.

"This... this isn't normal," he said. "Something beyond our comprehension is taking place."

His warning was as ominous as it was unnerving. Not knowing what was to come, the bridge crew of S.O.N.G steeled themselves as Adam said the last few words.

"Something... is coming."

-!-

The demon's grip did not loosen. It only continued to squeeze tighter, attempting to crush Miku in its grip. She continued to resist, refusing to bow to this evil now. She glared at it, undisturbed by the glowing red eyes. Even though the screaming around her continued, and even though she was in immense pain, she did not falter.

"What... do you... want?!"

She questioned it. She didn't know what its motive was, but frankly, she didn't care. It could speak, so she'd let it speak. See what it has to say. See what curses it has to spew at her.

The voices hated and feared her. They sensed something about her that she didn't understand, but she wouldn't look that gift horse in the mouth. Whatever it was, it was her trump card, and she'd make use of it.

Shockingly, the demon seemed to understand her question. The screaming died down, replaced only by a low rumbling coming from the roiling darkness that made up the giant's form. The nearly deafening silence confused her, but she listened. It brought her closer to its face as if making a show of force. It was bigger than her, stronger than her, and more terrifying than her.

Yet, she was unperturbed.

It had called her its nemesis. As the representation of the curses, it spoke for them. That's what they perceived her as. For them, nothing was more hateful than she was. And so, they challenged her. The voice of mankind's evil spoke, letting out all it believes.

"**THE ROAD TO ETERNITY LIES THROUGH YOU."**

Miku's struggles ceased, and her eyes widened in shock. It was just a few words, yet those words alone were enough to render her speechless.

Because with those words alone, she came to understand what it wanted. She came to truly understand what it represented and desired. What it feared and what it hated. It sought to be endless, and timeless, and eternal. It sought to be above all others. It sought to drown everything in its filth and ichor, and become the sole driving force of the human race. For a concept as all-consuming as itself, such a goal was not out of reach.

Except one wall stood in its way:

Kohinata Miku.

Those hatreds were ineffectual without a vessel, one which they found in Tachibana Hibiki. However, Hibiki was a distorted individual, and they knew it. She hated and feared many, just like they do. Yet, this person before them was not one of those. She was the sole exception, the only person their vessel would not dare harm. Hibiki cherished her more than anything else, and they could not subvert that feeling in her heart.

That's why they had to eliminate her. They had to kill her before she became a problem. Her, and that accursed thing she housed within her.

But Miku would not make it so easy.

Her body filled with resolve. Her struggles renewed, and as her body shook, something began to stir within her. From her core, a light began to gather, forcing the giant's grip loose bit by bit. Moments later, her arm broke loose, and she grabbed onto the shadowy hand that wrapped around her. She poured all the strength she could into her hand, trying her hardest to tear off the giant's hand.

The screaming from the countless writhing visages returned, stronger than ever. Yet, Miku fought. She fought and did not stop fighting, narrowing her eyes in anger at the giant. The light from within her, originating at an illusionary spot below her collarbone, continued to grow. it grew and grew, and with each second that passed, it made her stronger.

The demon's form began to waver under her grip. It tried to respond accordingly, but there was something in her hand that drained its strength. Its smokey flesh bubbled and dissolved, freeing more and more of the girl's body.

Soon enough, its hold loosened completely. She fell from its grip back to the non-existent ground, and the giant loomed over her. She brought her hand up to her chest, grasping at the light that was gathering in her core.

"And the road... to reclaiming... our happiness..."

It grew bright. Oh so very bright. The giant, the voices, and the writhing faces trembled in fear and loathing. Their screams became incomprehensibly loud, yet Miku's voice rose above them, stronger than ever before.

"Lies..."

Many smaller shadowy hands charged towards her from all directions, attempting to stop the growth of the light. Yet, as if she was protected by an unseen force, they could not find purchase upon her, and they were blown away.

"Through..."

They were completely helpless. Miku's hand fell to her sides as the light engulfed her frame, standing undaunted in the center of this world. Power gathered within her, and there was nothing those wretched evils could do.

She threw her head back

And let out a primal, furious roar.

_(Play: Suppuration Core - KOTOKO)_

"**YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"**

The thrashing world was blown apart. The giant of shadow, together with the tapestry of squirming faces were erased without a trace as their trap collapsed. The light from within Miku's being exploded upwards to the sky as her consciousness returned to the real world.

Her roar reached the sky as a blazing aura that pierced through the clouds exploded from her, burning bright in the night. The darkness that had threatened to consume her was purged in its entirety, yet the power it provided began to course through her with all its glory.

Hibiki could only take a step back, shocked by the developments. She had not expected such a response, such a violent and primal reaction to being able to come from the one she considered her sunshine.

But now, she was no longer a simple sunshine.

"**UWWWWWWOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**"

No, now she was an _inferno, _the heat blazing off of her in such huge amounts it blew away everything around them. The rubble, the ground, and even the bare soil beneath were tossed about like leaves on the wind.

The aura flared higher.

Hibiki braced herself, awaiting the inevitable battle.

But she could not prepare for what came as the form within the blaze _exploded _in her direction almost as fast as light. It slammed into her with such force it blew her off her feet, carrying her onwards through the ruined street. It smashed her back into another building at its other side, and it, like the many before it, crumbled to dust.

She grabbed something. Holding onto something covered with black fire, she stopped it right before it managed to touch the pendant above her chest. Tiny specks of electricity sprung to life between the two, almost emphasizing their connection.

She looked up, her eyes narrowing, focusing on the flames.

And they widened when she realized that the thing she grabbed was an _arm,_ its color a deep, twisted purple, almost melding with her own. Her eyes moved upwards and gazed upon the true form of the being within the flames.

At that moment, a fated meeting occurred. A clash between two sides, each equal in strength, rivaling each other since the dawn of time.

Shining green met shining green, two pairs of similarly colored eyes sparking at each other.

For the form within the flames was none other than Kohinata Miku.

But she was _different. _Never before had Hibiki believed that she would ever look upon her like this, seeing her best friend in the world wear such a fearsome expression on her face, marring her beautiful features.

There lay something more within, a duality between the two that stemmed from the very origin of the relics they wielded.

The Shenshoujing, in its past, was a simple mirror. A simple, bronze mirror decorated with figures and animals of legend, and many more of it was created and made through the ages. And as it was made, and as it was forged, it became a symbol. The people of the past revered it, worshipping it and what it represented. They poured their hopes and wishes into it, desiring salvation. And over time, that worship, that prayer, began to coalesce into something much grander.

Over two thousand years have passed since its original conception, and as the wishes and the prayers of the people poured into it, it too became a vessel of a concept greater than all others.

And that concept was the polar opposite of the one lying within the spear of Odin. The two relics could not be more different from each other, thousands of miles of distance separating them and eons upon eons lay between the two's creation.

Yet, they became adversaries; antitheses of each other.

Two sides of the same coin. The furthest twins, and the closest strangers.

For what lay within Gungnir, coming into creation due to the curses and grudges of the people were—

'_**All the Evils of this World'**_

But within the Shenshoujing, the opposite was true; it contained the wishes, prayers, and the worship of the people.

And the name of that concept was—

'_**All the Hopes of this World'**_

And the Fates cried, the strands of destiny they weaved wailing in lamentation at the heartbreaking tragedy.

For the two concepts finally came into conflict generations after their conception... and the two that bore them were two whose hearts sang as one.

The Shenshoujing was not like the other relics in possession of the wielders. It was not a weapon, wielded by a god, nor was it even unique. No, the Shenshoujing was simply a mirror, carrying within it what the people wished for. It held no divinity, no true holiness within it. It only reflected what it saw.

It only contained the wishes of Man, the hopes of Man, and the endless desire that drove humanity forward. And thus, it became a Philosophical Armament, just like Gungnir before it.

And all of that weight, all of that simple yet bright radiance finally found the chance to shine with the only person in the world who could bear that burden.

She was clad in it. The girl whose name was synonymous with sunshine wore that burden with pride, taking within her all that it entailed.

And together, combined with the tiny fragments of the curses it fought against, became fury.

Pure, unadulterated, and righteous fury burned within her, and as Hibiki looked into her eyes, she could see a force, as mighty as a supernova, burst forth.

The girl had only one thing she could say.

Her eyes locked on the demon.

And that single thing, outweighing everything else in the world, exploded out of her soul in a sunlike roar.

"**YOU WILL GIVE HIBIKI BACK TO MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"**

She reached for it.

She _reached _for it.

Her hand, extended as far as it could go, and struggling against Hibiki's hold, reached for the cursed pendant. Miku bared her teeth savagely, her entire body clad in the Cursed Eden form of the Shenshoujing. And with every inch she got closer, she could hear the demon shriek louder in her ears, in the very depths of her mind. The many voices of fear and hatred joined in, hellbent on opposing her.

But she ignored it. She cast aside the screaming voices, all begging for vengeance and spewing nothing hatred, and made her way to their source, determined to destroy it.

And she would do so with her bare hands if she had to.

Hibiki felt as Miku's hand got too close for comfort to her pendant, and in retaliation smashed her free fist into her stomach. The Shenshoujing Adaptor was hit with such force she was blown back to the street. But rather than bounce around uselessly, she gritted her teeth and skidded across the ground with her feet, throwing up more rubble into the air in her wake.

'_I'm not going to let it get away!'_

The corrupted wielder dislodged herself from the building and jumped down to the street to meet Miku head-on.

A spear and a fan sprung forth in their hands respectively.

And at the same time, charged towards each other with reckless abandon.

"**HIBIKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"**

"**MIKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"**

The two weapons crashed into each other, and gravity itself warped from the sheer might of their clash. Debris, dust, and even large chunks of the collapsed buildings to rise into the air, suddenly becoming as light as feathers. Two forces, opposing each other since the dawn of time, raged within the impact.

Only one would remain standing at the end of it all.

They were incompatible with each other. They were never supposed to meet, never supposed to clash. However, destiny had a different idea. All the Evils and Hopes of this World finally came into conflict, and that battle was waged through two girls who cared for each other more than themselves.

Even so, Miku pushed on. Her eyes were like stars, glowing brightly within the cosmos, directly contrasting the alien shine coming from Hibiki's.

Violet light covered her fan in its entirety, and the rogue wielder saw as her spear began boiling at the impact point. The curse-killing nature of Shenshoujing started to overwhelm the god-slaying power that lined her spear.

She couldn't allow the two to remain locked for too long, lest she would lose her weapon just like she did against Tsubasa.

With a yell, she smashed the fan to the side and followed up with a swing to Miku's head, but the Shenshoujing Adaptor responded in time. Insane amounts of power boosted her previously meager abilities to incredible heights, and with unparalleled speed raised the fan to block the strike. The ground shattered once more underneath them, and almost immediately the spear began boiling once more.

Miku screamed.

"**GIVE HER BACK!"**

And she pushed the spear away, eliciting a surprised reaction from Hibiki.

'_How is she able to—'_

Miku followed up with her own strike, but this time rather than block, Hibiki parried it to the side, causing the purple wielder to stumble. Catching her opponent off guard, the corrupted Adaptor took the opportunity to strike once more, intent on finishing it once and for all.

Only for Miku to rebalance herself at the last moment and bring up her free hand to stop the spear.

Hibiki's eyes widened in shock when the moment the spear touched her open palm, it _stopped. _Holding the long weapon back with nothing but her hand, Miku grit her teeth and closed her grip on it as hard as she could.

And the metal beneath began boiling once more, the curse-killing power working its concept on the cursed spear with nothing but her touch. Realizing that she couldn't let her keep on hold on the spear, Hibiki struck out with her leg, hitting Miku's side. The involuntary groan of pain caused her grip to loosen, and the rogue wielder pulled the spear back, preparing for another blow.

But Miku spun on her heel, and landing with both feet on the ground, thrust the fan forward. It once again unfolded, this time the mirrors within tinted dark by the Cursed Eden Module's effect.

And barely a second later, the concurrent beams shot forth from it. However this time they were not stringlike and thin, bursting forth like tiny lasers. No, this time each one nearly rivaled the Shenshoujing's strongest light, exploding outwards like nuclear blasts.

'_**DARKNESS-PIERCING FLASH'**_

The Gungnir user knew that taking it head on this time would be suicidal. Miku's power, enhanced to high heavens by both the Cursed Eden Module and whatever else lay within her, was not to be trifled with.

She lacked the experience to use it to the utmost, but at this point, such a disadvantage was moot. Her will was so overpoweringly strong that experience and skill became meaningless.

But she will face it regardless. If Miku was going to be explosively stubborn, then so was she.

Hibiki brought her spear in front of her, tilting it slightly, its tip towards the ground. She placed her free hand against its flat side, her other grabbing it tightly by the handle. Using the long weapon as an impromptu shield, she charged into the light with a yell.

And like before, it washed over her, but this time the spear was struck with the light's full might. Its surface already began to be seared away, peeling away its layers at an incredibly fast rate. But Hibiki did not surrender, pushing forward through the storm with a roar, determined to defeat it.

Miku realized what her friend was trying to do, and she increased the output, each beam becoming faster and stronger with every second.

But she reacted just a second too late. Hibiki, already having closed the necessary distance, released her hold on the spear and punched through it. The relic metal shattered from the force, and her hand pierced through, only exposed to the light for less than a second before her fist smashed into the open mirror. The reflective surface cracked, and the light's creation was put to a stop instantly.

The Shenshoujing user was taken by surprise once again as her assault was interrupted, and she stumbled back from the force of Hibiki's punch. Taking advantage of the opening, The Gungnir user reformed her weapon in her other hand and swung powerfully, the spear streaking through the air.

Only for Miku to once again balance herself, and quickly folding the mirror back, she blocked the impossible blow, right before it managed to slice through her neck.

Both combatants grit their teeth.

And Miku screamed again.

"**GIVE HER BACK!"**

The light surrounding her fan _flared_, and the spear was violently repulsed, throwing the rogue wielder off balance. Seeing the opportunity, Miku struck, aiming for the demon.

But the spear was pulled back just in time to block the blow.

Their eyes shone in tandem.

And then came an exchange of blows so ferocious it should have been impossible for the Shenshoujing wielder. But somehow, every blow Hibiki sent her way was parried, or blocked, or dodged. As if her body was moving completely by itself, Miku, the wielder with the least amount of experience out of all of them, matched her opponent blow for blow.

For All the Hopes of this World refused to bow down to their nemesis.

"**GIVE HER BACK!"**

With every clash, the intensity of their battle increased tenfold. What remained of the wreckage of the buildings in Shibuya were blown to smithereens, the shockwaves tearing through them like paper. The entire area was simply flattened, the horizon visible for the first time in centuries in the very heart of the city.

"**GIVE HER BACK!"**

She screamed, and screamed, and screamed. Her fury reached the very Heavens, shaking the few remnants of the storm that raged above.

It was after all, no longer necessary. The might of the Heavens were not required in this battle.

All that remained was the fury of Man, and the unbending will of a single girl determined to reclaim what was hers.

"**GIVE HER BACK!"**

Like a mantra of madness, she repeated that single, overwhelming desire. And with each repetition, her strength flared even more as her mind clicked together with the curse-killing power.

And as it increased, and as they melded, something within her stirred, rising up to the surface together with her own will.

It was a phoenix. It was a dragon. It was a tiger. Countless representations of divine will and purgers of evil rose up from within.

And they _roared, _driving away the demon's shrieking.

'_**DESTROY THE GUNGNIR!'**_

"**GIVE HER BACK!"**

She pushed her opponent back, somehow winning an exchange of pure force. She struck for the pendant once more, but Hibiki once again managed to deflect the blow at the last second.

Light exploded in all directions, her fan truly becoming a radiant blade that blazed with the light of humanity.

'_**ANNIHILATE IT!'**_

"**GIVE HER BACK!"**

The shine in her eyes grew tenfold.

Yet despite all of the power, Hibiki still managed to match her. The divine power, corrupted almost absolutely, granted her strength beyond normal conception. Strength that mere mortals would never be able to achieve on their own.

She bared her teeth like a beast, deliberately slamming the spear as hard as she can against the fan. Miku skidded across the street, and Hibiki teleported, appearing behind her in an instant, bringing the spear down on her back at light speed.

Only for a dome of light to erupt from the Shenshoujing Adaptor, acting as a barrier that stopped the spear in its tracks. Hibiki's eyes widened as her weapon was violently repulsed, and through the barrier, a hand shot forward and grabbed her leg.

It was Miku's turn to bare her teeth savagely, and with an impossibly strong heave slammed the rogue wielder into the concrete, shattering it from the force.

'_**RESTORE THE LIGHT!'**_

"**GIVE HER BACK!"**

Her mind, fused with All the Hopes of this World, raged like the core of a star. The light on her fan extended, reaching unprecedented heights.

And she brought the blade of light down.

Hibiki managed to roll out of the way just in time to avoid being cut down. She jumped back to her feet, and just as she righted herself Miku planted her feet, and _cleaved_ through the air, the countless meters of light searing their way towards the rogue wielder.

"**I will not fall here!"**

Black fire exploded from Hibiki, and the spear, enveloped by it as well, rose to meet the blinding fan. The two forces, raging more powerfully due to each other's presence, competed for supremacy in the clash.

Miku _roared,_ pouring all her strength into her hands in order to slice through the cursed spear.

'_**RECLAIM THE ECHOING SONG!'**_

"**GIVE HER BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!"**

-!-

S.O.N.G was silent. Dead silent.

Looking upon the screen displaying the battle, every single mouth hung open at the incredible display being shown to them.

Only one managed to speak, the one not affiliated with them in any way. "If I had hands, I would tip my hat to you, Kazanari Genjuro," Adam said. "For the first time, you have managed to leave me utterly gobsmacked. I did not even begin to imagine you had something like this hidden up your sleeve."

It was said with half-surprise, Adam had to admit. He knew for a fact that the S.O.N.G commander had absolutely no idea such a thing would happen. His entire 'plan' to get Miku to be more receptive to accepting the Shenshoujing only ended there. He didn't know how to proceed after that.

The last thing he expected was to bear witness to such a spectacle. From a simple girl with a strong resolve, she had spontaneously _evolved_ into a force of nature, hellbent on taking down her opponent.

And it sent shivers down Genjuro's spine. His eyes briefly wandered back to the Aufwachen signals, and he was completely blown off his feet by what he saw.

The combat of the two signals mirrored their wielders. It was so astounding that it affected even their displays, causing the two screens showing the two signal to crash into each other. While Gungnir had remained somewhat normal, it raged and flared, and Shenshoujing shone in response. Veins of multicolored light bloomed from its center, and at its core was a hole of a color he could not begin to describe. It was white but _not _white. It was black but _not _black.

It was a color that had no name in this world, for it could not possibly be explained by humanity.

But that was just one part of it. Looking at the screen displaying the Ignite timers, he could see them all tick down at a steady rate.

All _except _the Shenshoujing's. No, in Miku's case, it could barely be called a timer at this point. The entire thing _glitched _and warped as if it was unable to even come close to understanding exactly what was happening. It was flashing red in warning, but it just wasn't changing. The numbers went wild, from low to high and from high to low, the actual time completely unknown to them.

And the phonic gain gauge? Gave up a long time ago. It simply displayed a single message on it that summarized everything in a single word.

'_Unquantifiable'_

The gauge couldn't even begin to measure or understand the amount.

"Yet despite all of this marvel, I am beginning to think she's delving too far," Adam continued. "Her mind is fusing with whatever is rising from within her relic. It amazes me to say this, but her will is just too strong. She's pushing herself beyond what she should have been able to... no, it's safe to say she has already surpassed that limit a long time ago. I suggest you find a method to bring this to an end before the world is consumed by their conflict. So long as they remain locked in battle, their power will rise until they destroy everything, as they are only focused on destroying each other."

The violent shaking of the submarine was already proof of that.

Adam knew enough about All the Evils of this World to explain it, but he knew nothing about whatever was bursting forth from the Shenshoujing.

It bothered him. It bothered him _a lot_. He was once again in the dark about something he should have known and have been able to predict, yet he knew absolutely nothing about it.

And due to that, he was once again only getting further from his own ambition. So long as he was not in control, he could not manipulate them as he would like. For every time he believed something would happen according to his predictions, something else that he did not know came about and took their place.

The Lodgemaster of the Illuminati was pulled from his thoughts as Shirabe suddenly spoke up in the comm in a panic, "_Commander, what is going on?! Is that...Miku-san and Hibiki-san?!" _

Genjuro didn't answer. He could only look ahead at the display with his mouth open and watch.

"_Commander?!"_

He didn't answer.

He _couldn't _answer.

'_What...have I done?'_

"Commander!" Tomosato shouted, finally pulling him back to his senses. He looked around, as he if he was momentarily confused as to where he was. His eyes then landed on his subordinate, who gazed at him with worry.

"_What the hell does it matter what is going on?!" _Chris screamed. "_We have to go help! We are almost done with the Noise so we should go there!"_

It was then he finally responded, slamming his hands on the console. "No! You must not go there under any circumstances! That is an order!"

"_Why the fuck not?! Miku needs our help!"_

"Believe me when I say this Chris-kun, but you _don't _want to go and see what is happening. It is for your own good."

He didn't say anything more than that. He _couldn't _say anything more than that. How was he supposed to explain what he was seeing? How was he supposed to give _anyone_ an explanation as to what was happening?

But it didn't matter, because it was all out of his control now. He had gambled on something he knew almost nothing about... and was now facing the consequences.

Whether or not there will be anything left to save after this... he didn't know.

He _couldn't _know.

And at this point, it probably didn't even matter.

-!-

_(Play: The Battle is to the Strong - Fate/Zero OST)_

The blades of light and darkness continued to clash mightily throughout the now flattened Western Tokyo. Their sphere of destruction had extended well past the small street they had been fighting in, the rest of Shibuya ward having become their main battleground. Not even bacteria dared approach lest even they would be incinerated by the heat of their exchange.

And Miku continued screaming, her voice melded together with the concept that had sprung forth from within the Shenshoujing.

'_**FOR THE FUTURE!'**_

"**GIVE HER BACK!"**

It was monstrous. Like the titans of old, two forces beyond mortal conception crashed against each other, leveling everything in their area.

It was truly not a contest of skill nor a comparison of experience. Bare human minds were discarded, and the two competing in the mortal world were inconceivable except to the two of them.

And yet, under all of that, the will of a girl who wanted her happy days back still shone through. Whether it was through her primal screaming or her shining eyes, it was still Kohinata Miku beneath it all.

She was not twisted by darkness and fear like her counterpart was. No, her will and the Shenshoujing's had fused, for they had the same exact goal.

'_**PURGE ALL THE EVILS OF THIS WORLD!'**_

And Hibiki, together with her own, met them straight on. Black and white light flew off in all directions, neither one giving an inch to the other. A thrust by the spear became a storm that tore through space, sending forth a tornado of razor wind that caused reality to quake and tear.

But that storm was met with a slash as hot as the surface of the sun, and the two slammed into each other with a colossal clash that lit up the sky. Every single one of the other Symphogear users saw it from afar, their eyes wide at the power casually thrown around that threatened to destroy not just the rest of the city, but the entire country as well.

Yet neither of the two combatants could bring themselves to care about that.

Miku pushed forward. She poured more and more and more and more of herself into the attack, unwilling to budge even an inch. The storm was, unfortunately, stronger than her own light, and so she was being pushed back. Her feet dug into the ground, her fingers gripping the fan's handle so tightly they were turning white.

But she wouldn't fall here.

She had made an oath.

And she was damn well going to keep it.

"**GIVE HER BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!"**

Just with her shout, the light grew hotter, straining against the storm, escalating to match it in power.

And they raged. All the Evils and Hopes of this World were desperate to overcome the other.

It finally culminated in a humongous explosion. So huge, in fact, that the entire ward was consumed in a fireball that incinerated everything it touched, engulfing the two combatants. As if a nuclear bomb went off in the heart of the city, hurricane winds blew through the rest of Tokyo, and the Symphogear wielders had to plant their feet to avoid being blown away.

Only Tsubasa managed to remain standing without assistance, the will of Susano'o still awake within her. She gazed upon the rising fire with a worried expression, her currently divine clairvoyance giving incredible amounts of warning signs in her head.

Not that there was much she could do about it. Even for her, to try and intervene would be akin to suicide, as the clashing forces were beyond anything she would be handle on her own. Having slain the last of the Noise personally, she now stayed and waited for the inevitable outcome... to try and be there to pick up the pieces.

Yet within that fireball, completely unaffected by the heat given off by the titanic clash, were Hibiki and Miku. Having charged towards each other in lightning speeds, the clash resumed, their weapons blurring through the air to smash against the other.

And the force of their clash caused the fireball to dissipate, for even smoke was not allowed to remain in their presence.

"**GIVE HER BACK!"**

Miku's roar was joined by a swing so powerful the air itself screamed along with her, aiming for the cursed pendant.

But this time, Hibiki one-upped her. In an unconventional tactic, she sped into Miku's range, and with her charge used the opportunity to strike at Miku's hand, intent on cutting it off. Caught completely by surprise, the Shenshoujing user was forced to arrest her movements mid-swing and drop her weapon, jumping back to avoid losing her limb.

With the fan out of her hand, Hibiki stepped on it, shattering it to pieces, leaving Miku without her Armed Gear. The Shenshoujing Adaptor glared at her opponent with teeth bared.

"**What will you do now?" **The corrupted Adaptor asked her.

It was such a pointless question to ask she didn't even know why she bothered asking it.

Miku _charged_, and now like a cornered beast swiped with her hand, her fingers leaving behind trails of light that carved up the street. It didn't matter to her that she lost her weapon. Such a thing wouldn't stop her.

She didn't need it anyway.

Hibiki avoided the blow but was still surprised by her persistence. However, she still couldn't afford to underestimate her; with just her bare hands she can unmake anything originating from relics as well as the curses. She couldn't allow herself to be touched even for a second, much less grabbed.

So she dodged. Foregoing blocking Miku's strikes, she sidestepped and backpedalled from the purple wielder's primal slashes. Her attacks were wild, without elegance or technique, yet they contained incredible power within them.

For she could still scream, resolved to truly tearing the Gungnir to pieces with her bare hands if she had to.

'_**DESTROY IT!'**_

"**GIIIVEEEEE HEEEEERR BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCKK!"**

Until the moment Hibiki realized something was way off, that last scream raising several red flags in her mind. Her eyes narrowed, studying Miku's form as she avoided her attacks. She ducked under a powerful thrust, and spun on her heel, dodging the follow-up blow.

But what was it that was wrong?

She would continue to ponder over that strangeness over the next exchange, trying to find any sort of sign that would alert her to it.

And then she saw it. It was so obvious she couldn't believe she missed it; upon looking at Miku's eyes, she noticed it. Right there, at the edges, she could see her shining eyes being overtaken by a glowing redness, covering her sclera completely. Red and green suddenly illuminated her face, wisps of energy escaping from their sides.

Hibiki barely avoided a strong swipe that smashed apart the ground, and that gave her the chance to notice another change. Until now, the only transformed parts she noticed were the ones covered by the Ignited Symphogear, or whatever it was that they called it. She didn't know what name they gave it, and quite frankly she couldn't care less as that too failed to match up to her in any meaningful way.

But on Miku, it was not only the armor that was covered. The previously bare skin now had patches of darkness growing over it, flowing over it and melding with the armor itself. And she could see as slowly, but surely, Miku's form was beginning to lose cohesion.

And the entire time, she was still aiming for her.

Or rather, the pendant above her chest.

'_This is-!'_

"**Miku, you have to stop!"**

Worry she did not expect to feel now suddenly filled her, looking upon the quickly blackening form of her best friend.

But she didn't hear her. No, it was more like she _couldn't _hear her. Her mind was now melded together with curse-killing power, her will eroding the protections of the Ignite Module from within.

The bloodlust of Dainsleif, combined with the tiny fragments of the curses and the overriding nature of All the Hopes of this World. All fused under her one singular desire created a raging beast.

Just like with Hibiki in the past.

'_**DESTROY THE SYMPHOGEAR!'**_

"**GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"**

'_**ERASE IT UNTIL NOTHING IS LEFT!'**_

Miku's head bent back as she roared, an aura of flame surrounding her entirely. Caught by surprise, Hibiki was thrown back, covering her face with hands.

'_No, Miku!'_

But it was too late. The darkness washed over her completely, and all that was left was a black beast, this time in the form of Kohinata Miku. Having lost herself in berserk rage she couldn't control, her mind vanished within it all.

Yet this one was different from the ones before it. If the others were just rampaging monsters, this one was a hunter, hellbent on taking down its target with every last bit of its strength.

And it still _screamed,_ but now its voice contained none of the kindness that laced it originally. No, now it was a primal and furious roar, the desires of its original mind driving it forward.

"**GIIIIIIIIIVEEEEEEEEEEEEE HEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRR BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!"**

It charged again, closing the distance in an instant, its hands—no, _claws_—smashing against the concrete beneath, shattering it to pieces. Its shining red eyes sought its prey again; it swiped, and swiped, and slashed, and thrust, and leaped, and like a wild animal attacked without end.

And through it all, the savage creature that was once Miku repeated its mantra of insanity, holding onto it as its lifeline.

"**GIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACK!"**

-!-

The moment they've feared has finally arrived.

Looking at the screen with a frown, Adam simply said one thing. "See, what did I tell you?"

It was chaos. The bridge had descended into absolute chaos as they witnessed Miku deteriorate into a berserk state, no longer seeing or hearing anything. The Aufwachen signal of the Shenshoujing was incoherent at this point, the display glitching and stuttering wildly in front of their eyes. The Ignite Timer was also unusable, showing the exact same thing it had last time.

Nothing. None of their instruments worked as they should in these circumstances, and now they had no clue how to react appropriately.

Once again Genjuro slammed his hand onto the console, bending the steel beneath. "Damn it!" He bellowed, his composure shattering to pieces. "What the hell are we supposed to do now?!"

It was then that Tsubasa's voice came in through the comm. "_**Commander, what is the situation?**_" She asked.

He raised his head up to stare at the display. He bit his lip, unsure if he should answer.

It took him exactly one second to decide. "Miku-kun has fallen to a berserk state. We are currently brainstorming our plan of action to bring her back."

"_WHAT?!" _Chris's voice cut in. "_OLD MAN, WHAT DID YOU DO?!"_

There was no point in hiding what was going on now. They will figure it out sooner or later, and any withheld information would only work against them in the long run. And besides, Hibiki can't be brought back without Miku. They needed to save her for both her own and Hibiki's sake.

"_What about Anti-LiNKER?" _Shirabe suddenly asked, the eyes of the crew members lighting up in realization.

"That's it!" Elfnein exclaimed. "That should work!"

"How much do we have?!"

"At least twelve syringes, all ready and waiting!"

He nodded. "Everyone, good job on eliminating the enemy units! Now is the moment of truth! Tsubasa! How fast can you get here?!"

"_**Immediately,**_" she answered.

"Good! You come here and get the syringes. Everyone else, head to Shibuya ward! Your new mission is to bring back Miku-kun! Don't stop for anything, you hear me?!"

And they answered as one.

"_ROGER!"_

-!-

_(Play: The End of 1000 Years - Melty Blood OST)_

Hibiki jumped back again, avoiding another crazed swipe from the berserk Miku. The beast's teeth were bared, and it growled with every attack it threw. It was restless, it was wild, and most of all it had only one target in sight.

The berserk state, something that was inherent to all Symphogears. A byproduct of the connection to the relic, it was something that was first discovered over a year ago by Sakurai Ryuko. A discovery made at the time Hibiki had been fused with the Gungnir fragments that had pierced her chest during the fateful Zwei Wing concert.

Since then, S.O.N.G's knowledge of the state had evolved and increased tremendously, eventually culminating in the creation of the first Ignite Module at Elfnein's hands. It worked by artificially inducing said berserk state, and as a result, granted all of the incredible power that came with it.

The Cursed Eden Module only built upon that, while additionally incorporating the fragments of the god-slaying power, containing the curses that made it up as well. While it was far more dangerous and had the chance to inflict grievous psychological damage on the users, the power it provided was almost unparalleled.

That's right, in any other situation, it would have been a trump card that all of their previous enemies would cower before.

But now it was just another failed attempt at closing the gap between themselves and Hibiki, as even delving into the primal origin of their relics was not enough to be up to par with the rogue wielder's divine power enhanced strength.

Its true might shone through only when the wielder had a special connection with the worn relic, and that was expressed through Kazanari Tsubasa. She had managed to access the powers of the will of Susano'o, the original god that had wielded her relic.

Yet even _that _was not enough in the end. Pure power was simply not what they needed in order to match the corrupted user.

They needed a superior concept.

And they got it now.

Unfortunately, any further attempts to have that concept defeat the curses were thrown out the window as the wielder of said concept had, for lack of a better word, completely lose her mind. Giving into insanity born almost entirely of her own will, she had become a machine focused on one thing only.

And it would annihilate anything that stood in its way without regard to friend or foe.

"**GIVEEEEEEEEEEEE HEEEEEEEERRRR BAAAAAAAAACKKKKKKKKKKKK!"**

It roared without stopping. It attacked without end. All Hibiki could do was dodge and avoid it, now no longer willing to risk either herself or the girl who had lost herself.

"**Miku—!"**

There was no getting through to her. Lightning-fast strikes came down like rain, all of them aiming at the pendant. She didn't even try and aim for body parts, her red eyes only seeing the one thing she considered her enemy.

And as long as it existed in this world, she would never stop, even if she destroyed herself in the process.

If any buildings had remained as a result of their battle, now would be the time they would have collapsed. Slashes of violet light exploded from her fingertips every time she attacked, cleaving through the remaining debris and reducing the already broken chunks to dust.

Hibiki ducked under a particularly ferocious thrust, and flipped, the tip of her boot smashing into the extended arm. The blackened limb broke on contact from the force, and she landed back on her feet, the tip of that same boot now smoking and missing. She watched as the dark arm bent awkwardly in directions it should not have been able to go, fixing itself back into place before the berserk Miku attacked again, snarling loudly.

"**GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"**

Hibiki didn't know why, but this particular roar caused her to freeze completely, her muscles locking involuntarily, leaving her helpless as Miku charged at her with her claws outstretched.

She wasn't sure what caused her to stop dodging now, but the sight of Miku in that state... stirred something within her. Something she thought was gone. Something that underneath the layers upon layers of curses, still had enough of a pull on her that it managed for just a singular moment to make her hesitate.

The strike smashed into her with the force of an explosion, the armor the claws touched smoking just from the tiny bit of contact. She was launched backwards, streaking through the air for hundreds of meters, only to finally crash against the remains of a collapsed building.

She groaned, picking herself up from the ground, pushing the debris off of herself. Rising to her feet, she stared at the black beast Miku had become, a slight look of concern on her face.

And Miku screamed yet _again, _this time for the entire world to hear.

"**GGGGGGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRR BAAAAAAAACCCCKKKKKKKKKK!"**

She charged once more, closing the distance in blinding speed.

And just as the Shenshoujing Adaptor was upon her...

Lightning struck the spot between the two combatants, coming from the sole remaining cloud of the storm that had arrived from the southeast.

Immediately, the figure from within the lightning struck, spinning on her heel to deliver a powerful roundhouse kick at the raging berserker. The Cursed Eden Ame-no-Habakiri hit its target in the stomach, catching the beast off guard, sending it flying back to its original starting point.

"_**Kohinata, that's enough!" **_Tsubasa declared, shouting in that still thunderous voice. It had lost its great, almost divine-like edge, but still held strong, the last bits of the storm still granting it the necessary power. The blue Symphogear user glanced back to the corrupted wielder, her eyes narrowed, yet said nothing more. Her eyes darted back to her original target, prepared to take over the battle.

Hibiki could only stare with wide eyes at the sudden intervention, caught completely out of left field, not understanding why any of them would help her.

Her answer came from her left, in the form of Saint-Germain.

"Whatever it is you're thinking is probably mistaken, as usual," the alchemist said. "We are not helping you. We are merely cleaning up the mess you have made."

Hibiki looked at her incredulously, "**The mess I made? This is your fault!"**

The silver-haired woman raised an eyebrow, curious at the changed voice of the girl in front of her, but put it aside to think about later. "As usual, deluding yourself. Open your eyes and see what it is you have wrought. Your insistence in claiming your so-called 'vengeance' caused this, nothing else."

She wasn't sure if guilt tripping Hibiki would cause her to back off, but she had to try regardless. "Ever since you have decided to take upon this new goal of yours, she has lived with nothing but her worry, and her anger rose, as a result, every time you refused her offers. It was only a matter of time until she decided to intervene herself, and still, your clouded mind could not understand."

The alchemist narrowed her eyes. "This is _your _fault, Tachibana Hibiki. The one who caused Kohinata Miku to deteriorate was no one other than yourself."

She turned her back to Hibiki, facing towards where the others were heading. She could see small dots of light join the battlefield, each one signifying the approach of the other wielders, circling the berserk Miku.

"Now, think about whether or not this is something you truly desired. If your 'new world' demanded this result, then you have achieved your objective already. You may consider this day your victory, while we lick our wounds and attempt to retrieve _your_ significant other from the depths of madness. Madness that _you _invoked."

Saint-Germain took steps forward. "Think about that, Tachibana Hibiki."

And in a move mirroring Genjuro, put a stop to any argument Hibiki could possibly raise. The rogue wielder grit her teeth, her shining eyes staring at the alchemist's retreating back.

But she couldn't leave her with the last words. "**This isn't over, Saint-Germain! Next time—"**

Her words faltered, the rest refusing to leave her throat.

Saint-Germain did not heed her half-baked warning. Walking away, she acknowledged a final click of the tongue before she heard a whooshing sound, something shatter, and finally fall silent. Stopping in her tracks, she glanced back and saw that Hibiki had disappeared, probably returning to the Treasury of Babylon to think up her next step.

Well, they could worry about that later. They still had someone else they needed to save first.

With Hibiki gone from the picture, it was time to focus on the problem at hand: the completely berserk Kohinata Miku. She was hunched forward, steam escaping her mouth as she stared ahead at Tsubasa. Around her, the other Adaptors landed on the ground, still clad in their Symphogears.

"Miku-san!" Kirika shouted. "You have to come back! Please!"

Slowly, the beast turned to her, her head twisting eerily in ways that shouldn't be possible for a human being.

Her eyes locked on the pendant above Kirika's chest.

And she let out an ear-piercing shriek.

"**GGGGGGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRR BAAAAAAAACCCCKKKKKKKKKK!"**

She charged, closing the distance in a single leap. Unable to differentiate between friend or foe, in her eyes, every single relic was the Gungnir.

The very same Gungnir that was laced with All the Evils of this World, and her one and true nemesis.

She was upon Kirika in an instant, and the Ig-Alima user yelped in surprise at the sudden attack, raising her scythe to block the blow.

"NO! KIRI-CHAN!"

Only to be reminded of a very important fact she had seemingly forgotten. Remembering what it was in the last possible second, she was forced to drop her weapon and jump back. Miku's claws sliced through the still falling weapon like it was made of butter, the relic-erasing properties of the Shenshoujing coursing through every single inch of her body.

"Is this going to be a repeat of what happened in Lydian?" Maria asked in extreme concern, seat dropping down her brows.

"Like hell it will!" Chris screamed and charged into the fray.

But Genjuro's voice screamed into the comm, trying to stop her. "_Chris-kun! Stick to the plan!"_

"I know! That's what I'm doing!"

It was a very hastily made one, but a plan it was. As soon as he said the command, Tsubasa had disappeared from Maria's side and reappeared in headquarters, running towards Elfnein's lab as fast as the wind, arriving there even before the owner of said lab herself. Not giving in to the awe of looking at Tsubasa's form, the homunculus had given the Ame-no-Habakiri user every single syringe filled with Anti-LiNKER she had, totalling at fifteen.

Whether or not they'll need all of it was anyone's guess at this point, but she couldn't be sure if one would do the job or if it broke for some reason or another. Immediately after that, Tsubasa teleported back to meet them all at a designated point, with each of them holding at least two syringes, with Tsubasa keeping the rest.

And together, they all made their way to the combat zone from different directions, hoping to box the berserk Adaptor in.

Thankfully they did, and with Hibiki having retreated, they could focus on the girl in front of them and do their utmost to subdue her.

However, that was easier said than done. With her natural abilities being able to slice through both their weapons and their armor with but a single finger, it made a head-on assault very difficult to pull off.

But that's all they had for now to try. Since they outnumbered her, they could gang up on her and inject her with the Anti-LiNKER while her back was turned, all the while switching her focus between each of them.

Although that depended on not a single one of them forgetting what they could do... and what _she _could do.

"Oi dumbass, I'm right here!" Chris screamed. Somehow, it worked, and Miku quickly turned around to her new target, ready to pounce on her.

Exposing her back to the wielder she had just attacked. "Now, Kiri-chan!"

"Right!"

And the green Symphogear wielder rushed forward before Miku could begin her assault. With her instincts pretty much sealed, the berserk wielder had no idea what was coming up behind her until it was too late.

Kirika withdrew a syringe and touched the black beast's back with it, immediately pressing the trigger. The liquid rushed into her body, and Miku _screeched, _the air shaking from the sound of her voice.

But then she swiped her arm behind her, and Kirika was forced to jump back again. They waited a moment to see if something would happen, but not change had undergone the berserk Adaptor, who swiped wildly around her.

"So one wasn't enough, huh?" Maria commented. "Let's keep going until we succeed!"

And she rushed in as well, following on Chris' lead.

But rather than focus on the two of them, Miku turned her eyes on Shirabe, who had been standing further away.

"**GGGGGGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRR BAAAAAAAACCCCKKKKKKKKKK!"**

With her mantra as her battle cry, the berserk wielder charged towards the Shul-Shagana Adaptor. Caught by surprise by the sudden change of targets, She quickly backpedaled before she could she strike her.

"Shirabe, watch out!"

The girl narrowed her eyes. "Don't worry, I can make it—"

And then something shattered.

Then, all at once, four Symphogears and one Faust Robe exploded out of existence, the Ignite Timer running out just at the moment. The armor flaked away in motes of light off of their bodies and put them back in their civilian clothing. Kirika, Maria, Chris, and Saint-Germain were now left without their power on hand in the middle of a fight.

And unfortunately, so was Shirabe, who had lost her means of escape just when she needed it.

It didn't even matter that the pendants she hated so much disappeared. With her mind completely gone, Miku could no longer truly tell the difference.

She closed the distance to the now defenseless Shul-Shagana wielder in an instant, and at that moment, the twin-tailed girl saw death closing in on her in a flash.

"SHIRABEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Time slowed. The beats ticked by, every second feeling like a whole century. The entire world seemed to freeze right at that moment, just before the berserk wielder could tear the girl apart.

But then...

Something appeared in the space between them.

"There has been a change of plans."

The only thing Shirabe could see before time ran normally once again was long silver hair fluttering in the wind.

And then blood. Crimson life fluid was spilled in vast amount, pouring onto the ruined street.

"It seems you have forgotten what I told you, Kohinata Miku," the alchemist said with a slightly pained voice. Now in range of the Shenshoujing user, she quickly chanted a strengthening spell on her arm.

The blackened girl could not respond in time. The alchemist's arm seemed to suddenly teleport and close her neck as Saint-Germain took the opportunity to lock her in place by arresting her movements. Miku thrashed in her hold, yet somehow the alchemist was able to stand still, her hold on the girl stronger than should ever be possible.

Shocked at recent developments, the other wielders stood frozen on the spot at what they had just witnessed.

Saint-Germain was forced to remind them where they were. "What are you waiting for?! Now is our chance!"

Shaken out of their stupor by her words, the Symphogear wielders each withdrew a syringe, and just before Miku could release herself from the alchemist's hold they injected the Anti-LiNKER into her veins, six of the fifteen used up.

Finally, that turned out to be enough. With the compatibility artificially dropped to previously impossible lows, Miku shrieked one last time.

And the darkness was dispelled. Flaking off of her like snakeskin, the black wrapping fell off and disappeared, leaving the original Miku in her civilian clothes limp in Saint-Germain's arm, now out cold.

Silence fell on the battlefield as the chaos ended. The wielders took steps back, and both Kirika and Chris fell on their backs from exhaustion, completely spent from the very long night.

Just at that moment, as if to signify the end of the battle, two things occurred at once: the storm overhead finally passed, and the final Ignite Timer amongst the group ran out. Tsubasa stumbled forward, nearly falling on her face, only for Maria to catch her just in time.

"Tsubasa, you alright?" She asked her idol partner.

The Ame-no-Habakiri Adaptor looked up to her face weakly, her eyes no longer shining. "Yes... Thank you, Maria. Susano'o-sama... took a lot out of me."

The Airgetlam user smiled, glad that her idol partner was in good condition, albeit very tired.

But her condition paled in comparison to the alchemist's.

Saint-Germain lowered Miku to the ground gently. Rising back up to her feet, she heard Shirabe run up to her from behind. "St. Germain-san! Your arm—"

"It's nothing," she responded. "Are you well?"

"Never mind me, you're injured! We have to close the wound before—"

"Save it," the alchemist interrupted her. "There's nothing to be done about it now. I can seal it on my own, however, her blow shredded whatever remained. It's unsalvageable now."

Everyone could notice she downplayed her own injury. It would have been one thing had her arm simply been cut into, or was bleeding profusely.

No, it was far worse than that. The alchemist's left arm was simply _gone_; having put herself between the defenseless Shul-Shagana user and the berserk wielder, Saint-Germain deliberately took a calculated risk. She chose to lose her limb rather than allow anyone to die this night. Miku's attack had completely destroyed everything, leaving nothing but bloody chunks on the floor that would not be able to be reformed into a new limb no matter what they try.

In the end, she had to blame their own carelessness for this result. They, along with herself, have completely forgotten about the time remaining on the Ignite Module. Instead, they had focused on eliminating the Noise. With their objective complete, they should have remembered, but in the heat of the moment and chaos of the battle, even those in headquarters completely forgot about it.

And that threw their even hastily made plans into the gutter.

So she was forced to think on the fly, and this was the result.

"St. Germain-san..."

Nothing could be truly said.

All that remained now was the group of seven: five Symphogear wielders, all in different stages of fatigue, one alchemist missing an arm, and a blacked-out schoolgirl who had just been channeling something not one of them had seen before in their lives.

But the alchemist knew about it.

However, that did not matter in the least.

The morning sun rose on the horizon, signaling the start of a new day. Yet no celebrations could be had.

For this day... was a day of defeat.

Helicopters sounded in the background, coming in to retrieve the injured fighters.

And all that was left in the ruins of Western Tokyo...

Were the smoldering remains of their hopes.


	21. Chapter 21: Aftershocks

For the first time in a very long while, the bridge of headquarters was nearly empty. Only the soft humming of the consoles and electronics dispelled the total silence of the place, truly a major contrast to what had been happening there just barely two hours prior.

But it was not completely empty. One person had remained, sitting at his station and typing away, trying to distract himself from his thoughts. Every other crew members on the bridge had already been sent to sleep by Genjuro. It was a welcome suggestion, considering not a single one of them got a good night's rest for the last week and a half. While he had initially thought about joining the crowd heading to the now almost full quarters in the submarine, Fujitaka Sakuya decided to stay behind to keep working.

It was definitely not because he couldn't fall asleep, and it was definitely not because he was as angry and sad as everyone else was. All he wanted to do was fill in his work, just like he always did. It was his job to update the records and archives whenever there was downtime, and now that things have finally fallen... relatively silent, he could focus on the task at hand.

But that had its own share of difficulty, especially as he sat, staring at the open records of two particular people: Tachibana Hibiki and Kohinata Miku.

He felt it was almost impossible to move his fingers, looking at those two names. The events of the night still rang fresh in his mind, and by the gods was it a hell of one. It wasn't like he was particularly close to either of those two or the other Adaptors for that matter; he had a very nice and amicable working relationship with them. However, he usually left interacting with them to Genjuro. After all, Fujitaka's job was essentially deskwork, and he was okay with that.

However, even if he wasn't that close to them, he still knew them in some way, including Miku. He knew what sort of relationships they had between them and what their histories were, as it was his job to fill that in.

That's why it was now difficult to fill those empty spots in. How was he supposed to continue, knowing the close bond the two shared? How was he supposed to fill in both of their profiles with records of the battle, and type down the fact they had been forced to fight, _again?_

No, this wasn't like last time, he told himself. This was way worse, as this time Hibiki was taken over by a malevolent force that threatened to kill them all and destroy the world. It had forced Miku, who the last time she donned a Symphogear was essentially brainwashed into it, into using one again.

Last time, that particular set of circumstances had managed to save Hibiki from the spread of the Gungnir fragments. But now? Despite all of her effort, sorrow, and absolutely ear-piercing screaming...

She failed. Using all the power she had at her disposal, and even after losing her mind and going berserk, Miku's unique Symphogear and her bond with Hibiki failed to bring back the rogue Adaptor.

Hibiki had simply disappeared, vanishing to god knows where, and they were left to pick up the pieces of the disastrous battle that tore the city apart and left their entire fighting force in pieces.

Nobody was left unscathed, either physically or mentally.

Because they lost, _again,_ for the third time in a row. Never before had they had such a terrible streak of nothing but failures. While they managed to save the civilians from the onslaught of the returned Noise, it did not even come close to considering the new problem that now these civilians... had nowhere to live.

Half of Tokyo was pretty much gone, leaving the entire population of the western half homeless. That was at least four million people, if not more, considering the damage that the eastern half incurred as well. The city was now pretty much uninhabitable, and he knew that in the end... they were the ones to blame.

The man sighed. Everything was just... one giant mess. Maybe he should really just go to bed and sleep on everything, and maybe later he'll have the courage to actually type this thing down. It was 7 AM, and he like everyone else did not get a single bit of shut-eye.

He leaned back in his seat and stared at the ceiling.

It was then all thoughts of going to sleep were shut down as the door to the bridge opened, Tomosato walking in with two cups of coffee in hand. She walked over to him first, putting a mug down next to his console. "Here."

His eyes wandered to her, and he straightened in the chair. "Thanks," he said with a smile. "I thought you went to sleep?"

"Thought I'd get some work done now that things are... calmer," she said with slight hesitation. "I guess that's your excuse too?"

"Yeah," he responded, his eyes drifting back to his console, and by extension to the two blank profiles he couldn't bring himself to fill. "Although I hit a bit... of a writer's block, if that's a good way to put it."

Tomosato sat down in her own chair, holding the mug with two hands. "Oh? That's rare. You usually churn out the words like a madman."

"Why thank you," he responded with a smirk, which quickly disappeared as his thoughts drifted back to their conversation. "It's just... filling these two's records is..."

She finished the thought for him, "Almost impossible, right?"

He looked to her again with a relieved expression, and she continued. "I've been hitting a block with the official reports too. It's strange, I've never had so much trouble with these before, considering what happened last time. But now..."

"Now it feels almost wrong to even put it into physical words and somewhere others could see it?" He asked, and she smiled as she realized her too understood her troubles. "Yeah, that was exactly what I was thinking as well."

"You know me too well," she said.

"Heh," he chuckled. "Likewise."

They took a sip of their coffee simultaneously, and Fujitaka turned back to the console, still unable to start typing. Tomosato turned to her own, and the document in front of her eyes also remained partially blank. The only parts filled in it so far were the damage reports and overall state of both the city and the crew of S.O.N.G.

Neither was good, for the figures were nothing short of depressing.

They were silent for a while, and for once the sound of tapping away at keyboards did not rise above that silence.

It was only when Fujitaka spoke again that it finally broke. "You know," he began. "Ever since a year ago, I kept on saying how I thought our enemies were really that bad."

She looked to him with her eyes narrowed, not quite sure what he was getting at. "I always said stuff like, 'Fine has gone too far' or 'FIS have gone too far' or 'Carol has gone too far' or 'The Pavarian Illuminati have gone too far'," he continued, still staring at the screen. She watched as his face fell, sadness filling his words. "But this time, I can't bring myself to say 'Hibiki-san has gone too far'."

Tomosato stared at him with sympathy in her eyes, not saying anything. "I know it's not her fault that things turned out this way. I know that she's just a victim of what happened and there is no way she would act like this normally... so instead, I looked at how we responded, and how we reacted, and how we brought this whole deal to where we are now... and I can't help but start thinking that maybe this time... we are the ones who went too far."

He looked down at the mug in his hands, watching the dark liquid inside swish and turn. "From making that... thing we call the Cursed Eden Module, to forcing Miku-san to fight again, to disregarding collateral and letting the city be completely destroyed..."

"You know that wasn't the plan, right? No one thought it would get this bad," Tomosato added in before he could continue.

"I know," he answered. "I know that we couldn't have seen any of this coming, and our response was pretty much us reacting to what was happening in front of us. There was no way we could have planned for things to go this way, I know that. But still, in our attempts to get her back... we may have forgotten how to be humans, too."

His grim words caused Tomosato's face to fall as well, and she too found herself staring at her own cup of coffee, watching the steam rise slowly from it.

But rather than keep on dwelling on it, she raised her face to look at him. "That's a sad way of looking at things," she said, taking a sip of her drink. "Well, you've always been a broody baby."

He narrowed his eyes at her with a glare. "I don't want to hear that from you," he responded, taking a sip of his drink as well. "But still, even with all the help we got, we still haven't managed to make any real progress towards getting her back. Heck, even with Saint-Germain helping us we still haven't even gotten close. And now..."

As he drifted off, he failed to notice the sudden smirk that filled Aoi's face. Confused by her lack of response, he turned his head to her and found himself puzzled at the expression she was making. "What?"

"Nothing. Just found it funny you decided to mention her _specifically,_" she added with the grin still plastered on her face. "I mean, after all, we got the big bad Adam Weishaupt helping us too. Or did you not talk about him because he's not a pretty woman like her?"

The man's face lit up with a blush, and he sputtered incoherently at her accusation. "Wh-wh-wha—! That's—I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Oh come on, everyone and their mother could see it. You know, all these sideways glances you've been throwing her way..."

"That was just—!" He exclaimed, then settled down, narrowing his eyes at her. "You're teasing me."

"Of course I am. You make it so easy all the time."

He pouted, taking another sip of his coffee, his face still red. Tomosato giggled at his expense, taking joy in seeing him squirm once in a while.

"What about you?" Fujitaka asked her in return. "Between the two of us, you're the one who gets along with her."

"Maybe because I don't stutter every time she talks to me," Tomosato said with a grin, making her coworker pout again. Her face fell as she took another sip of her coffee. "Seriously, getting her arm cut off. Even if she can regrow it, that doesn't mean she should be so reckless. Although... I'm thankful she did it to save Shirabe-chan. Even if we used to be enemies before, she's putting her all into making amends where she can. I can respect that desire of hers."

"Looks like Hibiki-san really can hold her hand out to anyone," the man added.

"Yeah... So I guess we also need to do the same. Saint-Germain isn't like Fine or Dr. Ver, and is very different from Carol. The fact that we can get along like this despite everything... it gives me hope, in a way. I'm not sure how to explain it," Tomosato mused as she swirled her coffee. "That even in dark times, as long as we don't lose sight of ourselves, there'll always be a ray of light."

She smiled a radiant smile, which lifted Fujitaka's spirits. Her attempts at dispersing the oppressive and depressing atmosphere worked. His face became much calmer and more composed, no longer thinking about how 'evil' he believes they have become.

She knew they aren't. Everything they've been doing might have been excessive, but in the end, there was only one goal in mind.

And that single goal outweighed everything else.

It was then Fujitaka spoke up again, looking back at Genjuro's empty chair behind them. "How do you think the commander is doing?"

It was Tomosato's turn to sigh, and she took another sip. "Not good, I imagine," she answered. "He hasn't slept for even a minute over the past week. I know he's tough but... even for him, that's not healthy. And I don't even want to imagine what he's going through now, considering he's going to have a lot of people angry at him."

"What do you mean?"

She sloshed her coffee again and took a bigger sip this time. "He's going to have to answer to a lot of people, some more important than others. From an objective point of view, heck even from a subjective one, we failed, and you know how well failure goes with all those annoying pencil-pushers. And you also know how, just like always, he's going to take everything on himself so we don't have to worry about it," she said, also looking back to the commander's chair. "He's too considerate for his own good."

"Yeah, I agree," Fujitaka said. "What do you think is going on in the medical room right now?"

Aoi sighed again, rubbing her head with one of her hands. "Honestly, I don't want to know. I passed by there earlier, and the girls... didn't look all that well. I'm no doctor, but physically they seemed fine. But... I can't imagine what's going through their minds right now. I wish there was something I could do to help them, and the commander."

"Yeah..." Fujitaka agreed in a low voice. "Me too..."

-!-

"I don't know what to tell you, commander," the doctor said plainly, looking down at Miku's unconscious form. "There is truly nothing wrong with her that I can diagnose."

"What do you mean?" Genjuro asked.

The bespectacled doctor continued, adjusting his glasses slightly. "Physically she is fine. The only thing I found was some tension in the muscles. However, that's just a symptom of her pushing them too hard, and it's the same as you would find in any physical exercise," he explained. "But other than that, nothing. Everything from here is psychological, and that is not where my expertise lies, as you know."

Genjuro grumbled as he crossed his arms. "So it's just a matter of waiting until she wakes up," he said, earning a small nod from the doctor. "That's... not good."

Not good was an understatement. Still shaken by the events of the night, Genjuro ran to the medical room as soon as the helicopters landed on top of headquarters, waiting for Miku to be rushed in. He didn't know how badly she was affected by everything that happened, and considering she also went berserk later on, she must be extremely taxed mentally.

But that is something he had no way of knowing until she wakes up.

If she wakes up at all.

"It is indeed an undesirable outcome," Saint-Germain said from the bed across from them, and the two men turned to look at her. "It is imperative she wakes up as soon as possible. We cannot allow ourselves to dally on such things."

The doctor once again adjusted his glasses and narrowed his eyes at the alchemist. "Miss, you are in no position to speak like that," he said frankly. "This is the third time you've come here so far, but unfortunately, now I don't think I have any way to help you out," he continued, staring at where the woman's left arm should have been.

She too was a weird anomaly in his eyes. He figured that due to her being an alchemist, as well as hundreds of years old, that it wasn't anything to write home about. What threw him off was her calmness and almost unblemished figure beside that; she looked exactly the same as the last time he'd seen her, but this time without one arm.

And that he had to comment on. "If I may ask, why do you not recreate your arm? I assume you alchemists had the methods to do so."

"I could," she answered. "But unfortunately, it will take too much time to complete. Regrowing body parts is a process that can take months, and that is time that we will not have, not to mention the cost."

Genjuro's brows furrowed at her strange comment. "What do you mean by that?"

"I shall explain that later, in a more orderly fashion," she said. "In the meantime, we must focus on Kohinata Miku, and what we shall do from this point on. Time is ticking, Kazanari Genjuro, and we must use every second to prepare."

She rose from the bed and turned to the door. "There is no time to waste. Let us make haste and prepare for a debriefing."

Genjuro's face hardened as he stared at the alchemist's retreating back. Right now, only the three of them including Miku were inside of the medical room, with the other Adaptors waiting outside for an update.

And he knew the moment he walked out, he was going to get an earful. He saw their expressions the moment he entered the medical room, and he knew they had a lot to say and a lot of questions to ask him.

He couldn't blame them. This entire incident came as a surprise to absolutely everyone, and they were all equally shocked, having been forced to see what they saw just two hours ago. That combined with their third loss in a row only served to lower their spirits more. He would not be surprised if at least one of them began to question whether or not they have any chance of success at all.

If that was the case, then he had to make sure they all remained motivated. If even a single one of the Adaptors refused to fight for any reason, then they might as well raise the white flag and wait for the end. Everyone had to be on board at all times, no matter what.

The door slid open, and Saint-Germain walked out, her back concealing the forms of the girls outside. He looked as it closed behind her, keeping his metaphorical eye open on those waiting. "Update me if there are any changes, doctor," he said.

"Of course."

The commander sighed, glancing back one last time to the unconscious school girl. Mentally preparing himself, he headed for the door, and it slid open, revealing the Symphogear Adaptors standing in a line outside by the opposite wall. Their heads were slightly tilted down, while Saint-Germain waited expressionlessly by the door, leaning back on the steel wall, watching him exit.

"Are we done?" She asked him.

"Yes. Let's get going."

Stepping off the wall, she turned in the direction of the hallway. She took a single step forward before noticing no one else was moving, Genjuro still standing in front of the closed medical bay door. The girls had raised their heads to look at him, and their expressions were a wild mix of emotions that were plainly visible on their faces.

They stood in silence, not one of them saying a thing. The alchemist watched them with a raised eyebrow, slightly confused by their behavior.

And then Maria gathered the courage to speak. "Commander..."

But of course, the moment one begins to speak up, so others follow. Her anger having reached its peak, Chris walked up to the tall man, staring up at him.

And then forcefully grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him down to her height.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" She screamed in his face, causing the other girls to wince. Genjuro's face, however, remained calm, letting her continue. "WHAT THE FUCK MADE YOU BELIEVE ANY OF THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?!"

Her voice echoed in the steel halls, and no one else dared to speak out at her outburst. Even Maria, who up until now had worked tirelessly to reel her in, stayed silent. "YOU PULL THIS SHIT OFF BEHIND OUR BACKS, AND THINK WE'LL BE FINE WITH IT?! WHEN DID YOU BECOME SUCH AN ASSHOLE?!"

He had no intention of answering back to her. He expected this kind of response, as she said she would let him have it.

There was no point in responding to her. When it came to Chris, the best way was to let her anger run its course.

"WHY THE FUCK DID YOU GET HER INVOLVED, _AGAIN_?! ARE YOU TRYING TO GET THE IDIOT TO KILL US?! YOU KNOW HOW FAR SHE TAKES THINGS, SO YOU THINK THE BEST ANSWER IS TO FUCKING PUMP IT UP ALL THE WAY TO ELEVEN?! DID YOU EVEN THINK THIS SHIT THROUGH AT ALL?!"

It was as though the submarine itself rumbled slightly from the sound of her voice. As he looked into her eyes, he could see a small sparkle shining through just under the surface, drawing him in. "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU MAKING US GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS CRAP AGAIN?! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DIFFERENT FROM ALL OF THOSE ASSHOLES WE HAD TO DEAL WITH, NOT END UP ONE YOURSELF!"

She was already wheezing, her voice breaking. But she couldn't stop. She wouldn't stop until she let out absolutely everything.

"WHEN THE FUCK DID YOU BECOME SO HEARTLESS?!"

His eyes slightly widened. Until now, he took her screaming lightly, brushing it off as her justified anger.

But those words stung in a way he hadn't expected.

"I KNOW YOU WANT TO GET HIBIKI BACK, BUT THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT! YOU CAN'T JUST THROW MIKU OUT THERE AND EXPECT EVERYTHING TO GO RIGHT! YOU FUCKING KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME!"

Yeah, he definitely knew. Last time Ver manipulated the girl, using her as the key to unearthing Frontier. He held her hostage in her own mind and body, pitting her against everyone else. It had forced Hibiki, who was not supposed to be fighting at the time, to deploy in order to get her back.

Hibiki nearly died in the process.

And it was only through a miracle that she made it out alive.

"AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE ANYTHING TO FUCKING SHOW FOR IT! ALL THIS SHIT YOU PLANNED AND NONE OF IT FUCKING WORKED! WE'VE BEEN SPILLING BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS OVER THIS AND WE GOT FUCKING NOTHING!"

The other girls turned their heads away, unwilling to look at Chris head-on.

And it seemed she was the only one who did not notice the tears falling from her eyes, her emotions getting the better of her.

"YOU COULD HAVE FUCKING TOLD US! YOU COULD HAVE LET US KNOW WHAT IT WAS YOU WANTED TO DO! WE COULD HAVE ALL WORKED TOGETHER TO FIGURE SHIT OUT, BUT INSTEAD, YOU DECIDE TO STAY FUCKING SILENT LIKE A GODDAMN ASSHOLE AND KEEP IT ALL TO YOURSELF!"

She shook him again and again, and his shirt strained under her rough handling.

"DID YOU THINK ANYONE WOULD BE HAPPY WITH YOU ACTING LIKE A FUCKING KNOW IT ALL MASTERMIND?! THE LAST PERSON WE TRUSTED AND ENDED UP STABBING US IN THE BACK WAS NO ONE OTHER THAN _FINE_! ARE YOU SO FUCKING DESPERATE TO BE LIKE HER AND THAT BASTARD DOCTOR TOO?!"

There was nothing he could say to her. There was absolutely no response in this world that would be able to justify his actions now.

He stayed silent.

And that did not go unnoticed. "ARE YOU GOING TO FUCKING SAY SOMETHING?! HUH?!"

She pulled him lower, putting them right face to face. Her eyes were so sparkling with tears that he could see his reflection in them.

And for the first time since the incident began, he finally saw what he looked like.

His mouth moved involuntarily, something she definitely noticed. Realizing she was not going to let him go, he steeled himself and gave her the only answer he could possibly give.

"I'm sorry, Chris-kun."

However, that served to rile her up even more. "I DON'T WANT YOUR FUCKING APOLOGIES! I WANT A GODDAMN EXPLANATION!"

"There is none," he said. "There is no excuse I can give you to justify this. You have the absolute right to be angry at me for this."

She gritted her teeth hard, trying to formulate some sort of response to his words. Her glare drilled into him, and they were once again left in silence. Realizing she had nothing to give, she clicked her tongue and pushed him away, releasing her hold on his shirt.

"You bastard."

Her face still red with rage and tears still streaking down her face, Chris turned in the opposite direction and began to walk away, too angry to deal with anything at the moment. Kirika futilely tried to stop her by speaking up. "Chris-senpa—"

But Shirabe put her hand on her shoulder, and the blonde Symphogear user turned to look her in the eyes. Her partner simply shook her head, and the two together glanced back to Chris, who disappeared around the corner, thundering to some unknown location.

Silence once again fell on the group, their spirits already lower than before. Tsubasa looked to Genjuro, and she could see his golden eyes shake.

It was the first time she saw it since Sakurai Ryoko passed from the Earth.

After about a minute of staring at the spot Chris disappeared to, Genjuro turned to the hallway in Saint-Germain's direction. "Let us go, there is much we need to talk about."

"But commander, what about Chris—"

"We can fill her in later. I doubt she'd be willing to listen to anything I have to say right now anyway," he said, his back to them. "We don't have any time to waste. We have to decide on what we're going to do from this point on."

And he too walked away, heading in the opposite direction of Chris. He passed by Saint-Germain, saying nothing more as he led the way. She fell into step behind him, glancing back to the Adaptors who were still frozen on the spot, unable to make their voices heard.

He decided to keep walking anyway, knowing they'll follow eventually. Moments later, he disappeared around the corner as well, with the one-armed alchemist right behind him.

With the tension in the air finally dispelled, Maria sighed and leaned back against the wall, staring at the ceiling above them. "So what do we do now? We all have something we want to say to him."

"Yes," Tsubasa agreed. "But I believed that to be meaningless now. Yukine has vocalized what we were all thinking, so anything else we might want to add would not improve our situation, as frustrating as it is."

She turned in the direction Genjuro went. "All that is left to do now is to prepare for anything. It is the only choice we have right now."

And she too began to walk away, leaving the three former FIS Adaptors by the medical room. They looked between each other with saddened expressions and together went to follow her, right on her heels.

-!-

"So I see we are all here except one," Saint-Germain said, looking over the gathered group. Right now, sitting by a rectangular desk in the middle of the briefing room were Tsubasa, Maria, Shirabe, and Kirika, all looking up at the alchemist, standing by a whiteboard with a marker in her remaining hand. Genjuro stood by her, looking towards her silently. "Good, then we can begin."

Only once in a blue moon did they ever use this quiet and rundown briefing room. They usually went over everything quickly on the bridge by making use of the advanced electronics, none of which were present in this one room. To that end, there was truly no reason for them to use it now.

Except for the fact that it was so far off from everything else that nothing and no one here could bother them. Here they could talk about anything they wanted without anyone barging in. While secrecy at this point would be counterproductive, they needed to reach a decision without anyone on the outside jumping to conclusions.

"If you have any questions, ask," Saint-Germain said, looking towards them.

None of them said anything, signalling to her that she should continue.

"Very well, then I'll get right to the point. The next battle... is going to be the last."

_(Play: Whirlpool of Fate - Fate/Stay Night OST)_

All pairs of eyes widened at her announcement, looking to her with plenty amounts of confusion, a reaction she had expected.

Before anyone could speak up to ask her what she meant, she continued. "Let me explain," she said, turning to the whiteboard. "Up until now, I have made predictions as to the time it would take for the corruption to reach its full potential."

Popping the cap of the marker with her teeth, she spit it to the side and began drawing on the board. "No, I guess calling them predictions is an overstatement. We simply did not have enough confrontations with her for us to notice a pattern, rendering any attempts at truly calculating the time worthless."

Once she was done, there was now a simple graph, with the x-axis labeled with 'time in months', and the y-axis labeled with 'progress'. She drew three dots in locations far away from each other and connected a line through each of them.

"In summation, this is the best result I could come up with. However, should I average out the time and the progress, and draw a straight line in that direction..." She continued, doing exactly that. The new black line continued off the graph itself, yet presented a fairly simple representation of what her point was. "Then one could assume that the time it would have taken for the curses to fully corrupt the divine power would lie at around six months."

Maria adjusted in her seat. "Six months?! That long?!"

"Yes," the alchemist answered. "Assuming the rate remains unchanged, then that would be our period of time to prepare for the worst-case scenario, and by extension the very final battle. However, as I said, it is nothing but a very rough estimate. It does not include any possible variables that could appear along the way, and of course, our own intervention."

She looked at the messy graph with eyes narrowed. "However, the events that have transpired threw even these rough estimates out of the window."

With that said, she drew a gigantic X over the graph, and placed the marker down, looking towards them. "In short, we have underestimated the effect that Kohinata Miku's presence on the battlefield would have on Tachibana Hibiki's psyche. As you are all aware, the more the curses spread the more emotionally vulnerable she becomes, thus leading to a cycle that causes her emotions to flare violently at the slightest provocation. While that is nothing new to us, what we could not have foreseen was just how violent her response to Kohinata Miku's appearance would be."

Pulling up her sleeve, she wiped away the graph on the board, leaving only faded black smudges. "What we have witnessed was unlike anything that came beforehand. What we have done was essentially accelerate the rate of corruption to such a level that it became almost total over the span of a single minute, leaving barely any of the divine power in its original form. In short, the situation has not only deteriorated, but we have also contributed by allowing the curses to not only affect her mind, but her very being as well."

Several eyes were narrowed this time, and Kirika looked around with total confusion, unable to completely follow her explanation. Shirabe once again jabbed at her side, bringing her attention back to the alchemist.

"What do you mean by that?" Tsubasa asked.

The alchemist began her answer with another drawing, this time a plain stick figure in the middle of the board.

No one dared comment on the fact it looked severely deformed, something that puzzled each and every one of the Adaptors present along with Genjuro. How can someone be so bad at drawing that a stick figure is difficult to get right?

Shirabe briefly sent a glance Tsubasa's way and turned her head back to the board. Saint-Germain made no move to fix the drawing and continued. "Up until now, Tachibana Hibiki's ego has served as a barrier between her deeper self and the reach of the curses. While her mind and body were severely influenced, she still retained some sort of logic to her actions by only chasing after what she considered to have had personally affected her. In summation, you could say that she was the one in control, with the curses only serving to bring those resentments to the forefront."

Her explanation was presented with additions to the drawing that were so horrendous, no one could understand them. Rather than try to figure it out from her avant-garde art, they focused on her words instead. Oblivious to their frustrations, she continued.

"However that changed due to the events that have occurred. While it was there, her ego was still very fragile due to the burden the curses placed upon it, akin to a pane of glass attempting to hold up a weight that far surpasses its capabilities. Had we done nothing, it might have been able to hold on, but Kohinata Miku's appearance and actions have broken that defense, allowing the curses through. Essentially what this means is that Tachibana Hibiki is no longer in full control, but is rather now, for all intents and purposes, a hostage inside of her own body."

The girls gasped.

"A hostage...within her own body?" Tsubasa repeated in shock.

"Yes, although that is not entirely correct as well. But that matters little, for that does not change our objective in the slightest. It does not matter who is in control of the body, for purging the curses is our final goal. What it does mean however that she will become far more unpredictable than before, further tossing any attempts at strategizing out of the window."

She tapped the board with the marker several times to accentuate the importance of her point.

"In short, what I mean is that planning ahead will yield us nothing, so the only thing we have left is to strengthen ourselves and our forces and meet the enemy head-on without restraint. As it will be the final battle, we cannot allow ourselves to hold anything back."

"But do we even have a way to remove those curses?" Maria asked.

The alchemist narrowed her eyes, glaring at her for her question. "Do not feign ignorance. You are more than aware of the fact that we do."

The idol groaned at the blunt criticism. Saint-Germain looked between all of them, making sure they were all listening attentively. "Listen well: it matters little whether or not you approve, but from this point forward Kohinata Miku will be the key to achieving victory. The Shenshoujing is the only Symphogear we have that is capable of erasing the curses, and as a result of this, she is the one who must defeat Tachibana Hibiki. There is no avoiding this fact, for it is now reality."

The Adaptors could give no response. They had desperately wished to avoid this subject, but after what happened in front of the medical room, there was no denying it now.

It had to be addressed, regardless of how they felt about it.

"But why?" Kirika found herself asking anyway. "Why does Miku-san have to fight again? She wasn't supposed to be a part of this at all!"

"Perhaps," The alchemist answered. "Perhaps not. In either case, she is involved now and is the only one that is capable of matching Gungnir in its current form. And the reason as to why that is lies within the Shenshoujing itself."

She proceeded to erase her terrible drawing, leaving the board blank once again. However, this time, she wrote a single phrase in bold characters, displaying it to everyone present.

"And the name of that reason is..."

She put down the marker and slapped her hand against the board.

"All the Hopes of this World."

That act served to wake up the Adaptors, along with Genjuro. They all straightened in their seats, staring with wide eyes at what she had written.

Without waiting for them to ask, she began her explanation. "For you to understand what it is, you must first know something about the curses that lie within Gungnir, or rather, the concept that they represent," she said, turning to the board. Picking up the marker again, she wrote a similar set of characters right beneath the first, all of them exactly the same.

All... except one.

"This is the name of the concept that lies within Gungnir, and as a result, the name of our true enemy: All the Evils of this World. It is a timeless concept, one that predates the most ancient of civilizations, and is something that evolved alongside humanity since the day they developed intelligence. Originally, it was not nearly as potent as it is now, but as humanity flourished, so did their ability to sin. Hatred, greed, and fear spread throughout the world, gaining traction as civilization grew. But that was still not enough to make that concept strong enough that it could rival the gods."

She narrowed her eyes. "Yes, until the day that Jesus Christ was crucified. That was the moment that the god-slaying power came into existence, fueled by the people's fears and hatreds towards the god he represented. And as Adam Weishaupt said, it only continued to grow from there, lying dormant within Gungnir until its first contact with divine presence. Yohualtepoztli catalyzed its awakening, but it was still not enough to bring it forth. It was only when Tachibana Hibiki was engulfed by the divine power that it finally made its true appearance, and from then on it was what had caused the monumental shift in her."

She stopped for a moment, making sure they all truly understood what it was she was talking about. Seeing that no one was getting lost yet, she continued. "It is an all-consuming concept and one that can snowball to become far too powerful for any one person to control, no matter how special they seem to be. For mankind will never be able to let go of hatred, and as such will never be able to understand each other. Tachibana Hibiki's wish was doomed from the start."

The alchemist turned back to the board, drawing a line between the two phrases she had written on it. "However, that is when All of the Hopes of this World comes into the picture. I do not believe I have to explain what it is, for its name is self-explanatory: it is the polar opposite, the other side of the coin of All the Evils of this World. In the same manner that it has grown from hatred, All the Hopes of this World gained traction due to the people's wishes, worship, and as you can tell, hopes. And due to the reverence of the people to the relic known as the Shenshoujing, it gained an ability that became signature to it: curse-killing power."

Another collection of gasps were heard. Genjuro stared hard, taking in the information he had no knowledge of and quickly getting the gears spinning in his head. "A Philosophical Armament... who'd have thought we had such a thing in our arsenal the entire time."

"Indeed. Now, you may ask why exactly then do the Symphogears fall under this category, if the Shenshoujing can erase them? Simple: Kohinata Miku's influence," she explained, and they stared at her in confusion.

"Originally it was not supposed to be able to erase relics, but her own disdain for them, along with John Wayne Vercingetorix's meddling created a situation in which the very nature of that power changed. Yes, a single person was able to radically alter the ability of the relic itself, so much that even the Shenshoujing is not immune to that effect. However, that should not come as a surprise, as you are all aware that your Symphogears change due to your own growth and emotions. A miracle like the X-Drive would not be possible without that connection."

Turning to the board, she extended several lines from the bottom phrase, filling in as she spoke. "In essence, this leaves us with two similar forces that come into conflict: on the one hand, we have All the Evils of this World, with the god-slaying power at their helm, and its corruptive nature fueled by Tachibana Hibiki's buried grudges and resentments."

And she repeated the action with the top phrase. "On the other, we have All the Hopes of this World, with the curse-slaying power at their helm, and its ability to erase relics stemming from Kohinata Miku's aversion to their existence."

Genjuro grumbled inwardly, studying the simple words on the board thoroughly. "But what does it mean for us?" He asked.

In response, the alchemist wrote 'divine power' on the right side of the board. Then she drew an arrow from the Evils to it, and then an arrow from the Hopes to the Evils. Between the divine power and the Hopes, she drew a line with an X over it.

"This is a very rough summation of their relationship, but it exemplifies where we stand: in this exchange, we hold the advantage, as the Shenshoujing counters both the Gungnir and the curses in one single breath," she explained. "The god-slaying power counters the divine one, while the Hopes of this World and the divine power have no special relationship. In essence, we stand at the top of this food chain, which is what will be able to grant us victory."

She then drew a circle around the Hopes, and in response, Tsubasa spoke up again. "But how do we have this advantage? Why don't the two sides simply annihilate the other on contact like destructive interference?"

"Good question, and the answer to that is simple:" She said. And then she went to stand at the foot of the table, looking between each of them in the eye. "Because humanity would never have been able to move forward had it always wallowed in fear and hatred. It is only through desire and wishful thinking that we advance, and grow, and reach our full potential. As you know, to live is to pursue pleasure, for without it we would become beasts. So long as our wishes are stronger than our fears, the Hopes of this World will always be triumphant."

They looked at her in confusion, but she simply went back to the board. "Think of it as a fundamental, universal law. There will always be something higher on the scale, and fortunately for us, we have exactly what lies at the top. In a clash between the two, it is destined for All the Hopes of this World to emerge victoriously."

And she wrote the names of the two ill-fated girls next to the concepts they wielded. "But that is only if you take the human part out of the equation. And unfortunately, that is where we are at a disadvantage: Kohinata Miku simply does not have the same level of skill or experience that Tachibana Hibiki does, and that is what led to her losing control. Her lack of a grasp on the Symphogear's abilities combined with her fury resulted in an outcome in which the curse-slaying power could not be used to its full potential, negating any sort of advantage it could provide."

She then drew a circle around Miku's name and tapped the marker against the board. "And that is the first mistake we must correct: she must learn to use it to the utmost, and reach a level of skill high enough to not lose control again, preferably as high as Tachibana Hibiki's."

Genjuro once again grumbled to himself, while the rest of the girls sighed in contemplation as to the meaning of her words. "You know that it is impossible, Saint-Germain," he reminded her. "You said it yourself that we don't know how much time we have until Hibiki-kun shows up again. With that in mind, we don't know how long such a process could take."

"I'd say we have at the most around two months, perhaps even less," she said plainly, breaking the other from their thoughts and causing them to stare at her with eyebrows raised.

"But you just said—"

"I know what I said," she interrupted him. "And I will admit I have nothing to back up that claim. It is simply my intuition, nothing more than that. And that is precisely why we must make haste with our preparations. Without a shadow of a doubt, Kohinata Miku is the lynchpin that will determine whether or not we achieve victory. Our role in the grand scheme of things will be to enable her to truly face her one-on-one; we must do all we can to draw the attention of any remaining enemies so she can fight unabated."

The girls sighed to themselves, and only Shirabe could raise her head to speak. "So the only thing we can do now is act as support?"

"Yes," Saint-Germain answered bluntly. "We are, as of this moment, simply Kohinata Miku's support. That is the situation we have been thrust into, and we must make do with what we have. I will tell you right now that it will be extremely counterproductive to try and intervene in their battle; there is only certain death to be found there."

"But don't we have the Cursed Eden Module? What was the point of going through that if we can't make use of it?" Maria asked.

"Unfortunately it has already become obsolete. She has reached a level of power so high we can no longer match up to her with what we have. Even if luck is on our side and the power Kazanari Tsubasa displayed returns," The alchemist answered, briefly glancing towards the Ame-no-Habakiri Adaptor.

"It will still not be enough. Susano'o, in the end, is a representation of pure force, and that is something that has already lost its effectiveness due to her now constantly active rapid regeneration. This all leads us back to Kohinata Miku, as she is the only one who has the ability to bypass it and inflict some sort of damage, however minor. And as she becomes stronger, so will the strength of the curse-killing power, which might finally prove enough to erase the curses and Gungnir in one fell swoop."

The gathered group once again fell into silent contemplation, leaving Saint-Germain to speak in a low, apologetic voice. "I will admit however that amongst us all, I am the weakest link," she said, causing them to look at her once more in puzzlement. "I cannot reach the level of power that you can with your Symphogears, not to mention that I am now incapacitated to some degree. To that end, I will work tirelessly to create as big an army of Alca-Noise as possible to slay the Babylonian Noise which will inevitably emerge once more."

Genjuro gazed at her sympathetically. "Saint-Germain..."

"It is unfortunate, but I will not allow our chain to break due to my weakness. I will trust you all with dealing with any sort of surprise she may conjure up on us unexpectedly, and meanwhile, I shall work to slay the black beasts and direct our army."

"But are you sure there is nothing we can do to help Miku-san?" Kirika asked desperately.

"Only what I have stated. It will simply be too dangerous to try and assist her. You will inevitably get caught in the crossfire, which is something we cannot afford. The force of their clash will be far too strong for any of us to match, and it will only become more powerful as they fight," she answered.

"And I assume that is part of the reason you believe this will be the last battle?" Genjuro confirmed.

She nodded her head. "Yes. Just their one battle proved it; even though Kohinata Miku lacked any sort of experience, the sheer antagonism the two concepts share towards each other skyrocketed her power to unbelievable levels. It allowed her to surpass her limits just to match her opponent. And of course, Tachibana Hibiki had a similar reaction. As the two concepts oppose each other, they become more powerful as they attempt to one-up the other, and with that so do their abilities. The corruption became worse due to that factor as well, and now, it has reached a certain threshold."

The man crossed his arms. "So, let's summarize this as best we can."

He walked up to the board and took the offered marker from the alchemist. Using the previously untouched eraser, he wiped off the board and began filling it on his own.

"Our battle plan is as follows: Miku-kun will face Hibiki-kun in one-on-one combat, using this power you mentioned in order to purge the curses once and for all. In the meantime, the Adaptors will work to defeat any possible threat that appears while you will direct the Alca-Noise army to eliminate the rogue Noise, at the same time destroying the encroaching black beasts. And this will all occur after we have brought Miku-kun up to level."

The alchemist studied his diagram and nodded. "Yes, that is correct."

"Seems solid enough," Tsubasa commented.

"It isn't, not in the least," Genjuro said. "There are so many unknown elements that could disrupt and make this plan fall apart easily. We can be sure that they'll focus on each other; we just don't know how destructive their clash will be. Anything could happen at this rate, so this plan, in the end, is completely useless. We simply cannot account for everything, for it is Hibiki-kun after all we're dealing with here. Even if the curses are rising to the forefront, it is still her own very creative and unpredictable mind we are facing. She will surprise us, that is something we can count on."

He placed the marker down. "And that is the biggest obstacle. All of her absurdity will be aimed directly at us."

And they all knew what levels it could reach. She was the girl who made miracles possible after all.

So there is no doubt they would need one in order to surpass her.

Unfortunately, miracles are a difficult thing to come by.

"Then we have no time to waste," Saint-Germain said. "As soon as we adjourn, we begin our preparations. Contact Yukine Chris and update her on everything we've gone over. For now, do what you can on your own until the moment Kohinata Miku awakens. Once she does, we begin bringing her up to speed."

She turned to the man and looked up to meet his gaze. "My apologies for rambling on. I merely intended to touch upon absolutely everything we needed."

Genjuro smiled. "No need to apologize, since everything you said was indeed very important, and I am sure everyone here will take it to heart and do their best to meet your expectations," he said warmly, glancing to the Adaptors who already began to rise from their seats. "Do what you can for now. I, unfortunately, have a few... higher-ups... I need to talk to, so I will be unavailable until later."

Tsubasa, upon hearing what he said, hurriedly spun her head to look at him with wide eyes. She bit her lip and turned her head aside, knowing what he was referring to.

"In the meantime," he continued, turning to the Adaptors. "I want all of you to get some rest. Eat and sleep and we'll meet up again at... If now is 8 AM, then we'll convene again at 3 PM."

They nodded in unison.

"Then, dismissed. Tsubasa, please tell Chris-kun this as well."

And together the four rose from their seats and walked to the exit. Sending the man one final glance over the shoulder, Tsubasa and the others left the room, leaving only the two adults next to the board.

"You should also get some rest, Saint-Germain," he said to the alchemist. "You out of everyone need it."

But she looked away. "I'm fine. I must get started on making the Alca-Noise; the ones I have used cannot be reclaimed, so they must be destroyed. I'll make sure to inform Yukine Chris of this, should she desire to vent her frustrations upon them in a constructive manner."

He raised an eyebrow in response. "I'm surprised you're being so considerate."

"It has nothing to do with being considerate," she said quickly. "I am merely being efficient. It is a matter of grave importance that all of the Adaptors are onboard with this plan, so if destroying the remaining Alca-Noise will reduce her anger, then it will serve our purposes well."

Genjuro flashed a small smile. '_Can't bring yourself to admit you care?'_

Well, not like it was his place to call her out on it. He wasn't exactly the more forthcoming with them either, which was what brought them to the situation they are in now.

He sighed and turned to the door.

"There is one more thing," she told his retreating back. He turned around with narrowed eyes to meet her gaze. "I wished to bring up this subject while they were here, but they'll notice once they see her: it is entirely possible that Kohinata Miku will not be exactly the same once she awakens."

That forced him to stop in his tracks, and his eyes widened. Before he could ask, she spoke up again. "Being the vessel of such concepts is not something that comes freely. In the same manner that Tachibana Hibiki changed, so will Kohinata Miku. I do not know just how significant it will be, but it is something that we must prepare for regardless. All the Hopes of this World might not be a malignant force, but it is also not entirely benevolent," she said. "After all... nothing can stop one from hoping the one they detest meets their end."

His mouth slightly gaped at her ridiculous words. "That's—"

"Inevitable," she interrupted him quickly. "It is just another obstacle that we will have to overcome, depending on how high it will prove to be. Until then, you should also get some rest. As the commander, it would not do for you to be exhausted when you are needed."

He blinked several times, still shocked by what she told him. "Yes... I'll make sure to do that. Until later, Saint-Germain."

And he left the room, leaving the alchemist alone.

-!-

Genjuro heaved out a heavy sigh as he sat down on the bed in his quarters, the metal underneath creaking slightly under his weight. He, like everyone else on duty, chose to remain inside of headquarters for the duration of the incident, and he hasn't stepped a foot out of the submarine since the day he lost to Hibiki.

He didn't have the luxury to. There was so much to take care of he didn't even manage to get a wink of sleep. But he didn't care about that, because there were things more important than sleep at the moment.

However... he could start feeling it, even if it was minuscule. No, to call it minuscule would be to insult the burden he carried on his shoulders.

As well as the insurmountable amount of guilt that came with it.

He rose from the bed and headed towards the full-length mirror hanging off one of the walls of the room. He stood before it, taking in his own features for the first time since the incident began.

The features he briefly saw in Chris's eyes...

And the features he began to find himself hating.

At first glance, no one would be able to tell the difference; he was, after all, physically the same. But it was not the physical features that haunted him so, but what lies beneath.

"_YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DIFFERENT!"_

That's what she had told him, or more specifically screamed at him. He had worked tirelessly, not stopping for even a moment, and letting absolutely nothing stand in the way of the ultimate goal that they all sought: bringing Hibiki back.

He knew that their cause was completely different from what all the enemies they'd faced so far had. They sought their own selfish desires, perfectly willing to let others suffer for the sake of their goal: whether it was revenge, delusions, or just age-old ambitions.

But if their causes were different, then why... why did he feel that she was not wrong?

He had forced himself to believe he was acting out of a righteous cause. Hibiki had been compromised by a malignant force that threatened to destroy the world, that much was obvious. Right now, saving the world and saving Hibiki might as well be the exact same thing.

Killing her would be something no one in headquarters would ever agree with, although at this point, it was also impossible. With her regeneration, it is impossible to destroy her, so the only method to stop the coming destruction is to get rid of the force that would cause it, that being the curses and the divine power.

Yes, in the end, what they were doing was saving the world... but that was only secondary to bringing her back.

He couldn't deny it no matter how much he fooled himself: in the end, they were acting out of pure selfishness. Out of a pure, selfish desire to take back someone important to them... and to that end, they had chosen to sacrifice everything else for the sake of that goal.

Going exactly against the laws of the scale: many for the sake of one.

Even if actual casualties so far have been kept to a minimum, the destruction caused by their battle could not be ignored. Millions have been left homeless, and rebuilding will take years.

But the battle was not over yet, so who knows how long it would take to even begin thinking about it. They had gone through so much pain, so much suffering, and so much anguish to bring about the result they wanted.

And the only question that could be asked was a simple one:

"Was it all worth it?"

Before he could settle on the thought further, he heard a soft knocking on his door. He turned around, staring at it, watching to study from which height the sound came from.

The knocking repeated, and he could catch as the biggest amount of force was applied at a much shorter height than he expected, bringing up only one possibility as to who was visiting.

"Yes, Elfnein-kun?" He spoke up.

It seemed the little alchemist was taken aback by the fact he knew it was her. "_Ah! Genjuro-san! Um... is everything okay?"_

"Yes," he answered. "Anything I can help you with?"

She went silent for a short moment before speaking up again. "_Um... can I come in?"_

He raised an eyebrow in question but did not bother asking her reasons. "Sure."

With a click, the door slid open.

"Oh, um... I'm sorry to bother you all of a sudden," Elfnein mumbled meekly. "I was just...um..."

"It's fine," he said, going back to his bed and taking a seat. "What can I do for you?"

The homunculus took uneasy steps into the room, and the door slid closed behind her. Genjuro looked at her calmly, watching as she fidgeted nervously to herself.

A few moments later, finally gathering her courage, she spoke up. "G-Genjuro-san!"

"Yes?"

"Um... are you okay?"

His eyes widened. Her question was simple and innocent, yet...

Yet somehow was just... right.

"What do you mean?" He asked her.

The girl swallowed, speaking up again. "You looked... very sad lately," she said. "Like you haven't been yourself."

Ah, so that was what it was. Aside from all the ugliness and desperation, it was sadness that he saw underneath it all. How was it that she perceived that so easily?

He looked to the ground in front of him, joining his hands together on his lap. "Yeah... I guess I haven't been."

She tilted her head in confusion and took the opportunity to sit down on the bed next to him, looking up at his face that still stared at the ground. "Can... can you tell me what's wrong?" She asked him. "I... want to help you too. Remember? I said I'll also... help you bear the weight."

'_Yeah... she did say that.'_

He sighed, staring at a particular spot on the floor that for some reason was a bit darker than the rest of it. "I... messed up, big time."

Her eyes immediately filled with worry at his words. Offering him no response, he continued. "I've been so desperate to get Hibiki-kun back... that I failed to notice everything else."

"Genjuro-san..."

"I made too many mistakes, and I only started to notice it now. From involving Miku-kun again after I promised not to, to hiding my intentions from the Adaptors until the very last possible moment. And because of that, I brought us all to this hopeless situation where we have no plans and we have to depend on a single person to finally bring it to an end."

Wordlessly, Elfnein placed her hand on his arm, trying to comfort him. Whether or not he noticed the gesture was not important as he simply continued speaking. "I... led a lot of good people to their deaths in the past. For the sake of what I considered the greater good, I looked many young men and women in the eye... and told them to die," he said, and her grip on his arm tightened. "That's what I did before I was promoted to be the commander of this division. At the time I was glad to finally be free of the burden of sacrificing so many people."

He let out a sorrowful chuckle. "Imagine my surprise when I discovered my job would be to deal with supernatural threats to the world... through several teenage girls wielding ancient relics as their weapons. Imagine my shock when I found out they would be the only ones in the world that would be capable of defeating the threat that was the Noise, and that one of them was my niece who was brought into this world for this specific reason."

The man clenched his fist tight as he thought back. "At first I hesitated but eventually accepted out of duty. I did the best I could to live up to expectations... and once again hardened my heart. It got worse once Kanade-kun arrived, and I watched heartlessly as she poured blood, sweat, and tears in order to become an Adaptor so she could get her revenge on the Noise," he recounted, thinking back to the day he saw the red-haired girl puke blood the first time she succeeded in putting on the Gungnir.

"But no matter what I did and what I desired... she still died. She sacrificed herself without anyone asking her to. And I... I couldn't take it. So I trained as hard as I could to become stronger over those two long years, desperate not to lose anyone else like we lost her," he said, letting out a breath. "And looking at the ordeal we're facing now... I can't help but feel uneasy."

"But it's not the same, Genjuro-san," Elfnein told him sympathetically.

"It might not be, but nothing says it won't lead to that. We have no idea what could happen at this point," He answered, clenching his fists. "And that's what I'm scared of. I... don't want a repeat of what happened. I don't want to lose Hibiki-kun or anyone else like I lost Kanade-kun... and Ryoko-kun. I've been so desperate to stop that from happening that I completely forgot to look around and see if others approve. No, I guess I didn't care if they approved. I only cared about my only selfish desire, and that's what led us to where we are now, at the threshold of destruction."

He raised his head to stare at the ceiling, blinking once. "Chris-kun told me... that I was supposed to be different from all those selfish enemies we faced. That I was supposed to be the person they could rely on and the person they know will not hide anything from them. Yet I still acted behind their backs, secretly planning to have the one person that shouldn't be involved join the fight, all for the sake of my selfish wish."

Elfnein quickly put her other hand on his arm as well and grasped it tightly. "That's wrong! You're very different from them! You are doing it because it's right!"

"That's what Fine believed too," he said, and she fell quiet at his words. "That's what Dr. Ver believed too. And that's, I reckon, what Carol believed too."

Her eyes shook at the mention of her original. "It's all a matter of perspective anyway, right and wrong. In the end, the one who is correct... is the one who wins. History is written by the victors after all, and that applies here too. Yet no matter how right we are, we still lost, three times in a row. And as the person who thought it all up, as the person who heartlessly commanded everyone to ignore destruction and carnage for the sake of that goal... what does it make me?"

They fell into a momentary silence once again.

"I've... been depending on Hibiki-kun's ability to create miracles so much as our means of victory... and our justification. But I didn't stop for a second to consider what would happen... if one didn't come. And now, this is the result."

Her eyes widened, and she shook his arm, forcing him to look at her. "You're not a bad person, Genjuro-san! The very fact that you worry about it already makes all the difference!"

"Elfnein-kun..."

"The only mistake you made, I believe, was that you thought you had to take this all on yourself," she said warmly. "You're not alone, Genjuro-san. Nobody here thinks you're a bad person, so you shouldn't think that either."

"It's not that—"

"It is that simple!" She exclaimed, standing up and staring at him. "Even Carol... even Carol wasn't a bad person! She was... she was misguided, and she misunderstood, but all she wanted to do was follow what she believed was Papa's final, true wish. She took things too far, but in her mind... it was still all worth it. Because it was important to her."

She turned to the bed and climbed onto it, standing atop the covers. The homunculus then uneasily, with several faltering steps, moved to stand behind the man.

And leaned forward, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "That's why you shouldn't think like that. I don't want you to hate yourself because you think you did something wrong," she said, almost whispering. "Even if it's a selfish wish... no one will deny that, because we all share it with you. All of us, together, want to bring Hibiki-san back, no matter what. And we will stand with you through thick and thin, no matter what happens. I can truly promise you that."

He could only stare at the floor before him with wide eyes.

"You want to bring her back because you care about her, and we do too. If it's considered evil to want something like that then..." She smiled. "Then let's be evil. Even if the cost is high... as long as you believe it's worth it, it can never be wrong. I'm sure many here... will agree with that."

In the end, that's what Chris was angry about.

Not that he involved Miku.

Not that he allowed significant amounts of destruction.

Not that he subjected them to a hell that in the end proved to be meaningless.

She was angry because he chose to take it all on himself, as if he did not trust them enough to be able to take on that burden too.

The burden that for once, they'll be evil, and choose one over the many.

This time, he let out an amused chuckle, putting his large, burly hand above her own joined ones, locked together just below his neck. "If you put it like that... then it really is that simple."

And she laughed too, finding amusement in his change of heart. But she had one final question for him:

"Do you think it's worth it?" She asked.

And this time, the answer came to him much more easily.

"Of course. After everything she did for us... Hibiki-kun is worth it."

That was all she needed to hear.

The small alchemist gave a large smile, and released her hold on him, jumping down to the floor. She looked to him once again, and he met her gaze with a smile of his own. "Then," she began saying. "Let's keep going with that one wish in mind, and not stop until we make it come true. And promise me from now on... that you won't doubt yourself anymore."

"Well, since you're asking so nicely," he said with a grin. "I suppose I have no choice."

She laughed, and it was a sweet sound that blew away the clouds in his heart. An innocent laugh, made from a mouth that was wise yet gentle. A mind containing endless amounts of knowledge in its frame and boundless curiosity. A heart that expanded their horizons and their possibilities to beyond anything they could achieve on their own.

And at that moment he knew... that he was truly blessed. That the years of nothing but hardship... did pay off.

And now was the time to truly fight for those happy days, and reclaim the star that made it all possible.

"Thank you, Elfnein-kun," he said in gratitude. "I guess I lost myself there."

"You're very welcome," she answered. "If you ever feel down again, I'll always be here to help you up. That's what it means to share the burden, right?"

He let out another chuckle. "Yeah, that's right."

The homunculus headed towards the door, and it opened to let her through. But just before she left, she turned to him once more. "Then, I'll see you later Genjuro-san. We have a long road ahead of us, and I'll help you as best I can. You're not alone, Genjuro-san. Don't forget that either."

He nodded. "Yeah, I'll make sure to remember it."

She smiled one last time and left the room. Leaving the commander all alone, now in a much better mood and with a renewed resolve.

"Well then," he said to himself. He rose once again from the bed and went back to stand in front of the mirror.

This time, he liked what he saw.

"I guess it's time to face the music."

For now, he will face his toughest opponent yet.

"Show me what you got, Father."


	22. Chapter 22: Crushing Gravity

_Your mind, clouded by love and rage._

_Your heart, trapped by anguish._

_Your soul, screaming for justice._

_Walk that path together with us, girl._

_You, who chases after that fleeting star, must not let it be in vain. You, who shines above the night, must be the one to vanquish the dark._

_You, girl whose name rings with the future. We shall provide it unto you. Take your rage, take your anguish, and take your love. Pour them all into this sword. _

_This is the blade that will chase away evil. The one that shall defeat all curses. You know what you must do. You know where your duty lies._

_Take it, child of Man. You, who wields us. All the Evils of This World must not take root. We, the symbol of the people's worship, demand that of you. _

"_Fine," she said. "That was my plan from the get-go. I don't care who you are, and what you do. You will help me get her back, and in exchange, I'll take down your nemesis. Do we have a deal?"_

_They laughed, "Very well. You truly know your path, girl of sunshine. The hopes that we embody will be at your beck and call. Use them as you see fit."_

_Her heart hardened, and she grasped the handle tightly. So tight was her grip that her palm bled. _

_That's right, she'll do what she must. People's hopes and wishes. People's fears and evil._

_None of it mattered to her. There was only one thing on her mind. That resounding song she held so close to heart..._

_She will get it back, or die trying._

"_The evil of mankind must never triumph. With this blade of justice, cut down the hatred that it spreads! And let nothing stand in your way!"_

-!-

The sound of firing bullets filled the air as the Alca-Noise were mowed down without a fight. Holding her machine gun with two hands, Chris grit her teeth as she switched between her defenseless targets, not moving an inch.

The smell of gunpowder and carbon dust only slightly helped improve her sour mood. It would have been better had these Noise actually fought back, but there was nothing she could do about that. For the past ten minutes, she simply sat in silence by the pier, trying to cool off from screaming her head off at Genjuro. It was then that Saint-Germain of all people spoke to her through the comm and told her to destroy the remnants of the Alca-Noise army. She explained that they couldn't be recalled and that she should use them as a way to "_vent her frustrations"._

She didn't like how condescending the alchemist sounded, but she couldn't blame her.

No, the only one she found herself blaming was herself for losing her temper so easily.

"Damn it," she breathed out through clenched teeth. Mowing down the first platoon of Noise, more entered the harbor in a very neat line, filling in the empty and destroyed areas in an organized formation. There were so many of them left she found herself surprised, considering half of the city was simply gone, with the other half barely standing.

She heard something about the alert ending, so it would be around this time that the civilians will start pouring out back into the streets to see this new reality they found themselves in.

Her heart went out to them. So many are now without homes, and it was on their shoulders. She, along with the entirety of S.O.N.G were to blame for this, that she was sure of.

But were they supposed to do? What was _she _supposed to do? It's too late to regret everything now, and the smoke rising from the city on the horizon was proof of that.

Just looking at it caused her anger to rise again. Deciding she was tired of just mindlessly shooting the Noise, she changed her tactics. Flipping the machine gun over in her hand, she held it with both hands by the barrel like an oversized club.

And promptly smashed it against a contingent of Noise, crashing through them like glass and causing them to dissolve into dust.

The minimal amount of resistance she felt to them being struck frustrated her more, and she went wild, simply striking the Noise to and fro with reckless abandon. She took only a minimum amount of joy in the act, as her anger prevented her from feeling anything else.

"Damn it damn it damn it damn it!" She growled out with each strike. The harbor was already destroyed enough, so she didn't care when her strikes crashed again the ground, shattering it even more. She jumped up, striking the remaining Giant Noise in its oversized head, and felt the edge of her mouth twitch as it was squished inwards, the entire thing exploding in a cloud of carbon dust under her blow.

Her anger kept on rising without stopping, her entire face becoming flushed as blood rushed to it. She struck, and struck, and struck, and once more tears threatened to fall from her eyes just from the extreme emotions she was feeling.

Until she heard something step behind her, and in a quick move turned on her heel to smack the intruder in the face.

Only for the machine gun, now club, to stop an inch just before it struck, the wind causing the newcomer's blue hair to flutter for a moment.

Tsubasa didn't react to Chris' sudden aggressive move, "You should be more aware of your surroundings, Yukine."

Chris' eyes widened, and she felt some of her anger disperse by her senior's even voice. Lowering her gun, she turned her head away. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I came to inform you that the commander told us all to get some rest before meeting him again at 3 PM sharp," Tsubasa answered.

Chris turned back fully to the Noise. "Well, too bad. I don't feel like resting. I just want to smash these Noise bastards until they're all gone."

"How amusing," Tsubasa responded. "I have found myself unwilling to rest as well. Perhaps I am a bit winded up myself and could use some method to... unwind, as you'd say."

"And what would that be?"

To answer her question, The idol walked forward until she stood by her side, staring at the Alca-Noise. "I see the perfect targets right in front of me. I hope you do not mind sharing, Yukine."

Her underclassman simply huffed, "Suit yourself."

And she jumped into the fray, leaving Tsubasa to watch.

Her mouth upturned in a small smile, she grasped her pendant, closed her eyes, and chanted.

'_Imyuteus Ame-no-Habakiri tron'_

After a brief flash of blue light, Tsubasa was clad in her Symphogear, now in its regular blue and white form. Wordlessly, and without singing, she too charged towards the defenseless army of Alca-Noise simply standing in place, cutting through them like butter.

And so, their merciless massacre continued. The many different forms of the remaining Alca-Noise disappeared into clouds of dust as the two Adaptors eliminated them without a fight. With no idea how many are left, the two simply attacked with no particular coordination or cooperation, each one doing their own thing in different parts of the harbor.

There was no point in using too much effort, Tsubasa reckoned. They were no real threat like this, and sometimes she too just wanted to swing wildly, foregoing technique and discipline and just let loose until she was exhausted.

So she did.

Time passed for the two of them like so. It was uncharacteristically quiet for what was essentially a Noise extermination, but that was a good point Tsubasa found herself appreciating. Clearing your mind and simply destroying enemies that were for all intents and purposes practice dummies of various shapes and sizes was liberating in a way. This is especially since they kept replenishing on their own, as Saint-Germain's command to them was simply to enter the harbor and do nothing else.

At one point Tsubasa had enough of just cutting them down with the sharp end of her blade. Stopping her assault for a moment, she raised the sword to study it closer, holding her chin between a finger and a thumb. After thinking for a moment, she turned the blade to its flat side...

And whacked the closest Noise in the face.

It promptly turned to dust from her strike, and she watched the dispersing cloud vanish into the wind with keen interest.

"Hmmm..."

WHACK!

She hit another.

WHACK!

And another.

"Hmm, quite fascinating..." She murmured. "Truly fascinating."

"Oi, what are you doing?"

The idol turned around, her eyes meeting Chris', who was standing behind her with one hand on her hip and an eyebrow raised.

"Simply testing the waters for something I've never truly tried before. I must say it seems quite effective," was her answer.

This time both of Chris' eyebrows were raised as she looked at her incredulously, as if she witnessed something completely ridiculous. But Tsubasa didn't stop there and turned around to once again hit another Noise.

"Why do you need to do that?" Chris asked her in bewilderment.

"I see no fault in trying something new, do you not agree?" Tsubasa said back, glancing backwards to her underclassman.

Chris sighed, her hand lowering down to her side. "If you're gonna do that, then hit it with the handle or something too."

Tsubasa narrowed her eyes, then twisted her head to look down at her sword again. "Hmmm... that is quite a compelling argument..."

Any attempts however by Tsubasa to incorporate her new knowledge were shot down when Chris spoke up behind her again, this time her voice not nearly as amused or confused as before.

"Why did you come here?" She asked, her own eyes narrowing at her upperclassman. "You know I was gonna finish them off on my own. You didn't have to come out here for me."

Tsubasa lowered her sword in response and turned to face her fully. "Is there anything wrong with looking out for my underclassman? It is my duty to care for your well-being as well, Yukine."

"If you're doing that just out of duty then you can—"

"It's not," Tsubasa interrupted her. "I am worried about you. I apologize I've not had as much time to spend with you lately, and so I'm attempting to remedy that in some manner now."

Chris' eyes widened, and her face flushed slightly at the comment. Casting her head downwards, she turned to the side so her upperclassman could not see her blush, eliciting a smile from Tsubasa.

They stood in silence for a moment, and Chris bit her lip, formulating her next words. "I... I didn't mean it."

"Hm?"

The Ichaival user's voice shook as she spoke, her eyes still hidden by her hair. "I... I didn't mean... what I said to him. I mean, I'm still angry and all y'know but... I didn't mean what I said about him being like Ver and F-Fine," She said, her voice cracking slightly at the mention of the priestess' name.

"Yukine..."

"But it's not fair you know? What he did. He didn't have to plot behind our backs like that. I mean sure, his plan to involve Miku would have made me angry anyway, but at least... at least I could have gotten used to the idea, even if I didn't like it. I understand why he did it and everything... but why did he have to hide it like that? Why didn't he just... talk to us? It's things like this that give us problems all the time, all this secret-keeping," Chris said through clenched teeth. "And what was that about telling us to look for clues? Why did he even tell us that when he had the solution the entire time?"

Tsubasa sighed, and couldn't help but be honest with her, "I've asked him about that, and you're not going to like the answer. He... wanted to throw you off the trail. Didn't want you to think he had something up his sleeve."

Chris' anger flared again, and she kicked a stone that was next to her foot. With the strength behind her Symphogear, the stone was sent flying into the horizon. "Just great... sending us on a wild goose chase for nothing. Everything we found out was pointless. Just amazing."

Tsubasa listened attentively, closing her eyes for a moment. Despite the low mood, a small smile formed on her face at Chris' rant. "I feel the same way as you do, Yukine. In fact, we all do. I truly believe had he spoken with us, we might have been able to come up with a good solution together. Perhaps one that wouldn't have required Kohinata to get involved in the first place, regardless of what he planned. Because we did not take advantage of the opportunities presented to us to the utmost, I believe that is what allowed the situation to develop like so."

She opened her eyes, and her smile dropped. "But unfortunately, this is now our reality, and we have nothing left but to do our best to support her when the time comes."

She couldn't see what sort of expression Chris was making, but she was sure it lay somewhere between heartbroken and frustrated.

And she would be right, for her underclassman spoke up again between clenched teeth. "Damn it, I hate this. I hate this so much."

"I know," Tsubasa responded, putting a hand on her underclassman's shoulder. "I hate it too. We all hate it as much as you, so you can rest assured you are not alone. Not a single one of us is alone in this endeavor, even Tachibana. We must stand together, as one, so we can finally gather the strength we need to finally bring her back."

There was a gentle sound of something dripping to the ground, but neither girl commented on it. They just stood together, in the middle of the harbor, wearing their Symphogears, surrounded by an army of Alca-Noise that was about as dangerous as a newborn puppy.

If there was ever a situation she'd find peculiar, Tsubasa would admit this one made it high on her list.

Removing her hand from Chris' shoulder, the idol turned back to the Noise, walking towards them slowly. As she approached, she threw her sword up in the air. It spun several times above her head, completing dozens of revolutions before finally falling back down to its wielder.

Only for her to catch it by its sharp edge, holding it upside down.

And then she swung, striking the Noise in front of her with the handle like a makeshift club, and she watched with a smile as her target vanished into dust just like the rest.

"I find your recommendation to be quite liberating, Yukine," she said out of nowhere, causing Chris to raise her head to stare at her back with her eyes wide. "It is not every day that I have the luxury of attempting something new, and it is always a pleasure to see it give fantastic results unlike what I initially believed."

"What are you—" Chris began saying, only for Tsubasa to cut in.

"I think that applies to all of us at the moment. It begins with the smallest of gestures, I believe, such as apologizing," she continued, looking back to her underclassman, who quickly turned her head away to avoid looking her in the eyes. "I truly believe that if you apologize for what you said, he'll wholeheartedly accept it. You may have spoken slightly out of line, but he truly does have far more to be sorry for than you do. I am sure he does not hold it against you, as I know he understands your feelings, and by extension our own, very well."

Chris made a 'pfft' sound with her mouth, causing Tsubasa to grin. "Yeah," she said. "I know too."

She once more raised her machine-gun, this time correctly, and aimed at the Noise.

Before she could start firing however, Tsubasa spoke up again. "If I may, I do have a suggestion myself, Yukine."

Her underclassman turned her head to look at her with an eyebrow raised.

"How about we sing?" Tsubasa asked.

Chris' eyes widened in surprise. "Eh? Sing? Now? Against these smaller than small small-fry?"

"Do we need an excuse to sing?"

Her underclassman had no clever answer to give her. "I guess... not."

"Then shall we?" Tsubasa said. "It has been quite a while since it has been just the two of us."

Chris blushed, turning her head away. "Y-yeah."

"Hmm..." The idol let out. "Then how about... Bayonet Charge?"

Chris looked at her again. "Bayonet Charge?"

"Bayonet Charge."

Her underclassman turned her head back to the Noise and grinned. "Bayonet Charge it is!"

Tsubasa smirked once more.

And at that moment, a song rose above the harbor. And this time, the two of them were in perfect harmony.

-!-

"Thank you for all of your work, you two," Genjuro said to Fujitaka and Tomosato who were standing by the entrance to the bridge. "I recommend you two get some rest. You need to sleep."

"Don't worry about us, commander," Tomosato said. "We've been through this a million times already with you. And besides, someone needs to keep an eye on things while you are having your meeting. It's the least we can do until you're finished."

Fujitaka looked to her with a sour face but said nothing in response. Genjuro smiled warmly at them, truly appreciating their kindness. "Very well then, I guess I can't talk you out of it. Inform me if anything happens, alright?"

The male bridge member tapped the laptop under his arm lightly with his hand. "No worries Commander, you can count on us."

"I know I can," he said. "Thanks again, you two."

Tomosato flashed him her own smile. "Anytime, Commander."

And the two left the bridge, leaving Genjuro alone.

His smile dropped, and he turned around to his console, looking at the small digital clock in its upper-right corner. "8:58 AM, huh? I have two minutes. The old goat was always punctual, and Aniki too," he said to himself. "The two of them plus Vice Minister Shibata and Minister of Defense Maeda... this is going to be a tough one."

He tapped his seat's armrest impatiently. '_I should be used to this by now... but I guess this time the circumstances are different. Very different.'_

He had already begun predicting the questions they were going to ask and the answers he would give them in return. He did not truly have justifications for his error in judgment concerning this incident, but he did have several useful tricks he could use to get them off his back.

Because he already knew what their main goal would be: usurping his authority over S.O.N.G and the Adaptors and attempt to resolve the matter by themselves. They would try and guilt-trip him, laying the blame on him and his so-called incompetence, declare the Adaptors to be woefully weak, and as a result attempt to intervene under their own accord.

Well, to say 'them' is to blame three of the four without reason, as only one of them would truly attempt the things he mentioned: Kazanari Fudou.

He thought he could hide it, but being his father's son let Genjuro in on things Fudou may or may not know. He too can read him like an open book and understand his ambitions as clear as day, and as a result, work them against him. It worked for him so far by tricking the system, but this time would be far more difficult. He might have to bullshit his way through the meeting without losing his advantage.

Politics were just another battlefield after all.

And Fudou, being the unbearably traditional man that he is, really liked his battlefields.

'_But be careful, Father. After all... Oda Nobunaga was slain by his own retainer. If you put yourself at odds with the people too much... you may find yourself struck down by the hands of irony.'_

And considering the Kazanari had directly opposed the Oda during that period, it would be all the more amusing.

But that was irrelevant at the moment, as time was ticking down.

Thirty seconds left.

Genjuro rose from his seat and crossed his arms. Completely alone in the bridge for the first time in months, he waited patiently, watching the clock tick down from the corner of his eye. The tension rose even in the silence, the faint humming of machinery and electronics filling his ears.

Ten seconds.

He narrowed his eyes and put on his poker face.

'_Here goes.'_

Zero.

Exactly on cue, and in the scariest show of synchronicity he'd ever seen, four screens flared to life on the large display in front of him, each one displaying a different person that was going to take part in this... discussion.

At the far right was Minister of Defense Maeda, a plump and gruff middle-aged man who he had only ever interacted with as a superior. Many years ago, the man was the leading general of his division in the United Nations armed forces.

To his left was Vice-Minister Shibata Masahito, a man Genjuro knew very well. A thin old man with a rude personality, the Vice Minister was, in fact, one of S.O.N.G's greatest supporters, working in earnest to make sure their operations got as smooth sailing as possible. He was also prone to eating noodles while on camera, but for a change of pace, this time he did not.

To his left was Kazanari Yatsuhiro, Genjuro's older brother. He was a man shrouded in mystery most of the time, working behind the scenes on the border of illegality, all for the sake of the country. Usually quiet and stern, underneath hid a surprisingly kind heart, and a man who put his family, no matter their relation, above everything else.

And to the far left, wearing his usual judgemental and ultra-serious glare, was the one and only Kazanari Fudou. The current head and patriarch of the Kazanari family, his influence is known far and wide throughout the entire country, and even in some parts of the world. A man who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals, he is one that threw away emotion and human connection, holding the well-being of the nation far above even his own relatives. So much, in fact, that he would even use his own family for the sake of that goal.

He would even go as far to impregnate his own son's wife should he choose to, and no one would dare question him.

He stood as the unquestionable authority of the family, a man whose mere presence caused others to bow down to him, even someone like Genjuro.

But unfortunately for Fudou, right now his son was of a very different mindset than usual. With the entire division at his back, he was about to be thrust into this horrendous battlefield against a much superior opponent.

Now to see if he can leave it alive.

"Kazanari Genjuro," Maeda spoke up first. "I assume you know why we have called together this meeting."

The commander's muscles tensed. "I am aware."

"Good. Then tell us: how do you justify this recent string of failures that went as far as to cause the destruction of our capital?" The defense minister asked.

"The same justifications I gave in the reports I handed over throughout this incident," Genjuro answered firmly. "That this is a powerful and unpredictable enemy, one that has the capability to develop new abilities in the blink of an eye, and so is an enemy that cannot possibly be prepared for."

He hated referring to Hibiki as the enemy, but to appease these old farts he needed to swallow his pride.

"Your excuses are pathetic," Fudou interjected. "Your severe lack of judgment brought forth this disaster. You held back the tool to resolve it quickly because of your petty attachments and emotions. Your mind was clouded from the start, and it was a mistake giving you command of this division."

Genjuro held back his cringe. '_Scathing from the start, are you?' _He thought. '_Maybe in the past that would have got me nervous, but now...'_

"I would not be so hasty to jump to conclusions, Mr. Kazanari," Vice Minister Shibata cut in. "After all, there are formalities to be followed in these matters. We are in a precarious situation, one that requires delicate and expert handling on part of all the participants. Let us first see what he has to say for himself before we decide to judge."

Genjuro looked to the screen showing Shibata, forcing down the smile that nearly made its way onto his face. '_Covering my back even now? I owe you one again.'_

"Then let us proceed as planned," Maeda sternly said, as Fudou decided to remain silent for the moment. "Kazanari Genjuro, we would like to hear your thoughts on your reasoning as to what brought this incident to its current state. While we have been able to overlook your more than destructive methods in the past, the sheer scale of the devastation caused to the capital city is not something that can be disregarded."

Basically, 'how do you get out of this one', he was asking him. In the end, Genjuro knew the Minister of Defense was right; the Adaptors weren't exactly the most subtle of individuals. The power granted to them by the Symphogears more than once ended with plenty of collateral that could have, had they developed the awareness for it, possibly been avoided.

That was something however that through sweet-talking the government and covering their own tracks could be swept under the rug.

But not this time. No, this wasn't like the other times. Now, it was an event that made international news, as it took worldwide news outlets less than an hour to start reporting to all corners of the world.

And how were they supposed to explain it? While the Symphogears themselves were nothing new to the world at large, the problem couldn't simply be explained away with flowery tactics. This was pure and unadulterated chaos that left millions homeless.

Someone had to be the scapegoat, and he was the perfect target. No one would try and blame a bunch of singing girls for being too careless.

So the easiest way was to go after the one in charge, and in the end, the one who could truly be puppeteered.

He knew he couldn't deflect the accusations. All he had to work with was to try and get them to at least leave him in charge until it's resolved. After that? Well...

He'll cross that bridge when he gets there.

"Unfortunately, the city proved to be a necessary sacrifice," Genjuro said, causing all four of the men on the screen to narrow their eyes at him. "Had we tried to reduce collateral, it would have interfered in the Adaptors' battle."

Pressing a few buttons on his console, the screens on their ends lit up as new information was sent to them. As much as he didn't want them to know everything, he had to give them something concrete to look at.

"The enemy has been growing stronger with every confrontation, using the previously obtained divine power as the source of her strength," he continued. "Not only that, she has personally shown no regard as to the destruction she causes, as you have plainly seen. It would be counterproductive for us to try and do what she isn't, considering that she's aiming for our lives. I cannot have the Adaptors be distracted by something as replaceable as a city."

Maeda's eyes widened in astonishment. "As replaceable as—"

"You have to understand that this is not at the level of the other threats we faced and defeated. What is at stake here is not just the city, or the country. Should we fail, humanity as we know it is finished. Not even the planet will remain standing in the aftermath, and, if our calculations are correct, probably the entire solar system."

Exaggeration and predictions of a coming apocalypse are always a fun thing to deal with, he realized, especially when it comes to politics. Only by scaring the old goons to death will finally get them off their asses. Only then would they start doing something other than sitting at their tables and twiddling their thumbs in their expensive suite in the middle of the Caribbean.

Only these four men usually had the guts to meet this truth head-on and not panic immediately. That was good, but also bad for his own cause. If he can't cause them to panic, he can't stir the conversation in the direction he desires.

"As a result, we simply can't afford to hold back for something like that. As of right now, all inanimate objects in the world are disposable until this incident is resolved once and for all."

He closed his mouth and let his words sink in. The four men contemplated his words carefully, but it was Fudou that spoke up first.

"And yet this condition could have been avoided from the start if you had acted as I ordered," the Kazanari patriarch admonished. "Had you handed over the girl from the beginning, the enemy would not have been able to achieve the level of power she has now, as the anti-relic property would have eliminated the threat before it gained traction. You simply acted out of sheer weakness, and refused to involve her purely out of that sentiment."

Another deep slice was etched into the commander, and his eyes once more narrowed at his elder. He really was attempting to drive him out of S.O.N.G, it seemed.

He was going to have to counterattack.

"My decision to hold her back might have been borne out of sentiment, but also out of tactical necessity. After all, wasn't it you who told me not to reveal all of my cards from the get-go?" Genjuro said. Fudou furrowed his brows in response. "Tachibana Hibiki knows all of our capabilities, making true strategy against her very difficult. This forced us into a corner, and so I decided to attempt to resolve the incident just with what she knew. When that proved ineffective, we blindsided her with something she had no information on, thus leveling the playing field... until she became stronger again."

He breathed out through his nose inconspicuously. He was swinging carefully here, aiming for vital points. "In the end, it is simply impossible to gauge how strong she becomes in every confrontation. You may deride emotion, but it is exactly that factor that grants her power, and also makes her highly unpredictable. So unpredictable that even the might of Susano'o was not enough to overcome it. Only when we had exhausted all of our options did I send her out."

His sword crashed against Fudou's blade, pushing him backwards. A dig at their bloodline, however subtle, was bound to make Fudou furious.

And perhaps, lower his guard.

"Not good enough, Genjuro," the elder immediately replied. "Your mistake goes back to your failure to defeat the Pavarian Illuminati sooner. You held all the cards required to wipe them out easily, yet once more you refused to act due to meaningless concerns. This entire incident could have been avoided entirely had you acted on better judgment, but you did not. It matters little from what direction you approach this, for it is in entirely on your shoulders and your responsibility, one which you have failed to uphold."

And Fudou pushed him back, his follow-up swing being faster than the commander's eyes could track.

But Maeda once again interrupted before they could continue their duel, visible to all the others who watched silently. "Remind me again who is this 'girl' that we now seem to require to put our resources into. I will not go into this uninformed."

In response, Genjuro once again pressed a few buttons on his console again, sending over the necessary information. "Kohinata Miku," he clarified. "16 years old, bordering on 17, and a childhood friend of Tachibana Hibiki. From the data I sent you in the past, you could evidently see how intertwined their histories are, especially everything following the Zwei Wing concert."

There was no way to describe how much he didn't want to send them that information, but he had no choice in the matter. After the Frontier incident, he was forced to hand over all information pertaining to FIS and the sequence of events that led to the unearthing of Frontier. And unfortunately enough, Miku was involved in it. It was that piece after all that piqued Fudou's interest, and since then he's been a bigger thorn in the side than ever before.

"And the reason she is so important is...?"

"Her Symphogear is the only one capable of eliminating whatever force attached itself to Tachibana Hibiki, correct?" Shibata said, studying the sent data thoroughly. Genjuro had Fujitaka and Tomosato to thank for putting everything together so quickly for him to present.

"Yes," Genjuro confirmed. "It has been proven through the latest battle that despite the overwhelming power and incredible endurance that the enemy has obtained, it is still successfully erased by a greater concept, one that is present within Kohinata's relic. It is for that reason she is now the key, the front, and the center of our strategy. She will personally face her opponent head-on and defeat her once and for all."

A successful block.

Now, how will it continue?

Silence fell upon them for a moment. Finally, after skimming through the information on his end, Yatsuhiro decided to speak up for the first time. "And this force is?"

'_Here we go.'_

"That information won't be present in the files, because I just discovered this myself, only barely half an hour ago," Genjuro said, watching as all four men immediately stopped searching through the data he sent. "Its name is All the Evils of this World."

Now was the time to spill the beans on the truth of the incident. This had to prove to be enough to satisfy them.

"An ominous name," Maeda said, furrowing his brows. "And what is its significance?"

Genjuro took in a large breath through his nose, not moving an inch or letting them see his current inner turmoil. "It is an all-consuming amalgamation of mankind's grudges and curses, and is the concept responsible for corrupting the divine power and turning Tachibana Hibiki antagonistic," he explained, meeting their studious gazes. "It has also warped Gungnir's Aufwachen signal in a manner we have never thought possible, bordering on the incredibly disturbing. As much as I would like to believe that this incident could have been avoided entirely... I am not that optimistic."

Yatsuhiro slightly raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?" He asked. Genjuro met his gaze, and he could see what his brother was trying to tell him. '_Come up with a good explanation. You have to get him off your back.'_

"This concept up until now has been manifested as the god-slaying power, which allowed Tachibana Hibiki to, as its name states, slay any and all instances of divine power or presence that we have faced thus far. That includes the Divine Weapon that Adam Weishaupt created," the commander continued. "But as potent as it is, it is also volatile. There was simply no way for us to know that she would have been engulfed by it, or if that condition was what set it off at all. We had specific calculations, ones we sent over to you previously, and none of them came close to being accurate. There was something else in there with her that caused this reaction, but unless she tells us herself we'll never know exactly what it was."

It was all truth, after all. The god-slaying power was supposed to act as a barrier between her and the divine power, but something happened inside there that somehow allowed it in.

And that brought them to where they are now.

"There are things in this world we simply cannot predict, especially if they are of divine origin or anything else that we have zero records on. To that end, there is also no way for us to know if the Shenshoujing would have been able to erase the cocoon at all. It could have destroyed it, and it could have made everything worse. We simply can't count on an unknown to work as we expect it too, especially when it's based on something even more unfamiliar to us. This forced our plans to be reactive, rather than proactive."

That too was the truth. When faced with something so ridiculously strong and completely unknown to them, it's impossible to make up plans in advance. They can begin to try and make predictions only after the first contact already occurred.

"It's by sheer luck that she didn't destroy the world the moment she appeared," Genjuro informed them. "Since then, we've been trying to understand the true nature of her power, with very little success. It is just not something that can be grasped by normal humans."

He breathed out.

"And yet you have still created countermeasures," Fudou said in response. "Even though they too, ended up in failure."

Genjuro had to nod. "Yes, they did. We crafted the Cursed Eden Module out of fragments of the curses in an attempt to counter the divine power. But it still wasn't effective enough, as every piece of divine power that is corrupted can no longer be destroyed like we want it to. It lost its effectiveness the moment she became stronger again."

He clenched his fists hard, staring at his father. "But it's not just strength she's obtaining, it's the will to use it. The deeper the curses reached, the more unhinged she becomes, creating a cycle that will ultimately end up in our defeat," he stated grimly. "And all of this is just due to what happened. There is nothing that can prove that this is not something that would have occurred eventually; the curses' nature is just that unpredictable. It's entirely possible that even without the divine power she would have been influenced at some point in time, whether it was now or later."

It was something he could only admit with a heavy heart. Gungnir housed within it something dangerous that is now wielded against them, and they didn't know about it until it already became a problem.

And the only logical conclusion one could reach from this was... that the rest of the Gears may have something similar. It is an unfounded conjecture, one that has no evidence to support it, but if it happened in one... no, _two,_ it could happen in the rest as well.

Making them, just like Miku thought, ticking time bombs.

"Then what is your plan of action?" Maeda asked. Genjuro had to give it to the Minister of Defense; as the least informed person of the four, he knew what to ask and when.

"Simply what we've been doing so far, only with Kohinata Miku as part of the equation. She'll face Tachibana Hibiki and destroy the curses while the other Adaptors will work to eliminate any other possible threat that arises. Meanwhile, our alchemist ally will direct her army of Alca-Noise to take care of the ones that appear from the Treasury."

"That is all?" Fudou asked condescendingly. "That is all the thought you put into your strategy? You are depending on an exchange of power that has already failed to produce any results. Without changing any of the variables, you are setting yourself up for defeat. As I thought, you have lost your edge, Genjuro. I cannot allow the fate of the country to be held in your hands."

"This isn't just about the country! This is—"

"It matters little," Fudou interrupted him once again. "At this point, it is obvious you simply do not have what it takes to protect the country and humanity. There is very little reason not to depose you and take control of matters myself."

Genjuro clenched his teeth hard as Fudou struck again, leaving barely any room to breath. '_Shit, he's not being convinced.'_

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Mr. Kazanari," Shibata said. "While there is no doubt Genjuro has made a very critical mistake in his approach to the incident, to remove him from his position now would be counterintuitive."

"How so, _Shibata?" _Fudou said deridingly.

If the Vice Minister was insulted, he did not show it as he continued. "For the very simple reason that you will not be able to ensure obedience from the Symphogear Adaptors. Try as you might, I have no doubt they will refuse to cooperate with you if you attempt to usurp Genjuro's authority. He has already led them this far; therefore, I believe it would be for the better if he remains."

"Irrelevant," Fudou countered. "Their feelings on the matter are of little importance. They, like everyone else in the Division, are aware of what their duty is, and they like everyone else will fall in line in order to uphold it. Seeing as they aim to defeat the curses regardless, the one in command, in the end, matters little. Genjuro has proven himself incapable of following through with a successful strategy; as a result, there is little incentive for me to simply stand aside."

'_This bastard,' _Genjuro thought to himself. '_Of course, he doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks. He has enough pull on everything to try and take over at his leisure.'_

Shibata wasn't incorrect in his assumption. Genjuro already knew that if Fudou installed himself as the new commander, the girls will simply refuse to listen to him and act on their own accord in their attempts to rescue Hibiki. Perhaps Tsubasa might try and reel them in, but he knew his niece was at her wit's end too. Fudou's presence will only serve to create greater tension, eventually splitting S.O.N.G apart at the seams.

And the elder will quickly brand them as criminals if they refuse to obey, and perhaps even threaten some of their families. While none of the girls had any living relatives to truly speak of that could be used as leverage, Miku, and as well as the vast majority of the staff did. Her parents and relatives are very alive and breathing, and he might try and coerce her to comply by using them against her.

It was a fact everyone here knew and no one dared to voice. Kazanari Fudou was a dangerous individual, known for his medieval methods that no one in the government dared to question because of the sheer magnitude of his influence.

He was, essentially, a Shogun in an era where Shoguns have ceased to exist. The central government would go as far as to lick his boots just to win his approval.

And Genjuro knew that Fudou wasn't wrong either. The girls will do their own thing regardless of who is in command, so it doesn't actually matter who gives them orders. On the contrary, Fudou, being someone who has no emotional attachments to them will be able to come up with a better plan that does not consider their feelings.

Essentially, he would be Genjuro, but _better._

And that, unfortunately, was checkmate. With the blade at his throat, Genjuro couldn't do or say anything more that would make the elder budge or retreat. Fudou would only bring up more points to counter with so matter what he tried to say in response. Even if he decided to spill everything, and by everything he meant _everything _he knew, he had no doubt it would only spur the patriarch more to take over.

He stood in silence, gritting his teeth almost visibly as he tried to come up with an argument.

It was then however that a beeping rose up from his console, distracting him and the other four men from the discussion. "Excuse me," he said, pressing the button. He knew it was Tomosato hailing him, but she wouldn't dare interrupt unless it was important.

"What is it, Tomosato?"

"_Commander!" _She said in a panic, causing the man to narrow his eyes. "_I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting, but we detected an Aufwachen signal!"_

"What?!"

Aufwachen signal?! Now?!

'_Shit. This is bad.'_

Trying to keep his voice even in front of his superiors, Genjuro hurriedly continued. "Where is it?! Where did she appear?!"

"_It's not Gungnir!" _Tomosato announced.

"What?" He asked her back. The four men, listening to their conversation, also narrowed their eyes. "Then what is it?!"

He already knew Tsubasa and Chris were outside destroying the Noise, but they should have already come back by now. It couldn't be one of the Adaptors here since they were all asleep. It couldn't be a new relic, could it?!

"_It's..." _She said hesitatingly. "_It's Shenshoujing!"_

"WHAT?!"

Shenshoujing?! But that meant—!

He could no longer hide his shock at her news. "_Miku-chan suddenly woke up and quickly left medbay! She's on her way to you right now!"_

"On her way here—" he began to say, only to fall silent when he heard a noise behind him.

The door to the bridge opened.

And there she stood, clad in her Symphogear, right there in the doorway.

'_How the hell did she get here so fast?!'_

It took him exactly one second to realize something was terribly, terribly wrong.

Genjuro could admit that he knew Miku by now. He knew who she was, how she thought, and what her motivations were. He knew what sort of influence she had on her surroundings and the people around her, and he thought he knew the weight of her presence.

But something was wrong... no, something was _different. _Just by looking at her, he could tell there was something off.

Miku walked forward to him, her armored feet clicking against the metal floor. Her expression was unreadable as she approached, ignoring everything in the room sans himself. He looked into her eyes and saw an immeasurable depth to them. As if they contained an entire, dark ocean within them. Where before they shone like the morning sun, now it felt like he was looking at an eclipse. As if two became one, creating an illusion that lasted only for a moment. He could almost feel himself being drawn within, but he mentally shook away the stupor. She spoke up, her voice the same yet different.

"Where is she?"

Caught off guard, Genjuro could not find an answer. She continued, her tone far more fearsome than he ever thought possible.

"Where is Hibiki?"

"Miku-kun, this is not—"

"I'm not going to ask you again," she interrupted harshly. "_**Where is Hibiki?"**_

There was an impact to her voice that completely blew him off his feet. '_What the hell is going on?'_

He breathed in, recomposing himself in front of her. This was no time to be surprised. "She's in the Treasury of Babylon," he answered her. "Most likely. It's the last place she came out from, so I assume she is there now."

"How do I get there?" She asked immediately. "Tell me how to get there."

"Miku-kun, that's impossi—"

"I don't care," she cut in again, this time much more firmly. "I'll tear my way there with my bare hands if I have to. Now, _tell me how to get there."_

His eyes widened, her shocking change in attitude throwing him off balance.

"_It's entirely possible Kohinata Miku will not be exactly the same when she awakens."_

He remembered it, what Saint-Germain said. Was this... was this what she was referring to? '_This is exactly like...'_

He couldn't allow himself to be shaken so easily.

"It's impossible, Miku-kun," he repeated. "We simply don't have any way to get there. With the Staff destroyed, the gate can only be forced open with an insane amount of force, and that is something only Hibiki-kun has right now. We won't be able to send you there no matter what we do."

His answer infuriated her, and she showed it. But rather than explode violently like he thought she would, instead she remained still. Very, _very_ still. The ocean in her eyes seemed to stir and roil, and the shine from the eclipse grew brighter, nearly blinding him.

And that's when he realized it.

'_This is exactly like Hibiki-kun.'_

Saint-Germain was right. This couldn't be anything other than those Hopes of the World the alchemist had talked about. Concepts beyond human conception that embody millennia of struggle and evolution. Metaphysical existences that surpassed all possibility.

And housing these concepts was not something any one person was meant to do. While her Symphogear looked the same as always, the person wielding it was not. Something containing generations of mankind's emotions cannot be shouldered by a single person. It was inevitable it would have an adverse effect on her mentality.

Her mind is being influenced, just like Hibiki's. All the Hopes of this World have burst out of their shell due to the appearance of their enemy, and are now affecting her in a manner that is exactly the same as All the Evils of this World.

"Are you getting in my way, Genjuro-san?" She cautioned.

It sent shivers down his spine at the implication. '_What the fuck.'_

"I already told you I wouldn't," he answered her. "But we can't act recklessly, you know that. I told you we would assist you, so I ask that you let us."

She fell silent once again, simply meeting his gaze as if attempting to pierce into him with just her stare. Her brows were furrowed, and her mouth was upturned in a frown.

It was exactly the same. The only difference between the two of them was that she didn't have any divine power to back her up.

But even without it, the change was unquestionably mind-boggling. Fortunately enough, he believed he could hold her down if she decided to be aggressive out of nowhere, but it would still be a tough fight. Just the confrontation with Hibiki told him enough about the strength of these concepts.

If only he could just get her to leave for now—

"So this is the girl?" Maeda suddenly asked behind his back, forcing Genjuro to turn around to look at him with wide eyes.

It was only at this moment that she finally took note of the fact that the two of them were not alone. Her eyes drifted to the man who spoke, and she dismissed his presence as unimportant. She looked over the Vice Minister next, and then to Kazanari Yatsuhiro, laying her eyes on each of them for no more than a second.

And then she saw the final person among them, and her voice came out laced with so much venom it nearly melted the steel around them.

"_You."_

Fudou looked down on her, his eyes narrowed. "I don't like your tone, _girl," _he said evenly. "Know your place, as you'll be obeying _my _orders from now on."

'_Don't make it worse you, stupid old man!' _Genjuro screamed in his own mind.

"Obey _your_ orders?" She said in a half-amused tone. "Just who do you think you are?"

Genjuro couldn't hide his surprise. Last time she spoke to the elder, she exploded with rage, screaming at him in a moment of anger brought about by frustration and sorrow. He could explain it away with her just grieving... but this time was unlike before.

She was actively and intentionally _goading_ him!

"_Your_ new superior, brat," he answered. "And if you want me to ensure the safety of everyone you know, then you _will _fall in line."

'_What the hell kind of exchange is this?' _Genjuro wondered, a thought shared by the other three men displayed on the screen.

"Are you threatening me?" She asked him menacingly. "Then let me put this in a way you can understand: you are nothing more than a speck of _dust. _I don't give a damn who you are, and I don't care what it is you're trying to do."

Her body was radiating a vicious aura the commander couldn't believe what he was seeing. Even from where he stood, he could see as fire as hot as the core of a star burn brightly in her eyes. It was as if she was attempting to immolate the elder on-screen just through her stare, and for a moment, Genjuro almost believed it could be possible.

But she didn't stop there.

"If you get in my way, I won't hesitate to walk _all over you._ You try and stop me, and I'll send you to meet those ancestors you worship so much. I'll make sure you _rot in your grave, _you outdated relic!"

Genjuro's mouth gaped immediately.

She just threatened Fudou. Kohinata Miku, one of the kindest and gentle souls he has ever met. She had just actively threatened Kazanari Fudou without batting an eye, right in front of the most influential members of the cabinet!

His eyes drifted to his father on screen, and he could visibly see how the elder was actively holding back his anger at her words. He was never one to tolerate insolence, especially from those in a much lower class than he was.

But his opponent was no longer Genjuro. No, it was a girl less than a third of his age, and she was holding him in check!

"Is that so?" Fudou snarled. "You will come to regret those words, girl—"

BOOM!

It happened so fast he barely even noticed. One moment Fudou was still speaking, and the next the screen displaying his face was simply gone. A huge hole was blown in the spot where he should have been, and the audio transmission cut out immediately.

Genjuro looked to Miku, and he saw her raised arm, holding her Armed Gear, and smoke rising from the mirror at its top.

Total silence fell upon the bridge. Genjuro, together with the three men still on screen stared at her with wide eyes. A combination of shock, confusion, and a tingle of relief was shared between the four of them. Eyeing the blown-out display for nary a moment, she lowered her weapon and turned back to Genjuro.

"If you have any suggestions, I'll hear them now. They better be worth my time."

He was immediately challenged by her firm tone of voice. He knew what the cause of her altered behavior was, yet he still couldn't help but be bewildered by it. It was just so different from the regular Miku that he almost believed that it was just a doppelganger wearing her face.

But it _wasn't. _Without letting it show on his face, he gritted his teeth. He hated the similarities between the two concepts. he hated that the two of them were under the influence of such things. Free from divine power or not, this was just simply absurd. He wished he could do anything, yet he knew such a sentiment was pointless. They'll have to make do with this until the end.

The gears ran in his head, thinking of what he should say to her. He had to give her something so she won't simply leave and go off by herself. If he left her alone, he had no doubt she would scour the entire world in search of Hibiki, or more specifically, the way into where she is right now.

If he followed the same logic, then Miku would most likely be nearly impossible to reason with as she is right now. Only something that would benefit her directly would ever be able to take her notice.

But what could he say? What could he possibly offer her now—

'_Ah,' _he realized. '_Of course.'_

There was something he could offer her. After all, he just talked about it with Saint-Germain; they unanimously agreed that Miku had to get experience with using her Gear as well as the concept she is now carrying.

It was so simple.

"I'll teach you how to fight," he said.

Her eyes narrowed, and the other men looked to him in question. Ignoring their stares, he continued. "I know you won't agree, but as you are now you just simply won't be able to defeat her."

"It's not Hibiki I'm trying to defeat, it's—"

"I know, it's Gungnir," he said in her place, watching as her eyes narrowed at just the mention of her enemy. "Gungnir is the target, but unfortunately she's going to get in the way of your goal. Only by defeating her will you be able to remove it. I know you don't want to hurt her, but it's the only way we'll be able to win right now. Hibiki-kun has over a year of experience over you in how to use her Symphogear as well as battle tactics. You won't be able to win just as you are right now."

He glanced to his superiors for just a singular moment. "That's why I'll help you close the gap. I'll teach you how to fight... the same way I taught her."

That clearly caught her attention, as her eyes widened at his words. Her glowing orbs still unnerved him, but he swallowed it down. "I don't know how much time we truly have to do so, but we'll do what we can. It will no doubt be very intense, for both of us. My question is: will you be able to handle it?"

Her answer was immediate and resolute.

"Of course."

As expected.

He smiled, "Good, then we'll start right away. Give me a bit of time to finish the meeting, and we'll head over to the simulator to start. Is that alright with you?"

She contemplated the offer for a moment, then relaxed her posture. "Fine. Don't make me wait."

She sent one final glance to the three onlookers, then turned back around to the door of the bridge, her steps heavy and foreboding.

And he could only watch her go, his senses still dazed from the total complete flip her personality took in a span of a few hours.

If he could compare her to anything, it would be a neutron star. What was left from her supernova like explosion during the battle was a densely packed rage. It radiated off of her in such amounts it very nearly physically affected the space around her. Held intact by a single, overwhelming desire that now governed her very being, she became an extreme on the other side of the scale.

Similar, but fundamentally different from the black hole that Hibiki had become.

Just how similar are these two going to be?

And what would happen if they clashed now?

There was no answer to be gained as she left the bridge, and the door closed behind her.

He finally allowed himself to release the breath he held, and he turned back to the display. The three cabinet members let out relieved sighs.

Shibata leaned back in his chair. "Now that is something you don't see every day," he said, opening one of the drawers on his table to withdraw... a boxed lunch filled with noodles.

"Genjuro, I know I don't need to say this, but tread carefully," Maeda said. "Your father may still have some tricks up his sleeves, so I implore you to resolve this matter as quickly as possible. I trust your judgment in this, even if things didn't go as well as you planned."

"I will. I'm rather in the thick of things, so I need to keep my wits about regardless, as difficult as it is."

"Gen," Yatsuhiro said, catching his brother's attention. "Be careful. If you require assistance in anything, let me know immediately. I will provide you with whatever resources I can spare. For now, I must find out what can be done with the now homeless civilians."

The commander nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Aniki."

"We do not blame you for what has occurred, Gen," his brother continued, causing Genjuro's eyes to widen. "While it is unfortunate, I know it is not something you could have planned for, and that you have acted out of your best intentions to resolve this incident. Unfortunately, good intentions tend to lead to these outcomes."

Genjuro's shoulders sagged. "Yes, I agree."

"I'll do what I can to keep the press and other nations off your back while you prepare in the meantime," Yatsuhiro continued, giving a small smile. "Take care, brother, and tell Tsubasa that too. I figure she has her own burdens to deal with at the moment."

Genjuro couldn't help but smile in return. How did the two of them end up so different from Fudou he will never know, but it was reassuring to know his older brother was kind-hearted at his core. "I will. Thank you, Aniki."

Yatsuhiro nodded. "Very well then, it seems our meeting as come to its conclusion in an unexpected manner. Let us all do our part to restore peace to the land."

"Yes, let us do so," Maeda agreed.

"Thank you, gentlemen, for your assistance, and I'll see you at the victory party," Genjuro said with a smirk.

"Then, until next time, Genjuro," Shibata said.

And all three together ended the call, bringing back darkness to the bridge.

Letting out a deep breath, Genjuro sagged into his chair heavily, allowing the pressure to leave his body. "From one hot pan to the next, huh?"

He really couldn't catch a break, could he?

Well, he never did before, and now is not the time to get one either. Finally done with all the dragged on discussions, it was time to finally spring back into action.

And hone the blade that lusted after the blood of its enemy.

Even through the door, he could feel Miku's presence, waiting impatiently for him to walk out to fulfill his promise.

Now they would tread into his own territory, where he shined the brightest. In a way, he was excited to see what the outcome will be, and how he'll mold their training regiment to get the best results possible as quickly as they can. He did not doubt that in her current form, she'll more than be up to the task. With the other Adaptors' assistance, they will no doubt get plenty of progress in the short, unknown time they have.

Rising from his chair, he walked to the door, and it slid open before him. Just like he thought, she was there, leaning against the wall with her eyes closed in contemplation, still clad in her Gear. At his arrival, her eyes opened, and she pushed off the wall to stare at him.

He had only one thing to say.

"Let's go."

And he led the way, the girl falling into step behind him.


	23. Chapter 23: Family Bonds

_Ding dong._

_Ding dong._

_Ding dong._

_Oh? You came, my friends? Hello there, Mr. Turtle. Hello there, Mr. Crab. Hello there, Mr. Horse. Hello there, Miss Cow._

_You've all come to play? That's great! Let's dance and play house! First, Mr. Turtle, you'll be the daddy. Don't forget, you have to scream, and yell, and hurt, and murder. Only real dads do that. _

_Miss Cow, you play the role of the mom! Your role is to be gutted, and you need to scream, and beg, and be miserable! All you're allowed to do is watch and pray for it to be over! It's fun! That's what real moms do!_

_Mr. Crab, you have to play the selfish bystander! Your role is only to look and pretend you see nothing is happening! No... I know a better role for you! You can be one of the many who hate and fear! Your job is simple: make my life a living hell! Make sure I am never happy! It's fun! That's what real people do!_

_Mr. Horse, you get to be my friend! But not just any friend, but the friend that stabs me in the back! The one who abandons me when I need you the most! Don't worry, it's tough in the beginning, but I'm sure you can handle it! You can just leave me to die and wallow in pain, and then you get to laugh! It's really easy! It's what real friends do after all!_

_Oh? More friends are coming! That's great! Don't worry, I can find a role for each and every one of you! You can raise your voices all at once! Don't worry, I can hear them. I'll make sure you get the best role suited for you that I can give! It's easy! Oh? The name of the play? Isn't that really obvious? It's called "humanity"!_

_Isn't it just disgusting? What an ugly name. I wish whoever came up with it would die. They don't deserve to live for making it up. There's nothing fun with it around. You have to sit and watch it all day, and then pretend you enjoy what you see. I honestly can't stand it anymore. You can't trust the script, the actors, the audience, the lightning, and even yourself._

_I really hate that. I really really hate all of it. Oh? All of you hate it too? I'm glad. Come here, let's be friends forever. Let's work together to make sure nobody shows this stupid play ever again. Maybe then the scriptwriter will finally realize nobody likes his shitty creation. That piece of crap he somehow shit out of his rotten brain. _

_What a fucking loser. He really deserves to die. Die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die die!_

_Oh? What are you all doing? Ah, you're all coming together! That's amazing! I never thought you could do that! What? You'll do it for me? Awwww, I'm happy. You're making me blush! And you're so big now too! I didn't think you'd go so far for me._

_I'm glad. You're my real friends. You know what? How about we play house again? I'll be the mommy, and you be the daughter! And with all the friends we have joining us, it'll be very fun!_

_We'll go there and kill that piece of shit! Hahahahahahahahaha! It's fun! Fun fun fun!_

_I'm happy!_

_Now, we have to get ready! We have to show them we mean business!_

_Here, let me hold your hand. Ah? What does it mean? I dunno, I already forgot. It's kinda warm, but meh, it's fine I guess. We can do it if you want to, but I don't mind. My hands will eventually cave his skull in anyway, and I don't think you'd want to hold it then._

_Now, let's dance! Let's dance until the curtain call!_

-!-

An illusionary city came to life in front of her eyes. The previously bright steel walls filled with light as the fake sun shone above, and the destroyed city's past form came into existence around her.

Miku stood in the courtyard, not moving an inch, her eyes staring ahead at the commander approaching her. He raised his arm and stretched as he walked, coming to a stop a small distance in front of her.

"Sorry that took so long," he said, cracking his knuckles. "I'm not used to getting the simulator working by myself."

"It's fine," she responded in disinterest. "Let's not waste any more time."

Crossing his arms, he looked down at her. "Yes, I agree. But before we can do anything, I need to gauge what you can do, just on your own. Before any training or anything else."

Her eyes narrowed. "So you want me to fight you?" She asked incredulously.

"Yes, but I don't want you to just fight. I want you to go all out. I want you to let everything out and show me the true, full extent of your abilities. I need to see what we need to work on before we can get started," he explained further.

But she turned her eyes away from him. "I have no reason to go all out against you. You're not my enemy."

"Oh, is that so?" He responded with a smirk. "Then let's play a little game then; you can imagine I'm that enemy."

"I don't see how—"

"It doesn't matter. From now on, in your eyes, I'm the enemy. I'm Gungnir now."

The effect was almost immediate. As soon as he had uttered that name, he saw how the ocean in her eyes began to stir once more. How the blaze within was fed as her anger slowly rose to the surface. How the concept within her was reacting to his words, despite there being no real enemy for it to face.

It had gotten this far, didn't it? Just a simple utterance was enough to make the girl leak out her bloodthirsty aura that yearned for the death of its enemy. Once again, he inwardly had to groan at the sight.

But that was the reaction he wanted. If he can rile her up, she'll be more willing to go along with this. If he can anger her, get her furious, she'll try and do anything to take that 'enemy' down. By using her own impossible-to-reason-with mentality against her, he can have her act as he wants.

It's a cruel thing to do, but to get anywhere he's going to have to do it. They don't have a lot of time, so he has to make sure he knows everything about her lackluster fighting techniques before he can start honing what needs to be honed.

So he kept it going.

"Yes, look at me," he said, his arms lowering to his sides, taking no particular stance. "That's who I am. I'm All the Evils of this World. I am everything that you hate, everything that you oppose."

It was simple. With her mind a giant mess, it was so susceptible to such cheap tactics.

Just a bit more.

"You're never getting her back," Genjuro continued, and her hands clenched tightly. "She'll be mine forever. There is nothing you can do to save her now."

She bared her teeth now, and he could see her gritting them.

In response, he changed his expression. Losing out on the deriding look, he took on a mask of ferocity, of danger. His eyes glinted, his whole face darkening in front of her eyes, and now to her, with her mind clouded by hatred, she saw it.

"Give up."

Her whole frame shook. One of her hands opened slightly.

Now to finish it off.

"_Drown in your dreams and die."_

_(Play: Desperate Assault - Dragon Ball Super OST)_

She had heard enough.

The demon's form interposed itself on top of Genjuro in her vision. She could see the roiling black mass again, taunting her. She could hear its rumbling voice in her ears, and the shrieking of the hellish visages. It boiled her blood, giving rise to unrestrained anger.

He watched with interest as her fan appeared in her hand and she _charged, _swinging it at him with a ferocious yell.

He caught it before it hit. She grasped the handle with both hands, pushing more power into the strike. His eyes briefly widened as he saw his arm give way slightly, her strength truly surprising him.

But that would not be enough. He clenched his hand around the fan, and with a strong heave threw the girl away from him. She flew through the air, her back slamming into one of the fake buildings in the courtyard. He stood still, watching as she dislodged herself from the indent she left in the wall.

He raised a hand, and beckoned to her, daring her to attack. And she fell for his taunt immediately, her eyes shining.

"UWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

She roared, rushing at him at blinding speeds with her fan upraised. Instead of catching it, however, he parried it aside with his fists, studying her as her reaction speed became faster with each swing. But he needed to goad her further. This was not even close.

"Not enough!" He yelled, smashing the fan aside with the back of his fist. "Is that all you have?!"

As if on cue, violet light erupted around her fan, just like the night before. As she resumed her assault, this time he found it a bit more difficult to parry her strikes away. While he knew for a fact that the relic-destroying light of the Shenshoujing couldn't hurt him in any way, that did not mean that the relic steel was not able to hurt him. The light may not be a physical object, but the fan itself was.

And she kept it going. Every swing became stronger, yet they were still wild and reckless. But there was a certain focus to them now, he could see, every single one of them aiming for the pendant that did not exist on him.

Good, she knew what to look for.

But still, not enough. If she wanted to defeat Gungnir, she needed to give more than this.

"More!" He yelled, stepping into her guard and grabbing her wrist. She tried to pull it back, but his massive hand caged her, not letting her move a single inch. Seeing as he grabbed the arm that held the fan, she had a different idea.

Her free hand shot towards him, clenching into a fist that intended to strike at his collarbone. He smiled at her intuition, but he was faster. With his free hand, he caught her fist, closing his huge palm around it.

She bared her teeth again and poured power into her frame as she struggled to get away from his hold. But he was like a mountain, immovable and firm, and no matter what she did she couldn't get away from his grip.

Their eyes met, and the faked darkness in his shone. "You are weak. You will never win."

Her eyes widened once more at his words. Then, right under their feet, the ground began to shake, the simulated pavement cracking from the pressure that rose from her. He could see the aura from before return tenfold, much brighter and much more ferocious as the implications of his words sunk into her, flaring her will even higher.

And she _yanked_. Genjuro was nearly thrown off his feet, the shocking burst of strength that suddenly came from her shocking him. But he kept his hold on her arms, waiting to see how she'll react.

He was caught off guard when her head smashed into his chest, the relic steel of the upper part of her visor crashing against his ribcage. An instinctual pain shot through him, and without meaning to, his grip loosened slightly, and with a final strong pull, she released her arms.

Grasping the fan again with two hands, she swung once more. Stuck unable to block the blow in time, he took a single step back, the fan passing by where he stood just a millisecond later.

Now to see if she can block.

His arm _moved, _screaming through the air with a sonic boom. Caught off guard, she was forced to pull her fan back, placing it in the path of his strike as a shield. His fist smashed against it, and her bones rattled under the force. He had expected her to be launched away, but instead, the girl held her ground. Her feet slid across the fake concrete and stopped just a few meters away.

He smiled inwardly, and spoke again, deepening his voice further. "Is this all you're capable of? Do you think you can stand against me with that kind of power? Fool."

Goading her on further, she charged again blindly, a primal scream leaving her throat in volumes he did not believe were possible for a young girl like her. It was similar to her skyward yell that moment she used the Cursed Eden Module, and her unbending resolve as she fought against Hibiki. The air shook from her voice, and this time her strike was much more powerful than he anticipated.

But not powerful enough.

He stepped into her range once more, bypassing her swing completely. She only had a second to be surprised before his elbow smashed into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Dazed, she could not avoid the following low kick that pushed her feet aside, and she fell to the ground in a heap.

But Genjuro was not done yet. With his opponent on the ground, he went dangerous. He stepped on her back, causing her to scream in pain, and grabbed the arm not holding the fan.

And pulled, twisting it behind her in an angle an arm had no right to be in.

She squirmed under his hold, struggling and thrashing as the pain became unbearable. She tried in vain to remove the mountain off of her, but he would not budge an inch. He continued to pull back on her arm, showing her no mercy.

"Where is all that power I saw before?!" He yelled at her. "Where is the fire?! The rage?! The anger with which you swore to destroy me?! Is that all you're capable of?! Is this all your feelings amount to?! That is why you'll fail! That is why you'll never have her back! Fall into despair and cry, and blame only yourself for your weakness! Your heart is weak, your love is weak, and you are weak!"

Going full-on villain mode like in many movies he watched in the past, he threatened and taunted her endlessly. He let her know very well what he—what the _demon—_was capable of doing. She continued struggling, shrieking loudly like a banshee.

"You'll have no mercy from me, Kohinata Miku! Tachibana Hibiki will never again see the light of day for the rest of eternity!"

And at those words, she _stiffened. _Watching carefully, Genjuro saw as once more the aura rose, this time engulfing her completely. Gale winds shook even the counterfeit buildings with their power. His tie blew in the storm, but he continued holding on.

Until her body began to tremble, and he felt the muscles in the arm he was holding clench and tighten.

And she _heaved, _turning over despite her earlier failing to, causing his position to shift and for his leg to move off her back. Now on her back and staring at him, he was momentarily shocked to see the absolute hatred and fury in her eyes, glowing brighter than the counterfeit daylight the simulator brought about.

Her legs moved faster than he thought possible and slammed into his stomach with full force. His eyes widened as this time he was the one who got the wind knocked out of him. He staggered backwards as he clutched his abdomen from the sharp pain that accompanied her kick.

It was then she took the opportunity to rise back to her feet. She swung the fan again in his direction, attempting to finally strike him down. But he was still far from done, and immediately caught the fan in his hand once more.

And then she blind-sided him. Right before her weapon met his palm, she released her hold on the handle, the fan remaining in his hand without its wielder on the other side. He only had a moment to be surprised before she planted her feet.

"**GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**

Her fist roared in his direction, this time her own punch leaving behind sonic booms.

But unlike his, hers found purchase. He was struck full force in the chest, and despite her complete lack of experience he was blown off his feet, thrown backwards through the air to the other side of the courtyard. He smiled, and flipped over in midair to land, catching sight of her charging towards him once more.

Yep, that was what he needed to see.

He raised his hand.

"Stop."

And her fist smashed into his open palm. He closed his hand around it, arresting her movements once more. She once again struggled in his hold, but he found it much easier than before. She pulled on her own arm with her free hand, her teeth bared as she attempted in vain to escape.

She was still green, he noticed. She lacked experience, and even though she had the might of a powerful concept on her side, she would not be able to win against him. Having gauged her power in full, he had all he needed to know.

"It's over, Miku-kun," he said, dropping the mask of the devil and returning to his normal, serious yet confident expression. "That's enough."

It was clear she did not hear him, as she continued to struggle and thrash wildly even with her fist caught in his hand. He narrowed his eyes as she tried to assault him, but every single wild blow she tried to throw his way with her free arm failed to make a difference. Unwilling to waste any more time, Genjuro realized he was going to have to do this the hard way.

He immediately delivered a strong chop to the side of her neck.

She stiffened momentarily, her eyes wide, only for them to roll back into her head as she lost consciousness, falling limp in his arms. He caught her before she hit the ground, and he was surprised to see that the Shenshoujing... was not disappearing into motes of light like he was used to seeing.

'_This... is new,' _he thought but decided not to dwell on it right now.

Making sure she was still breathing, he lowered her to the ground slowly on her back, the cracks she created in the buildings and the street fixing themselves after a few moments.

And he watched as her chest rose and lowered, studying her features carefully. '_This thing... is no joke,' _he had to admit, recalling just how much trouble she managed to give him despite the difference in their strength and experience.

'_She hasn't thrown a punch in her life, yet now she managed to deal some nice damage,' _he thought, lightly touching his stomach where her feet smashed into him earlier. It would definitely bruise, and that was something he did not expect.

But that was good. That was very, very good. Having successfully made her use all the power she could muster, he was pleased by the results. He knew she had it in her, now she just needed to learn how to channel and use it correctly.

And well, that was what he was here for. That was what he promised, and he would make due on that promise.

Now to just wait for her to wake up, again.

-!-

'_I won't forgive you.'_

_Her mind churned, repeatedly, that once singular fury dominating her thoughts._

'_I won't forgive you.'_

_The demon looked down on her. It watched, it saw, and it laughed in her face. She recalled how it had held her, attempting to crush her. It saw her as beneath it, yet it still sensed the danger she posed to it. Therefore, it attempted to frighten her. Oh, how it tried to destroy her spirits and force her to surrender._

"_You can't win."_

_But there was no way she'd ever give in to its taunts. There was no way in hell she'd ever surrender to such a thing._

_Because she hated it. She had always hated it. That thing that took her sun away. From the day she first saw it, she never trusted it. It seemed vile and evil, and it pretended to be truthful and benevolent throughout the entire time she held it._

_What her shining Sun had inherited from the lost wing was not a legacy. It was a curse. That girl dared to die and pass on this disease onto another, making it latch onto her without anyone knowing about it._

'_I won't forgive you.'_

_She won't let it get away with it._

"_**NEMESIS..."**_

'_I won't forgive you.'_

-!-

Miku's eyes opened. Shooting up from the floor, she looked around in a hurry to confirm her surroundings. '_The demon, it's—'_

"It looks like you're up," a gruff voice said beside her. "Good job. That's the first time anyone woke up that early from that."

She looked up, seeing Genjuro standing next to her.

Her eyes narrowed. "You tricked me."

"Of course I did," was his answer. "You made it too easy."

Her eyes widened at his brutal honesty. His gaze met hers, and his expression hardened as he made sure she understood what he meant even without saying anything.

He extended a hand to her to help her up, and she stared at his large palm for a moment before turning her head and rising to her feet on her own. She looked to him again, anger marring her features. "Are you satisfied now?"

Genjuro crossed his arms. "Are you?" He asked back, and she bit her lip, tilting her head down. "I saw all I needed to see, so at least I got what I wanted from this. What do you think?"

"I think all we did was waste time," Miku answered in frustration. "You said you'd help me, not get in my way."

He sighed, cradling his face with his hand. Truly, an unreasonable mindset. "Listen, Miku-kun. This is not about me here. You need to understand that you won't be able to win if you face her as you are now. You may have the power, but you lack control. The very fact I managed to rile you up by pretending even after you said you won't cooperate is already proof enough of that."

Silence.

"This is one of the major things you're gonna have to take care of. You can't let your hatred for Gungnir cloud your judgment. This will be a difficult battle, and if you want to win, you have to remain calm."

She recalled someone say that to her at once point, but she couldn't remember who exactly said it. Something about not fighting out of hatred? Damn, nothing came to mind... but it was not wrong. She knew that it wasn't, as much as she loathed to admit it.

Miku looked away from him. "You expect me to just let it do what it wants?" She asked between clenched teeth.

He facepalmed once more. '_Jumping to conclusions indeed. How it comes around, doesn't it Miku-kun?'_

"I never said that, and you know it," he said. "Now, let's not lose any more time speaking."

She turned to look to him, and he pointed to her. "Symphogear, off," he commanded. There was something he wanted to make sure of. If their situations are now similar, it's possible the two of them would react similarly to the same situation.

That was important since it could give them a clue into how Hibiki was thinking as well. And one of the first things he noticed since this whole incident began was that Hibiki had not removed her Gear even once since then.

Now, was it because of the curses or something else?

Silence once more, and her eyes narrowed.

"What's wrong, Miku-kun? We need to get some exercise done first. It's not exactly helpful if you do it while boosted by the Symphogear's abilities."

"What's the point?" She asked back. "I'm not going to be fighting naked. I might as well get the training done like this. I don't have time to humor you."

He raised an eyebrow at her response. So it was a mental reason? Interesting. It seems that she, as well as Hibiki, might have an aversion to removing it now that their mindsets have changed. Was it because the power was getting to their heads? Maybe, but it was all conjecture, a theory he could not prove, but it at least gave him an idea.

In that case...

"Very well, then we'll do this," he said instead, using his finger to point at various pieces of her armor. "Knee-guards, off. Visor, off. Those cables on your arms, off. Anything that could get in the way, take it off."

It was a strange thing to ask, but he knew that parts of a Gear were removable. The fact that a part of it could be destroyed while the rest remained, as was the case with Hibiki destroying the heels on hers, confirmed it was possible.

She seemed reluctant, but this time went along with his words. Wordlessly, the parts he mentioned disappeared into motes of light, leaving nothing but the undersuit on her body.

"Good. Now, if I remember correctly, you have some track and field experience, right?" He asked, and she nodded slightly. "Show me then. Run laps around the city until you collapse."

"...why?"

"Because I need to see how long you can last, and how good your stamina is. You don't know how long the battle will be, so it's imperative we get a measure on your physical fitness before anything, and fix what we can with the time we got," he explained evenly.

She looked to him with narrowed eyes, skeptical about his methods.

"You may think I'm pulling your leg here, but I'm not. Everything I'm telling you right now is what Hibiki-kun did. If you want to match up to her, you'll have to be as good as she is. And she started from zero, unlike you. Prove to me you can surpass her and then we can start thinking about how you can win."

But she was still skeptical, just looking at him, and he could see how she was judging him with those slightly glowing eyes. "I don't know how well that would work. You said you'd train me, not toss me around like a ragdoll. Why should I go along with this?"

In response, he simply gestured with his head behind her. "Because if you don't, you'll never catch up with her."

Now to see if it will work a second time.

Her brows furrowed, and she turned to where he was looking.

Then froze.

"Miku..."

She was there. She was right there, clad in the Symphogear form she always remembered. How was she there, right in front of her? That was impossible! She was... she was...

"Miku..."

No, she was speaking too. How? This... this couldn't be an illusion, could it? She looked to him once more, her eyes wide in shock, and he simply smiled. When she turned her head back to her childhood friend, she could see her start walking away and into the fake street the simulator had created.

Unable to stop herself, Miku took the first step forward. "Wait..."

But Hibiki didn't stop. She simply accelerated, starting from a slow strut to speed walking, putting more distance between them. '_No! Don't go! I'm not...!'_

And she too picked up speed, desperate to catch up to her best friend's retreating form. But no matter what she did, she only seemed to be getting farther away and out of her reach, and sheer anguish filled Miku's heart at the sight. "Hibiki! Wait!"

She yelled, but Hibiki's only response was to start running. When Miku realized she was only getting further away, she too pushed strength into her legs and began to chase her, running after Hibiki's form. Nothing else in her vision but her, and she frantically ran as hard as her legs could take her.

Genjuro watched as the two disappeared in between the counterfeit buildings, completely ignoring his existence there. At any other time, he might have smiled, but this time, he couldn't.

Because he deceived the girl again. Using the simulator, he conjured up a fairly basic hologram of Hibiki. It was a simplistic affair, and every other Adaptor had a hologram of their own that was rarely used but sometimes was still useful when needed.

So he once again decided to take advantage of Miku's total tunnel-vision to spur her into action, using the hologram as a motivation to start running. While she might believe she'll be able to catch up to her, she won't ever be able to. The hologram was programmed to stay a certain distance away from her at all times. Close enough that she will still feel like she could make it, but far enough that she will be forced to speed up or risk losing her again.

It was an insanely cruel thing to do, and he knew it. But he couldn't let that stop him, as he vowed that he would do all he could in order the achieve their final objective. And if that required him to take advantage of her own muddled and chaotic mind, forcing her to experience sadness as she ran after a non-existent form... then so be it.

And he continued to watch, studying her carefully as she made rounds around the city, this time sprinting at full speed. Raising the stopwatch he held in his hand, he clicked and let the timer run.

-!-

The cafeteria wasn't as bustling with activity as Tomosato expected it to be. With everyone on standby, she thought she'd see more of her fellow employees walking about. Yet upon walking in to grab some good, she was surprised to see that only a handful of people filled the tables.

Among the isolated groups, she caught sight of a familiar cascade of silver hair. She raised an eyebrow as she caught sight of Saint-Germain, who currently seemed to be deep in thought as she ate.

It was a surreal sight for the bridge woman. She hadn't seen someone with just one hand try to eat before, and she could see how the alchemist, despite her best efforts, was somewhat struggling.

Tomosato sighed to herself as she quickly grabbed her own plate of food from the kitchen lady. She said her thanks and turned back, heading to the table Saint-Germain sat at. The alchemist did not notice her approach, instead focusing on trying to cut the steak in half with just a fork. She clicked her tongue when the meat refused to budge.

As soon as Tomosato sat in front of her and placed her tray down on the table, Saint-Germain finally raised her head. "Tomosato Aoi."

"Hey there, Saint-Germain," the bridge woman said with a smile. "You can just call me Aoi. You don't have to be formal with me."

"I see..." the alchemist mumbled. She grumbled, putting the fork down back on her tray. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Tomosato giggled, "No, I just saw you sitting alone and thought I'd join you," she said with a smile. "On the contrary, I should ask if you're the one who needs a little help."

"I'm fine," Saint-Germain said firmly, picking up her knife this time. "I'm not so helpless as to struggle with a mere plate of food."

She said that, but upon attempting the same tactic with just the knife, Tomosato could see that she was having just as much trouble. Unable to just watch the proud woman struggle with her food, the bridge woman reached over the table and lightly put her hand atop Saint-Germain's.

"Let me help, alright?"

"I will not be a burden to—"

"I know you don't want to be a burden, and again, I'm telling you that you're not," Tomosato insisted, "But part of working in a team is to ask for help when you need it. It'd be a lot more embarrassing to get stuck on this for the entire afternoon. That's what friends are for, right?"

The alchemist grumbled to herself, obviously considering the bridge woman's offer. She recalled how calm and collected she was while giving directions in the last battle, which eased her worries. Among all of S.O.N.G's employees, she had strangely found herself getting along well with her. She wasn't sure why, but it just felt like a mutual understanding and respect was reached between them. She still couldn't comprehend why the woman involved herself with someone like her, who used to be her enemy, but...

'_Friends?'_

"I... see..."

Is that... what she thought? The only friends Saint-Germain could admit she had were Cagliostro and Prelati, and that was only after decades of working side by side. It felt so... alien to interact with others. She had never truly given much thought to such a thing before.

But maybe... another wouldn't be so bad?

The alchemist put down her knife, "Very well. My thanks, Tomosato Aoi."

"Just Aoi is fine," the bridge woman reminded her, bringing Saint-Germain's tray closer. She immediately got to cutting the steak into more manageable bite-sized chunks, and Saint-Germain studied her the entire time. She placed her arm on the table and sighed deeply.

"What's up? Tomosato asked her.

"I'm merely wondering what our next course of action will be. It is unsettling that the time we have to work with is unknown," Saint-Germain replied, staring down at the table. "I am unfortunately unable to join the Adaptors in their training, so all I have to give are Alca-Noise troops. We need as many prepared as we possibly can."

She began calculating in her head, making imaginary equations on the table with her finger, "Taking the materials I have in stock into consideration, then I should—"

But Tomosato interrupted her by returning her tray to her, with the steak now neatly cut into cubes. "You can worry about that later. First, you gotta eat," she said, dragging her own back and getting to eat her own meal. "You won't be able to think straight without a full stomach."

Saint-Germain narrowed her eyes for a moment, then stared at her plate. She took hold of the fork and began eating, now having a much easier time with the smaller, bite-sized chunks.

"Speaking of which, I don't mind helping you out with making those Alca-Noise," Tomosato spoke up, catching the alchemist's attention in the middle of a bite. "I may not know much, but I know more than you expect."

"That won't be necessary," Saint-Germain said, swallowing. "I am perfectly fine on my own—"

She stopped, taking note of Tomosato's raised eyebrow.

It seems the bridge woman was going to be stubborn. Saint-Germain sighed once again. "Very well."

The bridge woman beamed. "Good! Now, business aside, why don't you tell me about yourself?"

"Hm?"

"You know, small talk. That's how people start becoming friends. I know you've had a... harsh childhood, but I'd like to know more about you. I'll tell you about me as well in exchange. How about it?"

Saint-Germain grumbled again. '_How... pushy. But, it's not... unpleasant.'_

She could humor the woman, right? As thanks for helping her out. Gratitude was a virtue after all.

"Very well. It all started around three hundred years ago..."

-!-

"Three hours and thirty-six minutes. I have to say I'm impressed, Miku-kun," he said to her the moment she collapsed to her hands and knees in front of him. Sweat poured down from her face to the ground in droves. "None of the others even came close to this result, even with their Symphogears on. For you to get triple their time is nothing short of incredible."

If he was complimenting her, she didn't hear him or she didn't care, because at the moment she was doing all she could to once again regulate her breathing. Her legs burned from the sheer amount of exertion they had gone through. Swallowing down the spit that rose in her throat, she spoke in between heavy breaths. "You... tricked... me... again..."

"Of course I did," he said, echoing his words from before. "And you let it happen again."

"I... don't... see... how... torturing... me... is... supposed... to... help..."

He squatted down to her level, staring at her bundle of hair that was covering her face. "Listen to me, Miku-kun. The reason you'll lose is not that you lack experience, but because you lose your cool and your mind gets clouded far too easily. There is nothing wrong with wanting to get her back, but you won't do so by discarding reason. You're fighting an opponent that is highly unpredictable and will get the jump on you and surprise you and do whatever it takes to beat you. And believe me when I say it, she won't be nearly as nice as I am."

Her only response was to keep breathing heavily, and he continued. "You said you'll be able to handle it. Are you taking it all back?"

"No... way..."

"Good, that's what I like to hear. Hibiki-kun faced a similar obstacle, and she didn't even consider stopping for a moment. Do you know why that is?"

Slowly regulating breathing was her answer.

"It's because she had something she wanted to fight for. She didn't want to be a burden on Tsubasa, and she wanted to do all she could to protect the ones she cared about. Does that sound in line with the Hibiki-kun you know?"

She nodded her head fiercely.

"So I want to see the same fire in you. I know you don't give a damn about the rest of the world, but in order to save her you'll have to push past your limits; nothing less than that will be enough. Now, do you think you can handle that?"

There was no response from her, as she simply continued to stare at the ground.

"Well?"

This time she nodded. And he smiled.

"Good. Take a short break, and then we can begin the real deal."

-!-

Kirika stirred awake, her eyes fluttering open. She stared at the ceiling of her shared quarters momentarily before glancing over to her nightstand, squinting her eyes to read the time the clock was displaying.

"2 PM?" She muttered. She remembered that the commander wanted them to meet him again at 3 PM, but he never specified where. Well, not like it mattered, but Kirika was surprised she woke up before Shirabe, who was still sleeping soundly at the other side of the room. They had set their alarm to 2:30, making sure they had enough time to get ready and meet him. But waking up so much earlier?

"Ughh..." Kirika murmured. There was no way she was going to fall asleep again, that was for sure. Rising from her bed quietly as to not awaken her roommate, the blonde dressed in the same clothes she wore earlier, having been discarded by her bedside without much thought.

Glancing to Shirabe for a moment after putting her shoes on, Kirika tiptoed her way to the door. She held back a yelp as it suddenly slid open, light from the hallway pouring into the room. She briefly looked to Shirabe again and saw her stir slightly, only to settle down once more. Breathing a sigh of relief, Kirika finished her quest of leaving the room, watching as the door slid closed.

"Phew," she murmured, wiping her brow. "I guess everyone is still sleeping?"

She reckoned they were. Now finding herself lost, she pursed her lips in frustration. "Ughh... I should have gone back to sleep."

Well, no way that was going to happen now. In that case, the best choice was to kill time until they had to meet up. But... how will she do that?

"I guess I'll walk around," she said to herself, and picking a random direction, walked down the hallway in silence.

At least, that's what she thought. Now that her mind was no longer muddled by sleep, she finally had the chance to just think. To understand everything that had happened so far, something she desperately wished she could have done earlier. But with all the intense fighting they had, thinking deeply was not something they had the luxury to do... not that it mattered to her, as she was never the type to think too hard about anything. Yet she found herself doing so anyway, absentmindedly walking forward.

'_Miku-san...' _She thought to herself, her face falling. Everything had gone to hell so damn quickly she barely managed to keep up, and Saint-Germain's explanation sounded like she was speaking in hieroglyphics.

And Kirika knew that you can't speak in hieroglyphics!

'_Maybe it's an alchemist thing?' _She wondered but shook the thought aside. That wasn't what was important. No, what mattered was the fact that Hibiki became evil, and that Miku was her polar opposite now. That's what she managed to gather from the talks they had.

The actual specifics, however, didn't matter to her. All that little summary told her was that Miku was going to have to fight Hibiki alone.

Again. For the third time.

'_It's my fault, isn't it...' _She found herself thinking, her pace slowing down slightly. '_It's because I let that bastard do it. If I had bothered to think about stopping him even for a second, then...'_

Looking back at it, she couldn't believe how stupid they acted. All the signs were there that Ver was absolutely off his rockers, but they just refused to believe he would actually go through with it. Only Shirabe was smart enough to understand and made the correct choice of defecting to S.O.N.G at the first opportunity.

'_Shirabe is smarter than me... she noticed, and I didn't. All I cared about was making sure someone remembered me... but what was the point? Even if I was Fine's vessel, no one would be left to remember if that bastard won. Hibiki-san was right about me...'_

Realizing things in hindsight was a terrible feeling, she found out. So to make up for all her mistakes... she knew she had to do everything she could to help, no matter what. She'd stand together with everyone to bring Hibiki back.

And finally celebrate her birthday together, even if it was months too late.

It was then Kirika realized that she had wandered quite far off. Raising her head, she found herself right beside the simulator door, staring at it with a confused expression. She immediately noticed that the green lights that usually indicated that it was empty were red.

'_Someone's inside?' _She wondered, staring at the large circular door in front of her. From what she knew, whenever the simulator was occupied it was impossible to go inside so long as it was running... but so many people said contradicting things about it she wasn't sure anymore.

Well, not like it would hurt her to try. She didn't have anything better to do right now. Flashing her keycard over the reader, she was surprised to hear an acknowledging beep before the door slid open, treating her to the sight of a clean and wide cityscape. Shaking off the shock, she stepped inside, the door closed behind her with a metallic click. It briefly shimmered before it suddenly disappeared, blending into the wall of the skyscraper it had materialized.

'_Well, that worked,' _she thought triumphantly, walking forward to see what this was all about. Just as she was about to turn the corner, she heard the sound of striking, as if something was being punched repeatedly. Curious, she peeked from the corner and stared into the courtyard itself.

"Again! Put your back into it!" She heard Genjuro yell. Her eyes drifted to the punching back that was struck by Miku of all people, who was still wearing her Symphogear. To further deepen the shock, she saw how her fellow classmate was using so much force she nearly toppled her target. "Hibiki-kun can punch a mountain shorter! Anything less than that will be like throwing a wet towel at a concrete wall! Eat lightning and crap thunder! That's our motto! Understood?!"

He was met with the sound of a more furious strike, this time the corner of his mouth rising slightly.

The repetitions continued for a few minutes, and Kirika watched quietly, not willing to disturb their training. '_Miku-san...' _

So this is what Saint-Germain meant, she realized. Well, it was obvious after all, as the only way Miku was going to get stronger was through training, as well as getting some much needed experience with her Gear.

And then Kirika sneezed.

All at once the repetitions stopped, and the two at the courtyard stared in her direction. Startled, she quickly hid behind the corner again, hoping that they did not notice her.

"Kirika-kun, hiding won't work."

She stiffened, then, realizing she was caught exited her hiding place, her hands joined behind her back in embarrassment. "S-sorry, I didn't mean to peek..."

But Genjuro smiled. "It's fine. It's nice of you to join us."

Smiling back, she walked towards the duo. However, something was strange, she noticed. The entire time, Miku was staring at her with her eyes narrowed like a watchful hawk. Kirika could see the caution in her form, which made the blonde Adaptor uncomfortable.

"We could use your help, actually," Genjuro said, causing the blonde to look to him in puzzlement. "Once we're done with the repetitions, I want you to spar with her."

Kirika blinked several times in astonishment. "Spar with... Miku-san?" She murmured, looking towards the Shenshoujing Adaptor. She ignored the two of them, reentering the stance Genjuro taught her and continued her repetitions. "Okay, I guess. I mean, if I can help then I'll happily do it."

Genjuro nodded. "Good. No holding back either. We're going straight to the deep end."

"Ah..." The girl let out, not sure how to respond to what he said. She could see how that would help, but still... She had a bad feeling she could not explain. She turned to Miku, who stopped punching the bag momentarily to rest her arms. Taking the opportunity to speak Kirika flashed her a small smile. "Miku-san, I—"

"I have nothing to say to you."

Kirika's eyes widened in confusion at Miku's cold answer. "Miku...san?"

Her classmate—now fellow Adaptor turned to her and looked her dead in the eyes. Kirika nearly flinched in fright, the look in Miku's eyes sending shivers down her spine. It contained so much within it, but of all the things, the burning hatred was unmistakable.

Genjuro raised an eyebrow, watching their interaction carefully. A moment later, Miku's eyes drifted to the pendant hanging loosely above Kirika's shirt, eyeing it with a grimace. But she remained quiet and turned back to the punching bag to continue her practice, striking it with a fair bit more force than before.

Kirika stared at her in shock, taken off guard by her out of character attitude. Putting a hand on her shoulder and pulling her back for a moment, Genjuro spoke lowly so only she could hear. "Kirika-kun... don't take it personally."

She stared up at him with wide eyes, and he continued over the sound of the striking. "This is something that we anticipated. I ask that you don't let it get to you."

Kirika couldn't help but feel concerned from his words, her eyes moving back to look at Miku. "We're almost finished," he said, tapping her on the back. "Get yourself ready and pumped up. She'll need to learn how to swing her weapon too eventually, so it's better if she gets some experience with it now. Your weapon is a bit strange but it will work. We need to be ready for anything."

Which was impossible, a fact he knew very well. But it mattered little, as any experience she could get was precious.

"O-Okay then, I'll just..." Kirika mumbled, looking back to Miku once again, then pointed to a space in the courtyard. "Be over there."

And she scuttled away, intent on not interrupting their training more than she should. She briefly glanced to Miku once more, then began to stretch, prepping herself up for the task she has decided to undergo.

-!-

"Very well then, I assume the both of you are ready?" Genjuro asked, looking at the two Adaptors standing opposite to each other in the courtyard. On one side was Miku, still clad in her Gear, this time with all the armor having been rematerialized for the spar. Her fan was in her hand, and she simply stared at her opponent with a frown.

On the other side other was Kirika, also wearing her Gear. She held her scythe in one hand, looking towards her sparring partner with uncertainty. It was hard to get used to such a piercing stare.

Genjuro noticed this but resumed regardless. "As I said, no holding back. Go as wild as you need to... but Miku-kun, no destroying the Gear. We still need it after all. Understood?"

If she heard him, she didn't acknowledge what he said, and simply clenched the handle of her fan tighter. Kirika swallowed and entered her stance as she prepared for combat.

Silence fell upon them. Crossing his arms, the commander's eyes darted between the two fighters, studying them thoroughly.

Then, gave the signal.

"Begin!"

_(Play: The Knight of Rebellion - Fate/Apocrypha OST)_

Kirika didn't have time to register his command before Miku charged towards her at blinding speeds. Caught off guard, she yelped and raised her scythe to block the swing, the fan clinging against the long handle of her weapon. To further her shock, she felt as Miku began to push her back.

Thinking on the fly, the Ig-Alima Adaptor jumped backwards, disengaging from the lock. But Miku was hot on her heels, and she was once again forced to jump away, avoiding the Shenshoujing Adaptor's wild strikes.

Genjuro's voice rose at that moment. "I said no holding back, Kirika-kun!" He yelled. "She's a total novice! You have far more experience than her! Show her what you can do!"

'_Easier said than done!' _The blonde thought. It was absolute insanity. If beforehand she had believed she could take her in a straight-up fight, now she was not so sure. It couldn't have been just because of her Gear's special properties. '_How did she become so strong?!'_

"This training isn't just for her! It's for you as well!" Genjuro continued. "We can't allow ourselves to slack off for even a moment! We must all shed blood, sweat, and tears to reach our pinnacle! Nothing less than that will be enough!"

Kirika gritted her teeth. She knew he was right, but...

'_This is no time to hesitate!'_

Avoiding one more swing, Kirika planted her feet and swung her scythe with all her might. It tore through the air towards the once-temporary Adaptor, who remained calm and raised her fan to block the strike. But it proved to be far more powerful than she expected, and she was sent flying through the air to crash against the side of a building.

And she wasn't done yet. The edge of her scythe multiplied, and she swung, sending green crescent towards where Miku was stuck.

'_**KILL JULIET'**_

Only for a beam of violet light to erupt from the wreckage, striking the projectiles before they could hit, evaporation them to dust. Kirika watched with a raised eyebrow as the smoke dispersed, and Miku stood inside the hole she was stuck in, letting out a deep breath.

'_No holding back, he said? Then—!"_

She dashed, placing herself in front of the building in an angle where she could see its entire length. Then, she held her scythe behind her, pouring power into it. The bladed end elongated, shimmering with a brilliant green light.

And then she swung, slicing the building in half horizontally.

Rubble was thrown in all directions as the entire fake structure began to crumble, and Miku stumbled, finding herself in a dangerous situation. She narrowed her eyes, then jumped out, flipping in mid-air. The building collapsed, and now upside down right above Kirika, she aimed her fan and fired, raining down a barrage of beams right on her location.

The blonde noticed her attempts and immediately began to retreat, avoiding the lights as they struck the ground. Miku landed back on her feet on another rooftop and instantly began to give chase, using her flight as an advantage to close the distance. Kirika ran through the streets as Miku continued to fire on her location from above, flying above the structures.

But the blonde's experience shone through, anticipating where the lights would hit as she weaved in between them, and Miku grit her teeth in frustration at her lack of accuracy. Smashing the visor closed over her eyes, her vision filled with red, and she completely ignored the vertigo it caused her. She locked onto the running green Adaptor, attempting to correct her aim.

Only for Kirika to slide to a stop, and rather than continue running in a straight line suddenly jumped to the side, her feet planting against the side of the building next to her. Her feet caved in the simulated concrete, and before Miku could correct her aim Kirika jumped from the wall to the adjacent building, this time higher than before. Once more Miku was forced to fix her aim, having difficulty following after the faster girl. And Kirika simply continued her ascent like so, jumping between the walls of the buildings. Miku's eyes widened as the Ig-Alima Adaptor reached her altitude, her scythe raised high in the air.

Miku raised her fan just in time to stop the swing, and together the two girls were brought back down to the ground. As they landed, Miku found her knees bending under the sheer weight and power of the blow.

From afar, Genjuro looked on with an even expression. This was exactly what he was going to try and fix: the overwhelming power of All the Hopes of this World was being held back by her inexperience, which was something every single one of the Adaptors had over her in droves.

With a yell, Miku pushed against the scythe, deflecting it the side. In a split-second decision, she unsummoned her fan, and spread her arms to the sides. The cables hanging off her arms suddenly came to life, striking Kirika in a barrage of whiplike flicks.

'_**REVERBERATION'**_

Kirika raised her scythe to block some of the strikes, but many other landed unabated on her body. She gritted her teeth as she held her ground.

'_This...actually hurts!' _the blonde Adaptor realized.

But that was not enough to bring her down.

As the cables continued to strike her, she waited for the golden opportunity, closing one eye.

'_There!'_

The opening presented itself. The moment that the two cables struck simultaneously, Kirika threw her scythe into the air, throwing them off course and disrupting Miku's attack. The Shenshoujing Adaptor had no time to voice her surprise as Kirika suddenly stepped into her guard, too close for her to try and retaliate in time.

And then, applying all the painstaking lessons she had received from Genjuro, Kirika's fist burst forward, nailing Miku in the stomach. So much power was contained in the strike that Miku was thrown backwards, but skidded across the ground to come to a complete stop. A second later, the scythe came down, and Kirika caught it in one hand, twirling it a few times before entering a low stance.

'_Miku-kun is doing a good job and a bad job at the same time,' _Genjuro gleaned from the skirmish he witnessed. '_She knows to aim for the pendant, but she's too aggressive. Her tunnel vision is a big problem.'_

Well, all of the Adaptors had a minor awareness problem, but in her case it was pronounced, almost total.

And Genjuro couldn't even say he was surprised since he knew she had every reason to hate the Gears... but if she let that hatred lead her astray, then...

Just as he thought that Miku charged once again, and Kirika was nearly reminded of artificial and mechanical skills she had displayed back during the Frontier Incident. At the time the girl was barely considered conscious, her mind overtaken by Ver's machinations.

It was a disturbing sight to see then, and it was equally as depressing to see now. Yet the Ig-Alima Adaptor knew that right now Miku was acting out of her own free will, spurned onwards by nothing but her singular desire.

The clash renewed once more, sparks flying off in all directions.

As Genjuro watched, several figures walked up behind him. Without turning around, he beckoned to them. "Good, you're all here."

"Commander," Shirabe said, her eyes glued to the fight she was witnessing, worry filling her being as she noticed Kirika was one of the combatants. "What's going on?"

"The first lesson," he responded. "All of you, watch what is happening closely, and tell me what it is you see."

Four sets of eyes turned to the fight, watching as Miku's assault become much more fierce, pushing Kirika back, causing her to slide across the ground. Her eyes, however, were not looking her opponent in the face, but just a bit lower at the red pendant above her chest.

It was as if the mere sight of the thing caused her rage to boil, and she screamed, the sound piercing through Kirika's ears and causing her to wince involuntarily. But she was still not defeated just yet, and she successfully parried aside the inexperienced girl's now extremely wild blows. They were more powerful, but elegance and tactics were nothing but shadows of their former selves, her anger blinding her to even her own body.

And that did not go unnoticed by the four Adaptors watching.

"Miku-san, she's—" Maria began.

"Completely lost sight of herself once more," Tsubasa finished for her. She turned to look at her Uncle, her eyes questioning. "Is this..."

"Yes," He answered. "The one-track mind that is going to have to be broken through. She's seeing nothing but her hatred for the Symphogears, completely forgetting what it is that she wanted to do in the first place."

Maria bit her lip, and once again eyed the battle. "This is almost exactly like Hibiki-san."

"And you wouldn't be wrong to think that. Fortunately for us, however, she's on our side. That means we can try and understand how she thinks... and work our way around it. I already managed to trick her into cooperating, and I know for a fact she realized that I played her for a fool," Genjuro explained. "But as I told Kirika-kun, this training isn't just for Miku-kun; this is for all of you. All of us together need to up the ante, and Miku-kun will need to catch up to all of your progress."

"But that—." Tsubasa began to say.

"Is going to be difficult. But you all know what is on the line; I trust you are prepared for anything that I may have in store."

'_Your store, however, is very big, commander,' _Shirabe thought to herself.

"Now then," Genjuro said. "Chris-kun, what is it that you see?"

Her eyes widened for a moment at his question, then turned back to the fight. "It's like I'm looking at the idiot all over again. All power and no thinking, and only looking straight ahead without noticing everything else," she answered, her teeth gritting in frustration. "Seriously, just how similar are they going to be?"

"Damn straight," Genjuro replied. "And that will be something big that we'll be focusing on: awareness."

The fight continued, and now, with Miku having discarded any attempts at strategy, the eventual winner was easy to see from a mile away. "If we let the fight continue without stopping them, Kirika-kun will win regardless of what happens from here on out. The difference between them is simply too great at the moment, both in skill and mindset. If she can't even defeat an Adaptor in the normal configuration, she'll never beat Hibiki-kun like she needs to."

And he walked forward towards the two battling Adaptors, who did not even notice his approach.

"STOP!"

Kirika immediately froze in her tracks at his sudden shout, throwing off her defense completely. In that small space that she was distracted, Miku went on the attack, her fan coming down on the pendant.

'_With this—!'_

Only for a big burly hand to once again stop her fan mid-swing, and Kirika fell on her butt as she stumbled backwards. She looked up at where Genjuro had his hand extended, his fist serving as a shield.

"That's enough, Miku-kun. The fight is over."

"It's not over until I get rid of that thing!" She yelled, trying to free her weapon from his grip. "As long as that thing exists, we have no future!"

"Ig-Alima is not Gungnir, and this is not Hibiki-kun; not this time at least, Miku-kun," he said calmly. "Settle down, because everyone is here."

"Why should I listen to you?! You said you wouldn't give me orders, and now you're doing it anyway! Not only that, but you think it's so damn funny to trick me time and time again!" She screamed, the visor opening to show her shining green eyes, tears starting to form at their edges. "Is this all you can do?! Lie and lie and lie and lie and lie and lie?! If it wasn't for you... if it wasn't for all of you... Hibiki wouldn't have suffered like this! None of this would have happened in the first place! She wouldn't have had to fight and risk her life because all of you are too weak to do it yourselves! She wouldn't have had to get involved in all this _shit_ you pull because you can't figure out a better way to do it!"

The tears began falling once more, and she continued struggling against Genjuro's grip. However, he refused to let go out of concern for the girls. Kirika looked up at them, her eyes trembling at her classmate's outburst.

"Why does she have to suffer in your place?! What did she ever do to you to deserve this?! It's because of you that that horrible tragedy happened in the first place! It's because of you that she suffered for those two years! If it wasn't for you... she wouldn't have been forced to play the hero just so you can mark a big fat check in your notebooks! So why should I listen to you, when you have no right to tell me what to do?! You and all your damn relics can go straight to hell for all I care! That's why I—!"

She was immediately silenced by a sudden blow.

Interrupting her furious rant mid-sentence, a punch connected with Miku's face right in between the two parts of the visor. It came so abruptly and out of nowhere that she lost her grip on her weapon, the fan remaining in Genjuro's hand as she was knocked to the ground. Her cheek burned in pain, and she swiftly turned to face the culprit.

Kirika could only turn her eyes to the intruder in shock, not expecting _her_ out of everyone to interrupt.

_(Play: Yume no Tsuzuki - Symphogear GX OST)_

"I would bite my tongue if I were you, Kohinata," Tsubasa said, shaking her hand once and standing back to full height. Chris, who had been meaning to do the same, stopped after one step as Tsubasa turned out to be faster than her. The others stared in awe at the fact that out of all of them, Tsubasa was the one who had struck.

Miku cradled her wounded cheek with her hand, pushing off the ground as she raised her eyes to look up at the blue-haired idol, her eyes wide. Tsubasa ignored her surprise and continued. "Anything more you say will only tarnish Tachiban—no, Hibiki's name."

"What the hell do you know?!" Miku retorted. "You don't know her like I do!"

The idol let out a heavy sigh. "Maybe not, but I know enough to tell you that she'd be heartbroken to hear you speak so carelessly."

Anything more Miku wanted to say got caught in her throat, and she could only listen as Tsubasa continued. "I have been once in the same place as you are, content with grieving over what I had lost. I too looked for someone to blame for my sorrow. Unfortunately, that ended up being her, the person who got caught in all of this trouble simply because she was met with an unfortunate fate."

Tsubasa remembered, recalling every single emotion she had felt during that time. It was amusing, she realized, how everything truly went back to that chaotic period. "However, even when I lashed out at her, she did not walk away. Do you know why that is?" She asked, looking Miku dead in the eye. "It's because she chose to. I know what a special place she holds in your heart, and I know how the same applies to her. Hibiki decided to take on that burden willingly, simply because she realized that was how she could help others. Haven't you said that yourself, Kohinat—no, Miku?"

The sound of her own first name being said by the top idol dispelled the rage in her mind, and now her words began to sink in, gluing her eyes to Tsubasa. Kirika took the opportunity to stand back up, looking at the two of them.

"You cannot allow your grief to blind you to the truth. Hibiki chose this path—chose to become a hero because she wanted to. Because she found her life's calling by being able to use her life, which she believed was given to her through the sacrifice of others, to bring happiness to others. To give meaning back to those who had died. Will you deny her that simple wish, Miku?"

The girl's lips quivered. "I...I—!"

"I heard what you said to her, out there," Tsubasa said with a sad smile. "I know that you care not for the world and that you cannot truly understand her path, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is truly a path that is fraught with hardships and thorns and is something I would not recommend to anyone who cannot abide by it. I would never ask you to understand, but I cannot allow you to deny her that happiness. If you truly say you know her... then you, out of all people, know how important it is to her."

Tsubasa walked towards her, Miku following her movements carefully. "Hibiki was my first real comrade—my first real friend ever since I lost Kanade. She extended her hand to me, offering me her help because she knew that I truly needed it."

And Miku watched as Tsubasa bent down to her, the idol looking into her glowing eyes that were beginning to lose that blinding shine. "And now, she has become an inseparable part of my life. When I called her my sister, I meant that with every sense of the word. She's family because she was there for me when no one else was."

A hand extended forward, and Miku could only stare at it silently. "I am hurting as well. My heart breaks at the thought of what she has gone through, and what she is going through as we speak. And that is why, as comrades in arms to this pain, I would ask that you share that sadness with me—no, with us. We all feel it equally, and we all want to bring her back home."

"Tsubasa..." Maria murmured. It was amazing, she noticed, how her partner knew exactly what to say to convey to Miku what they were all thinking.

"I dare say that we may even be called friends. Don't you agree, Miku?" Tsubasa said, this time with a true smile on her face. "You do not need to face this sorrow alone. We are here for you, and we will do all we can to help you, even if it means putting our lives on the line for her sake. So please... don't push us away."

A singular, horrific moment rose up in Tsubasa's mind as she spoke, her smile dropping instantly. The moment that Genjuro showed her the scans of Hibiki's body after going berserk, and how further use of Gungnir would end in her death. She remembered how fear-stricken she was, and how her entire body shook at the thought. She had despaired over the fact that Kanade's legacy was nothing more than a death sentence to the one person who held her hand out to her.

It was a memory that was too much to bear.

"Please... let me have my sister back."

And with the sadness overwhelming her, the sword cried

All Miku could do was tremble, and the sight of the two girls crying filled Genjuro's heart with sorrow.

There was silence, and it was heavier than any that came before it. In this simulated cityscape, resembling the metropolis that stood no longer, a group of comrades—of friends that held a single desire was gathered.

All for the sake of the one that changed their lives.

A gloved hand met a naked one, and Tsubasa smiled through the tears as she helped Miku up from the ground. The idol rubbed at her eyes, cleaning away the drops, and then did the same for Miku, whose head was downcast in shame and guilt.

"We must not fight out of hatred," she said. "But out of love. Because we want her back, and we won't let those horrible curses take her away from us."

Miku nodded fiercely, and Tsubasa took her hand in her own, a gesture that the dark-haired girl would not forget.

'_How I wish you were here to see this, Hibiki-kun... the extent they will go for you is one that cannot possibly be comprehended.'_

It was at this moment that Genjuro knew that the one-track mind was not infallible, and in fact could very well be reached. It simply required a certain touch, one that he did not hold.

Only these girls did. And at that moment he truly knew that next to them he was but a simple rock, floating through space, while they were shining stars that brought warmth to all those around them.

They will be the light that will bring back the dawn, guided by the true and grand nature of All the Hopes of this World.

"That's right," Maria said with a smile. "We will stand by you no matter what. Let us face this evil together, and take back our happy days."

And that was Miku's wish. To continue having those gentle everydays, to once again wake up to the morning sun with the smile that captured her heart by her side.

A simple, natural wish that they now all shared.

Miku could only provide them with a single word answer that told them everything they needed.

"Yes."

Only one thought passed through Genjuro's mind at that moment.

'_If this is considered evil... then I guess we'll just be evil.'_

He spoke softly this time, handing the fan back to Miku. Tsubasa released her hold on the school girl's hand, letting her take the Armed Gear back from him. "Let's take a small break before we begin. Everyone get yourselves armed and ready because we'll be going all out from the start," he said with a big smile. "I know that with the six of you, nothing can stand in your way, not even those two-thousand-year-old grudges."

He raised his fist and clenched it in front of them, his resolve shining through. "Let us make that wish a reality with all our might."

All six nodded simultaneously, the first sign of the teamwork that was going to be honed and sharpened to the max.

As the others began to gather in a circle around Miku and Tsubasa, Chris walked up to the man, not looking him in the eye. "Hey, old man..." She began to say, only to fall silent.

His expression remained even as he lowered his arm. "What is it, Chris-kun?"

His protege looked to the side sheepishly. "I just wanted to say that... that..."

She took a deep breath and met his gaze. "I'm... I'm sorry. I... I didn't mean what I said. I was just—"

A big hand landed on her head, petting her hair gently. "Thank you, Chris-kun," he said with a grateful smile. "I truly appreciate it. But don't worry, I'm fine. I accept your apology wholeheartedly."

Her head moved back down, and she bit her lip. "Now go, I bet you want to spend more time with them before we go to town on these punching bags," he said, gesturing to the others with his chin.

"A training junkie as always huh?" She could only respond, and he let out a chuckle.

"Always will be. What about you? You never really liked this sort of thing."

A blush suddenly lit up her face, once more turning her head to the side. "W-Well, I guess just this once I-I'll handle it."

His smile did not drop. He found it funny that Chris would not break character even when admitting she's actually looking forward to it for once.

"Glad to hear it. Now go."

He removed his hand from her head, and she looked to him for a moment before turning around and quickly hurried to join the circle.


	24. Chapter 24: 1,000-Li March

"Now then ladies, I hope you're all prepared," Genjuro announced, putting his hand atop one of the six punching bags that he had brought in with the staff's help. It was just six among the many they were going to need, considering where this whole thing was going. "We have a clear goal in mind, so I expect 200% from each and every one of you every step of the way. If you're having a hard time, don't be afraid to ask for help. There is no shame in that."

The six girls nodded, all of them clad in their Gears. Just like he originally had Miku do, he instructed them to dematerialize the armored parts of their Gears, leaving them with just the undersuit.

He always found it funny how color-coded they were, but now, standing in this specific order in front of the punching bags, they almost looked like a rainbow.

"Hibiki-kun is waiting for us on the other side of this wall. Let's use all of our strength to overcome it, and welcome her back with our arms open wide!"

His motivational words served to fire the girls up, and their faces lit up with bright smiles. Chris jumped in place like a boxer, giggling all the while.

'_Yes, that is how you will shine.'_

"You know what to do. Take your stances!"

They did as he instructed, moving their arms and feet as he had taught them not too long before.

It will be a long journey, but he knew the results will be more than worth it.

"GO!"

And they struck, the training regiment that he had in mind truly beginning with the first punch.

-!-

"Hmmmm..."

It was quiet in the room save for the occasional clicking and clacking of Saint-Germain's tools as the alchemist diligently worked on creating her Alca-Noise. Her work table, brought to her courtesy of some of the staff, was littered to the brim with various crystals, powders, liquids, and schematics that all proved essential to making the process much easier and faster.

She put down her tweezers to grab the tube of sodium metal that rested just a bit further on the table. Placing it on the cutting board, she once again picked up her knife, and with a small application of force sliced through it cleanly. However, it seemed to be enough to cause the part she had cut to roll off the cutting board. Before she could grab it, it fell to the floor and then rolled until it bumped into the table's leg, coming to a stop.

Saint-Germain frowned. Putting down the knife again, she rose from her seat to pick up the runaway slab, staring at it in her hand for a moment before going back to her chair.

She sighed. Usually, she'd get this done much, much faster, and would already have dozens upon dozens of crystals ready for use. However, in the three weeks she had worked while the Adaptors trained, she found her progress completely lackluster.

Well, that is what happens when you are left with only one functioning arm.

She had already gotten used to it by now, but she was frustrated by how much it was inconveniencing her where it mattered. She knew that she had no place in the training as she would only hold them back and that her role was not to face an enemy more powerful than the black beasts. She didn't need two arms to direct her army and shoot a few of those false Hibikis down.

She wished she would have had time to reconstruct a new one, but not knowing how much time they have until the next battle put a stop to any thought of doing so. So much effort for something that would not be complete in time would only serve to severely incapacitate them. A huge army of loyal troops was far more valuable than a single arm, that was for sure, so she decided to go on without it.

Once everything was over she'll get to it. For now, she had her own goal that she needed to accomplish, and she would keep working until the moment the battle began.

She placed the sodium slab down, and then picked up her knife again. This time, the bothersome part did not roll away from her, swaying slightly on the cutting board before coming to a stop.

KNOCK KNOCK

The alchemist raised her head, surprised by the sudden knocking on the door to her room. She said nothing and turned her head to stare at the source.

"_Saint-Germain?"_ She heard a feminine voice say. "_It's Aoi."_

'_Tomosato Aoi... she came as she promised...'_

"_May I come in?"_ The crew member said, waiting a moment for a response. "_I brought some food for you since you missed lunch."_

Saint-Germain narrowed her eyes and turned to look at the clock that hung above the dresser. It read 4 PM, which surprised her. She didn't realize she had been here for so long.

"You may."

With a click, the door slid open. Tomosato stood in the doorway with a smile, a tray of food in hand. "You shouldn't stay cramped up in here all day, Saint-Germain."

The silver-haired woman turned back to her work table, picking up the knife once more. "I don't have any time to waste on anything else. We need an army that numbers in the tens of thousands, and I barely passed the halfway mark in these three weeks."

"I see," Tomosato responded, putting the tray down on the nightstand next to the alchemist's bed. "Is that good or bad?"

"It's horrendous," Saint-Germain said, furrowing her brows. "I should have been finished by now. At this point, I could have gotten started on producing some of the subspace Noise as well, but unfortunately as I am I find it far more difficult to get the progress I want."

She cut into the clump again, and once more the force caused the sliced part to roll off the table. Before Saint-Germain could rise from her seat to pick it up, Tomosato beat her to the punch, picking it from the floor and placing it on the cutting board in front of the alchemist. "Well, good thing I'm here now, right? I did say I'd help."

The woman huffed. "Yes... indeed you have."

Tomosato puffed her cheeks. "We're all in this together, you know," she said. She headed over to the nightstand where the food rested, and cut a chunk of the steak, stabbing it with the accompanied fork. She then went over to Saint-Germain, offering it to her. "Here, say 'ahh'"

The alchemist looked at her incredulously. "I'm not a child."

"I know, but you need to eat. I keep telling you to take care of yourself, but you never listen to me. In that case, I suppose the only choice is to come to you and force you," Tomosato retorted, smiling as the alchemist's response was to grumble lowly, left without an argument to make. The two women's eyes met.

"Very well," Saint-Germain said, and wordlessly her new friend moved the fork closer to her, and the alchemist bit down on the offered portion. She chewed slowly, and the smile on Tomosato's face did not leave even after she was finished.

"How was it?" Tomosato asked her.

Saint-Germain did not look to her as she answered, her focus still on the crystals in front of her. Having successfully cut the bothersome slab of sodium, she put down her knife. "It was adequate, as always."

Aoi chuckled. "Well, I guess I'll pass that off as a complement to the chef. She always wondered how you feel about the food, but you never really made any comments on it. She was quite curious you know."

"I tend not to form many bonds with others," The alchemist said, causing Tomosato's smile to fall. "They have a bad tendency to die from being involved with me."

Aoi sat on the bed, looking to her sympathetically. "That's not a nice thing to say about yourself."

"I cannot allow myself to be blind to my faults," the silver-haired woman responded as she continued to work. "I worked tirelessly in order to bring about the world I dreamed of, discarding even my humanity in the process. I have killed endlessly, time and time again, justifying my actions with the argument that all those lives I took will eventually bring about a shining future."

Aoi simply listened, saying nothing in response. "And it all amounted to absolutely nothing in the end. Hundreds of years of deception and murder, and I have absolutely nothing to show for it. What tragic irony," Saint-Germain continued, the last sentence said with a tinge of sad amusement.

"Saint-Germain..." Tomosato murmured, speechless.

"As I told your commander, the least I can do is make up for my mistakes. I allowed the divine power to come down because I assisted Adam Weishaupt, so it is my responsibility to send it back or destroy it. If I cannot bring about the future I envisioned, then I could at least use all of my strength to make sure it isn't completely destroyed instead. What happened to Tachibana Hibiki was a travesty I will not stand for; therefore, I have no time to worry about meaningless and inane things, including myself."

They fell silent once again, Tomosato processing what the alchemist had said to her.

And frowned. "You're broody just like Sakuya."

The centuries-old woman raised an eyebrow and stared at her in confusion. "Always going on with this depressing stuff," the crew member continued, cutting another portion of the steak. "I don't think you need to think about this too hard."

"And why not? You cannot possibly understand the hardships I've endured, Tomosato Aoi," the alchemist said back.

Only to have another piece of the steak offered to her. "I told you to just call me Aoi," The crew member said, moving the fork closer. "And maybe I don't understand, and honestly I don't think I ever could. But you can't dwell on it forever, alright? It won't do you any good to always think about how bad it was. If you're so intent on making amends, then at least start focusing on what you can do now."

The alchemist once again huffed, and bit down on the offered meat. "Which is exactly what I'm doing," she said, her voice coming out muffled due to the food in her mouth.

Tomosato giggled at the sound and went back to sit on the bed, putting her hands behind her to lean slightly backwards. "In that case, I have an idea," she said, and the alchemist glanced to her. "When everything is over, let's go get a drink. I know a really good place around here—oh, wait, it's probably gone now."

She mumbled to herself, and Saint-Germain looked to her strangely. But she ignored her stare and continued. "Well, in any case, let's sit for a drink sometime. I bet after everything is said and done you'll want to unwind, so come with me and I'll show you around. I think a change of pace will do good to us both."

The alchemist did not offer her a response, but she could see how the silver-haired woman lowly mumbled to herself incoherently.

They remained in silence, and Tomosato was simply content to watch the alchemist work, finding herself entranced by the delicate handiwork she was managing despite being handicapped.

Until the moment a slab of a different metal fell to the floor this time, rolling on the floor until it came to a stop by Tomosato's foot. She smiled and went to pick it up as the alchemist watched her with narrowed eyes. "Well, what do you say?" She asked, putting it back on the cutting table.

Saint-Germain looked back to her table, and this time she answered. "I'll think about it."

Tomosato beamed and cracked her knuckles. "Well, I did say I'd help, so no better time than to start now."

The alchemist sighed. "If you insist."

Going over to the supply closet that every room had, the bridge woman withdrew a spare foldable chair and placed it next to Saint-Germain by the table. Sitting down, she scooted over a bit closer. "Well then, tell me what to do."

"Start by bringing over the quartz extract. It's the violet—" Saint-Germain instructed, only for the designated vial to appear in front of her face before she could even finish.

"Don't worry," Tomosato said. "I may not know all of my terms, but I can at least recognize what you need. And I can also catch any wayward slabs that try to escape from you."

A huff.

"Very well, then let us work quickly," the alchemist said.

Tomosato smiled, and they got to work, the crew member assisting the alchemist in whatever manner she could.

Inwardly, despite herself, Saint-Germain found herself grateful for the woman's assistance. While the alchemist had her own pride to keep, Tomosato's help was god-send, and now she had less to worry about in regards to her troubles with her missing arm.

'_I truly wonder what you would say if you could see me now... Cagliostro, Prelati... would you laugh, or would you smile? I truly wish I could have known.'_

It was a question she knew she would not receive an answer to.

Unbeknownst to her, however, a single gem hidden among her alchemical bullets shone slightly for less than a second, then dimmed once more.

The two fell into a quiet process. And later, the alchemist would find that her efficiency had increased dramatically.

It felt good when a friend had your back.

-!-

"Sun Tzu had said: Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted."

The only response to Genjuro's recounting was the sound of striking and some very ungirlish grunts. Holding a small, thin book in his hand, he paced around the circle that was the six Symphogear Adaptors with careful steps.

"Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him," he continued, reciting the passages from his book.

He glanced to the side, spying the spar between Maria and Kirika. Just as he stepped behind Maria, Kirika's fist was launched forward, aiming for the elder's chest. He planted his foot and lowered the book, striking forward and catching her in a pincer maneuver.

Yet she responded brilliantly. Rather than be struck by both fists simultaneously, she spun on her heel, and mid twist the two strikes barely glanced her from the sides. Her arms shot forward, striking them both in the wrists and throwing their aim off course. Kirika nearly lost her balance by the sudden deflect, while Genjuro simply pulled his arm back. Maria capitalized on the opportunity to strike against her opponent, who moved her head to the side just in time.

He smiled, raising his book again and continued pacing. "Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing."

Genjuro had to admit this is the most fun he's had in a training regiment in a while, which was ironic considering their lives were on the line. Having decided to take a bit of a different approach with the training, he was ecstatic to see that it was paying off wonderfully.

Chris ducked under the sweep of Tsubasa's arm and responded with an impressive uppercut of her own to her chin. Her upperclassman's head moved back to avoid the blow, and using the momentum of her dodge she kicked up with her leg, forcing Chris to stop her assault or get struck in the chin in return.

He had never seen so much motivation in the Adaptors before, and it was definitely showing itself now. A mere three weeks had passed since they began, and their progress was so awe-striking he had to tip his hat to them.

The current exercise he had them practice was the one thing he'd always capitalized on: awareness. First, they were divided into pairs, and they would spar with each other using the techniques he had taught them over the past three weeks. They would dodge and strike as they wish, and meanwhile he would pace around them, and just like with Maria, he would occasionally join in with a blow of his own, intent on catching them off guard.

Initially, each and every one of the girls failed to counter his surprise attack or would avoid his but still be hit by their opponent's. All in all, the first week after they began the girls were bruised in every location on their upper bodies, particularly the arms and the chest. But they eventually got the hang of it, and just like Maria successfully avoided both strikes while counterattacking immediately afterwards.

That was good, and that was the goal here: To know how to respond to changing situations and to be completely aware of their surroundings. Too see beyond what their eyes saw, and feel the space around them. To use their senses to their utmost, from hearing the whooshing of the air as a punch passes through it, to smelling the sweat of a reeking enemy.

He passed by Miku and Shirabe and smiled as the shorter girl weaved in between Miku's strikes, putting her small frame to extremely good use.

In the end, the goal of the training was not to increase their existing abilities, since that would not give as much of a result. There was absolutely nothing new he could teach them about the things they already excelled in: Tsubasa was already a masterful swordsman and Chris was an excellent marksman. Kirika was already known for having a whole bag of tricks and Shirabe was without a doubt the swiftest of them all. Maria was the most durable and Miku was the strongest in terms of pure power.

Honing what they are already good at would be counterintuitive, so he decided to go for the lowest common denominator: their abilities in unarmed combat.

"SWITCH!"

On cue, the girls changed partners. Wordlessly, they resumed their spars with their new opponents, not stopping even for a moment to rest. Tsubasa's leg passed over Kirika's head as she ducked under it successfully, and counterattacked with her own sweep to the blue-haired idol's center of mass.

Yes, that was the biggest problem they had. Their abilities in unarmed combat ranged from well rounded, which was Maria, to absolutely nonexistent, which was Miku. Such a big divergence had to be fixed, especially considering she had never thrown a punch in her life beforehand.

And so far, the results were more than satisfactory. Just after three weeks, all six of the girls were reaching levels beyond what they were previously capable of, and even the usually reluctant Chris seemed to be doing much, much better than before. Even if they were just in the undersuits, they all had power behind their attacks that in a spar one would find prudent to dodge.

Especially Miku's. During the second week, she had managed to get a lucky hit on Chris and proceeded to send her flying into one of the buildings with just a simple punch. He credited that overwhelming strength to the concept she possesses, but that also worked in their favor. Since then, all of her sparring opponents worked diligently to avoid her strikes, while she worked harder to make sure they connected.

"He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain."

Flexibility, awareness, and thinking on the fly. These were the skills he wanted all six of them to sharpen alongside with their hand to hand combat. An opponent as daunting as All the Evils of this World, with Hibiki as its base, will be completely unpredictable and must, therefore, be met with caution and swiftness. They must unite against that one enemy and overpower it, using their newly acquired skills to have their element of surprise in their arsenal. With Miku the principal fighter against Hibiki herself, it was imperative she improved fast so she can match up to her.

Only that was impossible. No amount of motivation and training will be able to completely close the gap in their skills, but it would at least make Miku more aware of what she could do and how to use that power effectively. Only her lack of experience held back the full might of All the Hopes of this World, so once the lack of experience was removed from the equation, their chances of victory increase tenfold.

But as he said, the enemy is an opponent using Hibiki as its base. Anything could happen on the battlefield, so they cannot just count on that inherent counter to win.

They will have to give it their all, from the start.

But it was still fun, directing this training. Smiling to himself, he yelled out a phrase.

"And Sun Tzu had said: You must be swift as a coursing river!"

He was met with a unified battlecry.

"HA!"

"With all the force of a great typhoon!"

"HA!"

"With all the strength of a raging fire!"

"YAH!"

"And mysterious as the dark side of the moon!"

"YAHHHHHH!"

Brilliant, he thought to himself. Absolutely brilliant. Of course, Sun Tzu had never said any of those four phrases, but it served its purpose well; it wasn't the first time he did this with them, and even though it was silly, it still pumped them up.

Even when training to save the world, there was always a time and place for some fun.

"Remember! Your hearts are righteous! Stand together, united as a single great whole, and nothing will be able to stand in your way!"

"YAH!"

"The enemy is a tiny little gem, and your fists are as hard as diamonds! All the blood, sweat, and tears that you shed today are for one single goal!"

"YAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"AND WHAT IS THAT GOAL?!"

This time, their battlecry shook the heavens.

"**TAKE HIBIKI BACK!"**

His bones rattled, and it sent shivers down his spine. 'That's the way.'

If trying to force his way through Miku's one-track mind wasn't going to work... then spreading it to the others proved to be far more effective. It was better for her to know that she had allies that shared that desire with her, and that they were willing to give their all to make it a reality, just like her.

That's right, they all needed to be one united front, and then... and only then, will they be able to grasp victory. It didn't rely on just Miku being able to defeat Hibiki, but on all of them together joining forces to make the job much easier.

That was all that was needed. The training also worked to increase their confidence, making them understand that there was progress, and that progress was going to be rewarded. That victory would not belong to just one, but to all.

'_That's the power of love.'_

He closed his book. "STOP!"

Almost immediately all sounds of striking stopped. Each pair took a few steps from each other, staring their partners in the eyes. "It's time for a break. Meet up back here in thirty minutes."

They nodded and bowed to each other slightly.

And then all the tension dropped, and Chris fell to the floor on her back, completely exhausted. "Oh man... that was a tough one."

Tsubasa laughed as she walked to her, offering her a hand up. "You've gotten much better, Chris, considering you also started from zero."

The Ichaival Adaptor smiled, and took the offered hand, letting Tsubasa bring her to her feet. Both of their faces were flush with exhaustion and sweat, but they still managed to grin. "Yeah, I'm shocked I managed to do it. I never really liked all these training sessions."

"They're necessary, as you can see," Tsubasa added. Suddenly, two white towels were thrown in their direction, and the two girls caught them without any trouble.

"You should wipe yourselves off first before you pass out, you two," Maria said, using her own towel to clean off the sweat off her face. Putting the now wet towel on her shoulder, she took a sip from her bottle of water, enjoying the refreshing liquid as it went down her throat. "It was extra intense this time. You did a good job keeping up, Chris."

Maria then tossed two water bottles to them. Chris caught one and immediately blushed at the compliment, the reddening of her cheeks masked by her effort.

Miku, however, found herself lost in thought. Having not moved a single step since the break started, she merely stared at her own hand. Her fist opened and closed in regular intervals, feeling the tension in her muscles and her own exhaustion.

'_Wait for me, Hibiki. I'm coming to save you.'_

"Miku," a voice said to her. The dark-haired girl lifted her head and saw Shirabe offering her a towel and a bottle of water. "Here."

She wordlessly received the two objects, saying nothing to Shirabe in response. She quickly wiped her face and immediately began to chug the water.

Her shorter classmate smiled and turned around to join Kirika by the table. The blonde was leaning on it, her back bending slightly as she stretched. "Kiri-cha—Kirika, don't do that near the table."

"Ah, sorry Shirabe," her partner said sheepishly, pushing off it. "I'm kinda tired is all."

"I know, I am too. But it's fun in its own way, isn't it?" Shirabe asked her.

"Yeah, it is."

As the girls talked amongst themselves, Genjuro watched silently. One of the first things he told the girls when they started was very simple: drop all pretenses of politeness and honorifics, and refer to each other by their actual names. The reason for that was because he wanted them to see each other as equals, not as a hierarchy of seniority.

All six of them were of different ages, but in the end, they were first and foremost teammates. Whoever was born first or last had nothing to do with it, and that was something that he emphasized greatly.

But of course, the one thing he couldn't change were their physical characteristics. Shirabe would probably remain short her entire life, and while that made her swift, it also made her very fragile. Chris likewise was short, but unfortunately, her breasts threw off her balance several times during the early parts of the training. In that regard, he had to make sure to at least personalize the regiment so all of the girls would be at the same level, despite any differences they had in what they couldn't change.

Other than that, there wasn't much to say... except Miku was still an anomaly. Her power was nothing to scoff at and her motivation was sky high, but she was still a bit strange, from what he gathered from his staff members.

For one, ever since she put on her Gear three weeks ago, she hadn't taken it off for even a second. Several crew members reported seeing her walk around with it on, and some said they saw her step into the showers while still wearing it. Even if it was just the undersuit pretty much the entire time, walking around with a manifested Symphogear for three full weeks was not normal.

But that's not all. According to the head chef, Miku had never gone to the cafeteria, has not been seen in her room, and if what the girls told him was correct, hadn't even gone to the restroom. All in all, what he gathered from these strange reports was that Miku wasn't sleeping either, meaning she had stayed awake for three whole weeks.

And all that was topped by the fact that the simulator had not been deactivated since it was turned on, and some night shift employees reported how they noticed that it was still active even in the dead of night. Several checks by Elfnein confirmed Miku had been inside, practicing on her own.

Everything about her right now was strange. No food, no sleep, no basic human needs. She trained and she bathed, that's all she did. Seeing her now drink water was a surprise in on itself, but he was sure nothing about it was healthy.

Confronting her about it gleaned him one simple response:

"_I don't have time for this." _

And that was it, no room for argument. Trying to convince her otherwise was like trying to speak to a brick wall.

Considering she was still alive even after so long was a blessing... but it was also dangerous. In the event she removes the Gear, who knows what sort of side effects she'll experience after weeks of barely being human.

But... if he took into account that she was similar to Hibiki at the moment, then that can give them a look into what her state would be like. He hadn't had Elfnein check her over yet, but he figured it would be prudent to do so sooner than later. Maybe she'll make some sort of discovery... if he managed to make Miku cooperate.

It was then that his phone rang. Taking it out of his pocket, he raised an eyebrow when he saw that it was Ogawa calling. The ninja was supposed to be still in Chiba, so it surprised him he would call him now.

He answered and put the phone to his ear. "Ogawa, what's the matter?"

"_Ah, commander, it's a bit of a—"_

"_Let me talk to him!"_

Genjuro raised an eyebrow, the muffled feminine voice on the other end catching him off guard.

"_Wait, Ma'am, this is not—"_

"_I want to talk to him, is that a problem?"_

He could hear as the female on the other end was becoming restless. Curious, he spoke up. "Ogawa, it's fine."

"_Commander... very well," _Ogawa said in resignation, and Genjuro heard as the phone was passed over, and the woman on the other end spoke up once more, her voice clearer this time.

"_Am I speaking with Kazanari Genjuro?"_ She asked.

"Yes, you are Ma'am. To whom am I speaking to?" He asked back, taking on a more formal tone. He had a hunch of who it was, but he never heard her voice before so it was a bit of a wild guess.

And he was right on the money. "_This is Tachibana Harumi speaking."_

'_Hibiki-kun's mother?' _

He never spoke to the woman before, considering she wasn't in on the secret of what her daughter was doing... until three weeks ago, when Hibiki had quite violently burst into her own home and proceeded to let her anger known, nearly killing her father in the process. From what he heard from Ogawa, the woman was... not happy once she heard exactly what her daughter was doing, and what exactly happened to her that led to her acting like that.

He glanced over to the Adaptors, and seeing as they were busy chatting amongst themselves, he didn't want to disturb their bonding time. Turning around, he walked behind one of the buildings, making sure to distance himself enough so they couldn't hear him.

"How can I help you, ma'am?" He asked in a light tone, making sure to appear more welcoming and warm than usual.

The woman fell silent for a moment, then spoke up. "_Your subordinate told me everything that's happened so far,"_ she said, and he could feel the displeasure in her voice.

The silence returned once more, this time longer than the one before it.

He had expected this at some point, he had to admit. With Hibiki being the only permanent Adaptor with still living parents, he knew it was a matter of time until they found out exactly what she was doing.

And unfortunately, they made their discovery in the worst possible manner. Her father nearly died to Carol back then, and now her mother saw her daughter devolve into insanity.

Clearly, not the best of impressions. Now, having been filled in on everything as per the non-disclosure agreement stated, she had opinions she needed to have known. He prepared his ears in readiness for her screaming, only to be blindsided when she spoke calmly instead.

"_I'm... very angry at you,"_ she said, her voice shaking. "_So angry I want to go over there and punch you."_

He didn't say anything in response. He actually wasn't very familiar with the process of talking to parents, considering none of the others had any. He could say that he was their parent, for all intents and purposes, so he never really had to explain himself to anyone besides his own superiors.

But now that he was face to face with the real deal... he realized it wasn't what he expected.

She seemed to be grumbling to herself on the other end, then spoke up. "_I want to know why."_ She said.

"Ma'am, I—"

"_Why do I only find out about this now. Why do I need to find this out when everything goes to hell, and there is nothing I can do to help. Tell me why, Kazanari-san."_

He sighed deeply, leaning against the wall of the building. "Ma'am, it's—"

"Why did no one tell me?" She interrupted him once more, having no intention of actually letting him speak. "_My only daughter gets enlisted as a soldier, putting her life on the line, and no one tells me what she's doing?" _

He opened his mouth to try and speak, but she was way ahead of him. "_I already know that it's supposed to be top secret, but to keep me completely in the dark? I found it strange that she suddenly told me to stop paying her tuition since she found her own source of money, but maybe I should have dug further."_

He threw in a few words before she interrupted him again. "Ma'am, the circumstances were—"

"_I know what they were, your subordinate told me already. But that doesn't justify anything. How do you think it felt, seeing my daughter like that? Hibiki had always kept to herself, but... was I not even allowed to worry? Is my own daughter's safety so much less important than your secrecy?"_

"That is definitely not the case Ma'am. It's because—"

"_Because it would be dangerous if someone who shouldn't know about it heard the details? I know, I'm not stupid. I know that it's for the sake of public safety and everything... but I don't care about that. I don't care about myself, I just want to be sure Hibiki is always happy. After everything she's been through... she deserves it. And then you have the gall to tell me that even though you know that, you still make her fight? You're telling me because she was at the wrong place at the wrong time, that she needs to put her life on the line where you can't?"_

He sighed once more. It seems everyone he's been talking to lately has only scathing remarks to say to him, and leave him speechless.

Because she wasn't wrong. The Adaptors fight where he can't because, for all of his power, he's just a human that will die the moment a Noise touches him. He cannot wield a Symphogear, which is something only the girls have.

He's the adult, and they're the ones out there fighting. No matter what way he looked at it, it was absurd.

"_I won't ask how any of this is legal, recruiting child soldiers for your campaigns, because I know for a fact that it's not that simple. That it's not other people you're fighting, but threats that humanity can't deal with on their own. That Hibiki and her teammates are the only ones that can save people from the Noise. I know all of that already; I know all the facts and details, so you don't need to repeat them to me,"_ she said. It confirmed the commander's guess that Ogawa told her everything from an objective standpoint, and could not truly give her an opinion since it was not his place to do so.

But that was not her question.

"_But... please... tell me why. Why Hibiki. Why does she have to carry that burden for everyone else?"_

That was her question.

And one he had the answer for, an answer that truly came from his heart.

"Because your daughter is a miracle."

It was an answer that completely threw the woman off, and she found it impossible to answer back. Taking his chance, Genjuro continued. "Your daughter saved us, and the entire world, many many times. She worked hard and created miracles with her own hands. She made the impossible possible and brought light back to a darkened world. I would not be wrong to admit that your daughter is the messiah that we desperately needed, and words cannot possibly describe how much we value and appreciate her."

Yes, that's what the mother needed. She didn't need the cold hard facts.

She needed a simple answer to a simple question: why her?

And now, he was giving it to her, pouring from his heart everything that he needed to say. "She's a hero Ma'am, nothing less than that. She's a beacon that brought hope to the world, even if her name will not go down in history for it."

Harumi tried to get an argument in, finding herself nearly speechless. "_But she—"_

"Yet she chose to do so," he said, leaving her speechless. "Because she wanted to help others from the bottom of her heart. At the time, I did not know the extent of her sorrow, but the very first time I asked her to join us, she did not even hesitate. She wanted to create a world where no one would have to go through the same pain she had, and that everyone will be able to hold hands and understand each other."

He laughed, perplexing her even more. "It sounds silly, but it was with that thought in mind that she had achieved so much. We owe her a lot, Ma'am, more than you could possibly believe." He said resolutely, and he could hear her choke back a sob.

"_B-But then why... why did she—"_ she asked, putting her hand over her mouth, finding herself unable to even finish the question.

He sighed heavily once more and answered. "Because we failed."

"_Failed?"_

"Yes, we failed, and we are now paying the price. I assume Ogawa told you, but something we had no idea existed changed the outcome of something we thought we had down to the most minuscule detail."

His eyes narrowed. "And it is that thing that what made all the difference... and that, Ma'am, is the enemy we are trying to defeat."

Her eyes widened, stupefied at his explanation. "_I... I don't understand."_

Genjuro thought for a moment before he answered, trying to find the best way to describe what exactly happened to Hibiki. To tell her mother all the details now would take too much time, so if there was one way he could say it in a single sentence...

"_Ma'am... due to a severe oversight on our part, your daughter has been possessed by a demon."_

As he said it, he could feel it even over the phone. Of how her spine shivered at his choice of words, and how she was left horrified at his declaration.

Or was it he who was feeling this way? He reckoned he was. Yet he continued regardless. "I know what it sounds like, but the full details are just so complicated that I'm not sure myself I have them entirely correct. But no matter what they are, that is the best way I can summarize to you what happened; a demon was hiding inside the power she received and took advantage of an extreme circumstance to take her over. We've been trying to rescue her since it happened, but unfortunately, we have met with no success so far."

He could tell she was sobbing now, unable to hold back her sorrow. He closed his eyes, steeling his heart as he kept on talking.

She was right. She deserved to know, and have some measure of hope that things will be okay. "But make no mistake Ma'am, we are doing everything we can, and by everything I mean everything we can to bring her back. We have disregarded collateral, and we are spilling blood, sweat, and tears in order to be able to be strong enough to do so," he said to her. "That's why I'll tell you a single, unchangeable fact:"

He took a deep breath and spoke. "We will never, ever abandon her. She is irreplaceable, and no matter what it takes, even if we have to risk our lives to do so, we will bring Hibiki-kun back."

And he waited.

And waited.

And waited.

All he could hear on the other end was muffled sniffling, the sound of a heartbroken mother that simply wanted her child back.

It tore at him. It tore at him deeply, because even if he wasn't a parent himself, he knew what it's like to lose someone that was like his own child. And at that moment it dawned on him... that this was not the first time she'd been through this torment.

And it was unbearable.

After what seemed like an eternity, the woman finally spoke again. "_K-Kazanari-san... can I trust you?" _She asked.

He opened his eyes at her question. "I would like to say that you can, but if you don't, I understand. After all... the one that will bring her back is not me, but them."

"_Them?"_

"Yes, them. The ones whose hearts Hibiki-kun touched, and are now resolved to crawl through Hell for her sake. Do you want to tell them something?"

She was caught flat-footed by his question. "_T-Tell them something?" _She repeated to herself. "_Yes... I do have something I'd like to ask."_

"Then give me one moment, Ma'am, and I'll make sure they hear it loud and clear."

Pushing off the wall, he brought down the phone from his ear and walked back to the courtyard. There he spotted the Adaptors already waiting for him in a line, and he checked his watch to see that indeed the thirty minutes that he had given them had already passed. '_Looks like I'm the tardy one this time... but for a good reason. This will give them a much needed boost.'_

He wasted no time as he arrived. "Ladies, I have a small update for you."

They all raised an eyebrow in question, looking between each other for a moment.

"I have Hibiki-kun's mother on the phone with me right now," he said, raising his cellphone to show them what he was referring to. Their eyes instantly widened, and he glanced to Miku, who seemed to be the most shocked out of all of them. "And there is something she'd like to ask all of you. Will you be willing to listen?"

Their response was a unanimous nod.

"Good," he said. Pressing the speaker button on his phone, he held it before him so they could hear. "Ma'am, they're listening. You can say it now."

There was a pregnant silence in the air as the six girls waited for the woman to speak.

Yet they could hear, as ever so slowly, the muffled sobbing became outright cries as Tachibana Harumi broke down from helplessness and sorrow, leaning back on the wall of the hospital in Chiba. Her tears dripping down without end, her heart shattered from the recent revelations.

She couldn't do anything. She was powerless, and could not be there to support her daughter in such a dark time.

Yet some would, those who would stand by her side no matter what.

And the single, overwhelming desire rang out in their mind as the woman gathered the remains of her shattered heart, and called out to them in desperation.

"_Please... I beg of you, please... save my baby girl."_

It was akin to being struck by lightning.

Unimaginable shocks ran through the Adaptors' frames. A massive weight the size of the Earth fell onto their shoulders from the sky, nearly knocking their feet from under them. Their eyes widened and their pupils contracted, the sound of the woman's tearful plea embedding itself into their minds and souls.

And Miku was paralyzed, the voice of the woman who she considered a second mother ringing in her head again and again.

Watching as the Adaptors processed her request, Genjuro turned the phone around so she could hear him. "They heard your request, Ma'am," he said to her softly. "You can consider it as good as done."

She sniffled once more. "_Thank you... thank you..."_ she said, and her voice cracked. "_Please... free her from her suffering..."_

"We will, Ma'am, you can count on that," He told her. "If there's anything else you need, don't be afraid to ask. We will support you no matter what."

She nodded, but it was an act that he could not see. But that was fine since he could tell as a tiny bit of relief washed over her. "Your daughter is in good hands, Ms. Tachibana. Please, all I ask is that you have faith, and never lose hope."

"_Thank you, Kazanari-san. And please... tell them... that I believe in them."_

"I will Ma'am. Have a good night's rest. The next time we speak... you'll hear that she's in our hands."

She smiled this time. "_Yes... I hope so. Good luck... to all of you."_

And the line was cut, the phone falling silent. He grasped the device tightly in his hand for a moment before pocketing it again and looked back at the petrified Adaptors.

"Did you hear that?" He said, crossing his arms. The six girls looked to him, the shock still blatant on their faces. "That was the sound of a mother grieving for her suffering child. It's absolutely gut-wrenching, isn't it? This is something that will not stand with us. This woman's cries are a crime against humanity, and we must do all it takes to make her tears stop running. She is counting on us, she is depending on us, and she is begging us to make things right."

He could see as they tensed, shaking off their stupor. And their expressions changed, their eyes swiftly changing from wide to narrow, and he could see as the burden that fell on their shoulders turned into a fire, into passion, into resolve.

They were raging, the inside of their minds blazing with an almighty force.

Now to add more fuel to it.

"The road to our happiness is clear; now, we must overcome the obstacle that lies within it. Make your shouts known, and with that desire filling your hearts... make All the Evils of this World regret ever placing themselves in our path! And for the sake of that path..."

His fist clenched, and he raised it to them one more.

"WE WILL STOP AT **NOTHING**!"

An unseen aura of pure might exploded from each and every one of them. Their eyes shone, and he could feel as their own brand of absurdity began to fill them to the brim.

Yeah, from this moment on, not even the fake buildings in the simulator will be able to remain standing for long. It was going to get insanely explosive, that was for sure.

And just how he wanted.

On cue, countless amounts of holographic Noise and black beasts began to fill the streets. Pouring over the city like a tidal wave, it was as if the air itself was being replaced by these enemies, their programming marking the Adaptors as their targets.

They turned around, facing the wall of death head-on.

Genjuro raised his stopwatch once more.

"GO!"

And clicked.

At that moment, light filled the world as the Adaptors united charged forward into the fray.

-!-

It was the wee hours of the night. The submarine that served as S.O.N.G's base having fallen quiet after the vast majority of its members filed back into their rooms to sleep.

But she couldn't. Sleep was something she had no time to do, especially in a situation as critical as this. Having forsaken every single human need, Miku trudged through the hallways of headquarters as she made her way back to her destination.

Training had intensified a hundredfold after Harumi's heartfelt request, and that was something she could approve of. Genjuro's amazed expression after they had defeated the unlimited amount of Noise and beasts he summoned was unlike anything they'd ever seen. It completely blew him off his feet as their feat was accomplished in a record twenty minutes.

Thousands upon thousands of Noise and beasts were obliterated, and all of that because of a few words he had spoken in order to further their resolve. Everyone had adjourned after that hellish exercise, leaving the simulator empty except for Miku until she decided to walk off the aches for a bit.

She knew that the fake ones were significantly weaker than the real ones, but it was still an otherworldly accomplishment no matter what way you look at it.

And she could feel it. She could feel it in her bones, her muscles, her bones, her nerves, her heart, her eyes, her brain, and her mind. Everywhere she could feel the changes, the progress she wanted to see. All of those parts of her were hurting and numb, but even that was nothing but a minor inconvenience she shook off in minutes.

There was no need for anything else. Just like he said, the road was clear, and now was the time to walk it.

There was no point in making stops or resting along the way.

There was only going forward, without stopping, no matter what lies in the way.

Because what awaited at the end of that road was worth every single painful moment.

She arrived at the door of the simulator room, the glowing red lights indicating it was still active greeting her once more. She had spent every night inside practicing, training, shooting, punching the air and the buildings. She did everything she could do on her own without having any real or fake enemies to face while inside. She didn't know how to spawn the Noise or the beasts, so she had to make do with what she had.

But she didn't mind. Every single waking moment was dedicated to this one thing, and she'll keep doing it until Hibiki is back in their hands, no questions asked.

The door slid open, greeting her once more with the simulated cityscape. Her mind wandering, she entered, and the door slid closed behind her, shimmering away from view to meld once more with the wall behind it. She made her way into the courtyard proper and froze.

"It's about time, Miku," Tsubasa said, laying her eyes upon the newbie Adaptor as she turned the corner. "We thought you wouldn't show, today of all days."

Miku's mouth gaped in surprise. "What..."

They were all there. Tsubasa, Chris, Maria, Shirabe, and Kirika. The five Adaptors were right there in the courtyard, clad in their Symphogears, standing idle as they looked to her with smiles on their faces.

"Come on, Miku," Kirika yelled to her enthusiastically. "Let's start!"

But she could only stand in place, her eyes widening, completely stupefied by their presence. "I... What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Maria asked nonchalantly. "We're here to train. Isn't that what you're here for?"

Miku's response, however, was to look away. "I don't need your help."

Chris put her hands on her hips, tilting her head to the side, a grin etched across her face. "Oh, is that right? I guess we were just imagining you having a blast during training today."

"I'm not doing it to have fun."

"We know," Tsubasa answered quickly. "We're not doing it to have fun either. However, I do believe that it will be far more effective to do this together rather than separately, do you not agree?"

She said nothing in response, choosing to remain silent and looking away from them all. Maria frowned and walked up to her. "Miku, I don't know how many times we're going to have to repeat this, but you're not the only one who wants to save her. We all do, and that's why we should work together."

"I was fine on my own."

"Were you now?" Maria asked with an eyebrow raised, skeptical. "I bet punching buildings all night wasn't very fun or productive, was it?"

Once again, silence from the girl.

Chris sighed, sagging her shoulders. "You two really are alike," she said, causing heads to turn to her. Miku however still refused to raise her own head, looking to the side at nothing in particular. "Not only do you never share what you're feeling, but you're so insistent on not making others worry about you that you make people worry anyway."

There was truth to her statement, the others realized. The white-haired girl continued, walking up to stand by Maria's side. "It doesn't take a genius to see it: you take in everything about her, not complaining to anyone or even showing signs just how worried you are. And I know how much she made you worry all the time, believe me. But you don't need to do this alone Miku, that is exactly what we're here for. We're not here to get in your way, we're here to make sure nothing else does."

"Why should I believe you?" Miku suddenly said, clenching her fists.

Realizing they aren't going to get anywhere like this, Chris decided to be a bit bolder. She walked up to stand by her first friend and promptly put her arm around her shoulder. Miku's head whipped instantly to stare at her with wide eyes, perplexed by the move.

"Because we're in this together," Chris said with a smile.

Kirika's face suddenly flashed a grin of her own, and she quickly went over to Miku's other side to imitate Chris. With two arms over her shoulders, Miku found herself sagging forward slightly from the weight. "Yes! We're in this together! So let's do our best in this training, okay? It's kind of exciting I think, doing it all in secret!"

"It's not that much of a secret, Kirika," Shirabe reminded her. "We had to borrow Elfnein's tablet so we could spawn enemies after all."

"Small details!" The blonde exclaimed.

Maria smiled, understanding their intention. It was better if the atmosphere was overall friendly so that Miku wouldn't feel hunkered down by their presence. They really were in this together, and she needed to understand that.

Leading Maria to say something too. "Miku, I know that you hate the Symphogears," she said. Kirika looked to her elder with wide eyes, apparently having never heard that particular tidbit of information. Ignoring her stare, Maria continued. "And quite frankly, I don't care for them either, at least not as much as before. But they're necessary for what we want to accomplish... so for now, I would recommend to let go of that hate, or at least put it aside."

"Maria..." Tsubasa murmured.

"I know you're reluctant to share everything, and that's fine," the Airgetlam Adaptor continued. "But you don't need to push us away. In fact, I think doing that will only make everything harder, for you and us."

"Yeah, I'm tired of all this secret keeping myself," Chris added in. "Share with us what you have on your mind, alright? Then we can work it out together. The idiot and the old man already drove me nuts by not doing that."

Miku found herself speechless and stared at the floor in contemplation. "I... I..."

What could she say to them?

Nothing came to mind, despite how much she wanted to refute them and to tell them to stop pretending.

Because she knew they weren't. And it was maddening, as everything about them just screamed suspicious in her mind. But what Maria said felt somewhat familiar, ringing a certain tune in her mind that she swore she had heard before. Why was everyone telling her such things? Hating the Symphogears was something akin to a natural state by now, as it was one of two thoughts that occupied her mind.

Save Hibiki, and destroy Gungnir. That's all she wanted to do. And because of what Gungnir did, all the other Gears were suspicious by proxy, no matter what others try to say they are.

And that put everyone else in danger. She eyed the pendants with extreme caution, just waiting for the moment another one of them would turn on them in an instant.

But then she looked at her own. She knew what it was and what it could do, but that did not mean she trusted it in any regard. Her previous experience with it was more than enough to make it the most dangerous out of all of them, but she knew that no matter if something tried to take her over, she would not let it.

She couldn't let it. This power was necessary to save Hibiki, and if it tried to do otherwise she would bring it to heel under her will no matter what it is.

So if... just if... the others feel the same way...

"...Fine."

The other five looked to her with eyebrows raised. She took a step forward, freeing herself from Chris' and Kirika's grasp. "Fine, I'll tolerate it... just this once."

And they smiled, glad they were able to get through to her. "I'm glad," Tsubasa smiled. "Thank you for trusting us, Miku."

She said nothing in return.

Maria turned to Shirabe, who had remained relatively quiet throughout the whole talk. "Shirabe, you remember how to work the tablet?"

Her charge flashed her a peace sign with a smile. "Yes, it's pretty simple. I got the hang of it quickly."

Kirika chuckled, and quickly went over to hug her partner tightly. "As expected of Shirabe! So smart!"

Shirabe blushed under Kirika's hold. "We just need to decide what we want to do."

"In that case..." Maria began, trailing off as she described to Shirabe what she had in mind.

But Miku was not listening, and let her mind wander once more as she stared into her palm again. Chris approached her again, standing by her side. Her face suddenly flushed as she began speaking. "I-I know you love her and all, but you're not the only one," she suddenly admitted, causing Miku to look at her with a shocked expression. Her friend suddenly waved her hands in front of her face. "It's not what you think! I just meant that we all care for her a lot... and that we owe her a lot too. What kind of friends would we be if we let her down after she saved us? No way I'll let that happen. So I guess you can believe me at least if you want."

Miku looked at her.

And looked.

And looked.

'_This... is Chris. Yes, not something else. Yes... Chris wouldn't say anything any other way. This is her, not some outside influence. Are the others the same? I don't know. I don't want to know. But if it's Chris, so maybe... maybe I can...'_

Miku looked to the side once more and mumbled. "...Thanks."

Chris looked away too. "I-it's nothing." And went to join the others.

At this point, finally, the others' dialogue began to make sense to her as Maria continued speaking. "...Is that possible, you think?"

Shirabe put a finger on her chin in thought. She then lowered it, tapping on the tablet. "I think so? Let me try it first."

And she continued tapping, doing something on the tablet that Miku did not understand. Tsubasa went over to stand by Maria's side and put a hand on her hip. "That's a nice idea, Maria."

The elder idol smiled. "Thanks, I think it will work wonders for tonight."

"What are we doing?" Kirika asked, having not been listening at all for the past few minutes.

"A nice little exercise I just came up with," Maria explained. "We'll do the same thing we did today, only this time... no Armed Gears and no armor, meaning we fight the Noise and beasts with just our fists."

"Eh?! But—"

"It could be interesting," Tsubasa nodded agreeably. "To put ourselves in Hibiki's shoes for once, as well as to get some much needed evaluation on what we learned so far. I dare say we have made astounding progress."

Kirika grinned once again, and raised her arm, flexing it proudly. "Oh yeah, I agree!"

"In that case..."

Upon saying that, the many armored parts of Maria's Symphogear disappeared into motes of light, leaving her once more in just the undersuit. "Might as well get ready to start."

Chris, Tsubasa, and Kirika nodded, and they too followed suit. "It's just you now, Shirabe."

"Yes, I know, one moment," she said, continuing to tap on the screen of the tablet. "I'm just about..."

All of a sudden, a whole army of Noise manifested in the city around them, filling the streets to the brim in numbers even bigger than in the exercise they had with Genjuro. They were surrounded, the holographic Noise standing around them in a large circle, trapping them in.

"Uh, Shirabe... you spawned just a bit too many... maybe?" Kirika mumbled nervously, entering her combat stance.

Her partner looked at the Noise, and then to her tablet with wide eyes. "...I may have made a mistake in the numbers."

"What does it matter?" Chris said, taking a step forward. She too entered her stance, facing their long-time enemies head-on. "Just more practice to get done! We don't leave till we take all of them down with nothing but our hands right? Let's go!"

Shirabe took the opportunity to unequip her armor as well and went to stand next to Maria. "Yes, let's."

As the three former FIS Adaptors and Chris got ready to fight, Tsubasa looked to Miku again with a smile. "What do you say, Miku? Think you can keep up?" She asked with a tinge of sarcasm.

She did not know if the newbie caught her meaning or not, but the way her expression suddenly turned serious she could assume that she did not. "Of course I can."

"I see... in that case," Tsubasa said, raising her voice so the rest could hear too. "I have a proposition! Whoever gets the most Noise kills is the winner!"

"Oh yeah! What's the prize?!"

"We'll figure that out later! Let's start!"

"Then I'll count us off!" Tsubasa yelled again. "You ready, Miku?"

The newbie entered her own stance and answered dismissively. "Let's just start."

Tsubasa huffed. "I'm starting!" She proclaimed and entered her own stance.

"Five!"

The Noise shuffled about, staring ahead at their opponents.

"Four!"

Legs and feet moved accordingly, preparing to charge once more.

"Three!"

Miku lowered herself slightly as she too readied herself. 'No matter what... I'll bring you back, Hibiki.'

"Two!"

She could feel as her mouth moved, and she brought a hand up to her face to figure out what expression she was making. '_Am I... smiling?'_

"One!"

'_I see... I guess I can... trust my back to them. I don't need to worry... just this once. Wait for us, Hibiki.'_

The fact that in her own mind she referred to them all did not escape her notice. But right now was not the time to dwell on it.

Now was the time to fight.

And win.

"ZERO!"

And the six of them shot forward, throwing the Noise up into the air.

A single, united thought was shared between them at that moment.

'_We'll make things right.'_


	25. Chapter 25: All the Hopes of this World

"November 6th, 1500 hours. This is the twelfth experiment, testing any possible reactions of the severed black beast arm to a more concentrated Anti-LiNKER formula," Elfnein said, making sure the recording device could hear her voice clearly. Wearing her full containment suit and with the Anti-LiNKER syringe in hand, she approached the container which housed the severed black arm.

Somehow, it was still in one piece after all this time. On the table a bit further away, Adam's head rested silently, watching her work with interest. The homunculus continued speaking as she began her experiment. "Sample now contains 50 mGs of dopamine, an increase of 7.89 mG over the previous experiment. Will now test for reactions."

Carefully, Elfnein reached over to the black arm inside the container, the syringe pointed towards it. Lightly pressing its end towards the limb, she counted down. "In 3... 2... 1..."

And clicked. The sound of the liquid rushing into the arm filled the air, and she took a step back, turning her head towards her console where the observations were taking place. She waited, and watched as the numbers began to change.

"Increase in mass detected, now watching for any possible mutations..."

She looked carefully as the representation of the Anti-LiNKER inside the scan of the arm flowed into it like blood through veins, circulating through it for about a minute...

Before it, like every other time during the test, was absorbed and dissipated, leaving nothing but the black diagram of the limb completely unchanged. Other than the minuscule increase in mass, no other reactions were detected that were noteworthy.

Just like every other time, Elfnein slumped in disappointment, miffed about the fact that she had failed to discover anything new. Adam let out a chuckle and spoke up. "An ambitious attempt, homunculus, but I'm afraid this is where your experiments come to an end," he said with a strange sense of finality, causing her to stare at him through her containment suit. "There is simply no further use for this arm, that is all."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked him with a sigh.

"There is nothing further to be gleaned from it," he answered plainly. "As I have stated before, it was useful for the moment we required it, but that is no longer. The god-slaying power will be useless now that the divine power will be completely corrupted. There is nothing that it can do to its own self, after all."

"Completely corrupted..." She repeated in shock.

He chuckled once more. "Of course, what did you expect? The outcome of that battle a month ago has already reached its final stage by now. The next time we see her, it will be very different from what we have faced until now. It might frustrate you, but the Shenshoujing is the last dependable tool that we have; the rest simply do not have what it takes."

Elfnein tilted her head down, saddened by his words. "I just thought—"

"That you might be able to find an alternate solution. A commendable effort, but in the end meaningless. The arm simply has no further use for us, no matter what you try," Adam continued, interrupting her before she could finish speaking. He raised an eyebrow in thought. "Although... maybe we could have a use for it. After all, we have someone on board who is missing an arm of her own, does she not?"

Her eyes widened at his implications. "Wait, you don't mean—!"

He then laughed, confusing her further. "I jest, you do not need to take me seriously," He said. His smile then dropped as he explained his meaning. "To try and connect this arm to a living being would be an exercise in futility unless of course, we want Saint-Germain to go completely berserk the moment it is attached. Otherwise, it would be best to leave this matter be and focus on something else, perhaps a method to strengthen our defenses or some way to boost the Symphogears' capabilities for the coming battle."

"Are you sure we should just stop? Who knows what we might be able to discover with further study," she argued, trying to find some way past his claims.

"Have you managed to find out anything in the past month?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in her direction. She fell silent, realizing he was right. There have been no new discoveries regarding the arm or the nature of the curses themselves more than what they already knew. "Then there you go. Change focus before you waste any more time running in circles around a dead bush."

She sagged once more and placed the lid back on the container where the arm rested. "I just... wish there was something more I could do."

"We all have our own role in this narrative. Whether it is an active or passive one matters little, as the whole story depends on all of the details working together in harmony," he said in a strange, cryptic tone. "You should know what your own is by now."

"Yes..." She answered. But then she turned to him, and removed her helmet, letting him see her now narrowed eyes. "But what is yours?"

His face lit up in a smirk. "A mere supporting actor, that's who I am. I believe my own use has come to an end as well, as from now I cannot help but give you ominous warnings. The fact that my information is lacking bothers me greatly."

"In what way?"

"I have no knowledge of what rose up from within the Shenshoujing, so I do not know its nature. How does it act, and what can I expect from it? What will it truly be able to accomplish... and will it truly be enough to defeat the curses," he answered with an inquisitive look.

"But we already confirmed it can," Elfnein told him. "We've already seen what it can do with our own eyes. Why won't it be enough?"

"Because it's an unknown, and unknowns are always unpredictable."

The homunculus turned away from him, not continuing the conversation.

Of course, he wouldn't know about it, since no one told him. But she did, and Saint-Germain swore her to secrecy, especially in front of Adam Weishaupt. While Elfnein did not exactly understand why they should hide it from him, in the end, she relented to the alchemist's words and decided to keep quiet.

It was obvious Saint-Germain still suspected him and his motives. He may have assisted them up until now, but that did not mean he wouldn't turn on them when their backs were turned. As a result, it would be prudent to keep as much information from him as possible, just so he had nothing to use against them in the future.

She found it a bit... cruel, even if it was him. He had freely shared information with them, citing it as a tactical necessity for both their cause and his own, but they were going as far as to hide something like this from him.

But did it matter? Elfnein had a hunch that he might already know something was up that they were not telling him. The fact that he was keeping quiet about it was... strange, and in some ways alarming. But they couldn't be bothered to care about him at the moment, as anything Hibiki could do would probably be more worrisome than anything he could. He was after all just an immobile head, only serving to run his mouth when he wanted to. He still hadn't made his demands known, so that was something else to be wary of.

They were essentially cornered. On one side was Hibiki who had the ability to be wildly unpredictable and could spring absolutely anything on them. On the other was Adam, who was planning things right in broad daylight and there was nothing they could do about it. Locking him away wouldn't help anyone, so now they had to tolerate him.

If Saint-Germain said she'd keep her eye on him, then Elfnein trusted her she will. Their job was to deal with Hibiki and the curses after all.

But Elfnein wanted to be able to do more. Giving the tablet to Shirabe to work the simulator was one thing, but anything else... she wanted to be a part of the solution, not reap the rewards while they fought so hard outside.

"You're overthinking it once more, homunculus," Adam said, noticing her distress. "Letting your mind wander to unnecessary lengths won't do you any good. You're a smart girl, I trust that all the knowledge you inherited from Carol Malus Dienheim is useful for something."

She didn't say anything in response to him. Spending a month with this severed head was tiring, even for her. But he was right, she had to focus.

The arm had no further use, Adam didn't know of All the Hopes of this World, and the divine power's corruption is probably total at this point.

What could she do about any of those points?

In the end, all that was left for her was to think in silence in the confines of her own lab.

-!-

"Well ladies, here we are," Genjuro said, standing in front of the six fully clad Symphogear Adaptors as they stood in a line before him. "It's been a long five weeks, and I have to say I am very proud of your progress. In such a short amount of time, you've been able to improve yourself beyond what I thought was possible, and each and every one of you has to be commended for the hard work you've put into this."

It was one hell of a compliment to receive. All of them sans Miku smiled, still fairly tired from their earlier exercise; they knew however that something more was coming, and that it was still not over quite yet. This was merely a small evaluation, nothing concrete, so they could not let pride cloud their judgment.

Miku studied him carefully as he continued. "So, we're going to be having our first full battle simulation today," he announced. The girls looked between each other for a moment, and he spoke up once again. "It will be simple: what we will do is simulate a full-scale battle. One of you will be designated as the target to defeat, while the others will work together to eliminate that target. Said target will also be accompanied by Noise and black beasts, so it's up to the remaining five to work together to eliminate them all and subdue the target."

"That seems... kind of dangerous, doesn't it?" Maria asked putting a hand on her chin in thought.

"Perhaps, but it's necessary. It's the only real way of putting a grade on your progress," he answered truthfully. "Now, as to who is going to be the target..." He thought about it for a moment, looking between the six of them. His eyes settled on his niece.

"Tsubasa, you're up," He declared, causing the others to look to her. She closed her eyes and nodded, accepting the position wordlessly. He continued his explanation immediately after. "You'll be fighting in Cursed Eden mode, while the rest of you stay in your normal configuration. We need to have a clear cut difference in power for this to truly simulate what will happen on the battlefield, as well as how you've fought so far. I expect 200% from each and every one of you."

"Very well," Tsubasa cut in, crossing her arms. "Where should I place myself?"

"At the farthest end of the city on the western side. We will all go to the eastern side and begin from there; once we are ready, I will give the signal to start. Tsubasa, your goal is to defeat all five of them, so, in essence, you're at a disadvantage... but that shouldn't be a problem. Emulate an enemy as effectively as you can, and show no mercy. Also, Miku-kun... you are free to use your beams as you wish. Tsubasa... don't get hit by those."

The idol huffed. "Acknowledged," she said, lowering her arms. "Then, I'll head to my designated position. Everyone... don't hold back against me. I will be coming at you with my full power."

"Don't worry Tsubasa, we won't," Maria answered with a smirk, causing her idol partner to smile. Turning in the direction of the west, Tsubasa jumped up and away. As she disappeared from their sight, Genjuro turned back to the others, gesturing with his head to the opposite side.

"Then let's go."

He led the way, and the remaining five followed after him quietly, the only sound accompanying them being Shirabe's wheels as she slid after them.

Once again Miku found herself lost in thought as they walked, weaving through the illusionary bright streets. She didn't even know what day it was, or what time it was, or even that the outside still existed. Having not left the submarine even once during the last five weeks, the very concept of time became meaningless to her. It was just one moment passing to the next, and every one of those moments was spent training, honing her mind to achieve that one singular desire.

Nothing else mattered other than it, and as a result, even existence itself lost meaning.

Only a smiling, amber-eyed figure appeared in her mind, and with that image she moved forward, determined to break down the walls that stood in her path to it. But her fists were not strong enough to destroy those walls, and so she had agreed to this training that initially seemed to her like a farce.

Now, five weeks after it has begun, she could feel it in her very self. The strength in her arms, the fire in her blood, they were all the means to achieve that wish, now tempered exactly to fit its course.

The enemy waited on the edge, having beckoned to her since the day it had appeared. The demon that had attempted to crush her in its grip will instead be crushed in her own.

She regained focus when Genjuro spoke up, raising a hand to his ear. "Tsubasa, are you in position?"

"_Yes."_

"Good, then you may activate Cursed Eden when you wish. Once you do, the exercise starts."

"_Acknowledged," _she said, and the connection was cut.

He turned to the five girls before him. "Work together to overcome the threat. Any Noise or beast you do not eliminate will only be a thorn in your side, remember. Trust each other, see through each other's moves, and cut the path towards the enemy. In Cursed Eden, you all know that Tsubasa is particularly strong. She doesn't need to channel that overwhelming power she had last time to wipe the floor with you if you are not careful. Time your attacks, see through openings, and most of all, be aware of your surroundings. Tsubasa is a crafty one, therefore you must be crafty yourself."

"Is this why you picked her to be the target?" Shirabe asked.

"Yes, since not only does she have the most experience, she also knows Hibiki-kun's mindset well enough to imitate it. Out of all of you, only she will come close to emulating the threat that we are trying to overcome. Absurd power combined with bothersome cleverness, a combination that will surely be difficult to defeat. Use this chance as a way to further your understanding of each other and Hibiki-kun."

And Miku instantly realized what this whole thing meant.

'_You're imitating the way you tricked me.'_

Rather than make her believe he was the demon, he was shifting that title onto Tsubasa, someone she was less inclined to hurt. Not only that, but this was a _test_ meant just for her: can she face that enemy without losing her composure?

Those five weeks were all meant to bring her to that answer. Five weeks after that first trick of his, he was trying it again.

And now, he wanted to see whether or not she'll fall for it again. If she'd let him trick her again.

She looked to him with her eyes narrowed, and he met her gaze in the middle. '_I know what you're planning,' _she thought in her mind as if she was sending that thought to him through telepathy.

And as if he had received it, he smiled.

At that moment, black light flowed over the horizon, making their heads turn to its source.

"That's the signal," he said. At his cue, the air shimmered as countless amounts of Noise and black beasts materialized throughout the city, programmed to turn only on the five of them. "Ready?"

They crouched low, turning to the direction the black light came from.

"GO!"

_(Play: Strength, Weakness - Dynasty Warriors 8 OST)_

Unlike what initially thought, they did not launch in the same direction. Rather than piercing through the Noise in front of them like a tidal wave, the five Adaptors all went in separate directions, surging towards different streets.

'_That's right, each one of them is a force of their own. A thousand—no, each one of the Adaptors is worth 10,000 Noise and 1,000 black beasts. Right now, there is no need for a huge army to reinforce their charge. They each know their role in the grand scheme of things, so now they must show and prove they are capable of carrying through that role to the end.'_

Chris jumped onto one of the overlooking buildings, gaining sight of the entirety of the city. Her eyes scanned the area, looking around to pinpoint Tsubasa's location. It was already obvious that the veteran Adaptor would be on the move, trying to hide her presence from them until it was time to strike. She would try to pick them off one by one so she would not get overwhelmed.

Would Hibiki try that same tactic? Chris didn't know, but at this point, it was impossible to know. But it didn't matter, because Chris' role was simple:

The observer, the lookout, and the indomitable defensive juggernaut that could not be toppled. She was the ultimate defense, as the massive area of effect of her attacks was second to none amongst the Adaptors. With her hawk-like eyes, she would be able to pinpoint any singular target among the many, regardless of where they were.

And it just so happened that she saw it, a whooshing of air behind the replica of the highest office building in the central city. Her machine guns materialized in her hands, and she shouted out her words.

"SHE'S IN THE SOUTHWEST!"

Cutting through the Noise with the strikes of her fan, Miku took a sharp turn and immediately headed in the direction Chris had indicated. Boosting off the ground at breakneck speeds, she took into the air, rising above the city and the hostile army that had targeted her. Now that the black beasts or the ground-bound Noise couldn't follow her, she was left with only one type of enemy to overcome: the flying Noise, all of which immediately turned to aim at her.

But her role was not to cut down the Noise.

Before they could even think about trying to impede her path, a barrage of bullets tore into them, ripping them to pieces right in front of her eyes. Stopping for absolutely nothing, she charged forward, Chris' volley blasting all the enemies in her path, leaving not a single one alive to get in her way.

Meanwhile, Maria headed towards the center of the city, right where the plaza lay. Her own role in was simple: due to her endurance, she was to be the bait. She is the target that all the enemies see first and foremost, and she planned to lure them all to her.

It worked like a charm. Her sword shining with light, she sliced through the ranks of the Noise with ease. The simulated black beasts instantly began to charge at her, their eyes locked on the closest target. She dodged under a wild slash and parried another, the darkened claws sliding against the side of her blade as she passed through. Noise and beasts alike were thrown about by the force of her charge, further turning their attention on her.

It took her exactly fifteen seconds to reach the plaza, where the largest concentration of enemies was. She jumped above the flood of the Noise, hanging in the air for a moment, and then descended on them like a meteor. Her sword became a storm of instant death as it tore them apart in nothing but glancing blows. She landed on the free space she opened up for herself, and stood to her full height, presenting an easy and simple target.

And the mindless monsters fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Completely forgetting that there were other Adaptors in the area, both the Noise and the beasts could only scan the area for the closest one, which was Maria. Chris, Kirika, Shirabe, and Miku might as well be non-existent in their eyes now, as the silver-clad Adaptor shone brightly, attracting them like moths to a flame.

Of course, that wouldn't draw _all _of them in, as there were just so many of them that all the enemies on the outer ridges of the formation wouldn't even be able to reach her.

But that was not her role. No, that was something specifically designed for the twin blades of Zababa. Heading off in different directions, Shirabe and Kirika's job was also a simple one: to be the shepherds. To be the perimeter guards, and make sure to box the Noise in.

And thus, their own formation came into being:

Kirika and Shirabe on the outside, running circles around the perimeter of the city to ensure no enemy would leave their sphere of influence.

Maria on the inside, the glowing lamp that drew all the inner Noise towards the center where they could be swiftly eliminated. Had this been a regular battle, that is where Tsubasa would have been too, helping her act as bait.

Chris, the lookout that scouted for important targets as well as relieving the tension off of anyone that required it. Her long range and incredible vision were both critical for their success, and she could also eliminate any wayward enemy not lured by Maria and not herded by Kirika and Shirabe.

And of course, Miku, the one who would engage the most important target head-on. With her unique properties, she would defeat the enemy commander, and bring disorder to all those under them. Of course, the Noise and the black beasts were not exactly such obedient troops, but it mattered not, for victory against the most daunting enemy is what they required, nothing more.

From her vantage point, Chris studied the battlefield carefully. It had all gone according to plan so far, and she could see that the vast majority of the enemy units were, in fact, busy with at least one of the Adaptors at all times. With Maria drawing the attention of all the ones in the center, and the Zababa duo the ones on the outskirts, it gave her free rein to truly rain down hellfire upon them.

With the Noise and black beasts occupied by her teammates, Miku flew through the air, her visor scanning her surroundings for any sign of Tsubasa. She was stealthy, she had to give her that. Barely a moment after activating the Cursed Eden module she had already disappeared, not leaving behind even a trace of her movements.

But... that was not a problem for Miku.

There was something they had discovered in one of the exercises during the last two weeks when they finally went back to practicing using the fully armored Symphogears. At the times the Ignite Module was used, there was something that clearly stood out to them when it came to Miku.

She would always know where the target was. Even in the one on one duels they had, she could, without fail, track down her sparring opponent without anyone understanding why.

Until they finally did, and that made all the difference.

All the Evils of this World and All the Hopes of this World were more than just polar opposites, more than just antitheses of each other. While the light of the Hopes would always triumph, there was another quality to their connection that highlighted it. And because the current Cursed Eden module hosted a portion of those curses, it finally dawned on them what it meant.

They were in fact like poles on a magnet. They were eternally drawn to come into conflict, only held back by forces stronger than they were. However, when the time came for Miku to stand up to fight, she always seemed to be essentially stuck to her opponent, never letting them escape even from her arm's length. Her opponents were also unable to stop fighting until the Ignite Module gave out on its own.

Yes, the concept of All the Hopes of this World brought with it another oddity: always know where its enemy was, in every shape or form. Whether it was a tiny fragment inside of a Symphogear or a full manifestation of its influence, the bearer of All the Hopes of this World will always be able to track down its nemesis.

It was akin to a sixth sense, a tingling in the back of her mind that pointed her in the right direction every single time, letting her find her target very easily.

Tsubasa will not be able to hide from her, and she knows it. Her tactic was doomed to fail from the start... but that was part of the plan. This was a simulation of the coming final battle, and it only stood to reason that she will be the one to finally bring everything to an end.

Miku wouldn't let anyone else do it even if they could. She was the one who was going to save Hibiki, defeat All the Evils of this World once and for all, and finally take back their happy days.

The entire world could go to hell for all she cared.

She felt the tingling, and took a hard right, turning around to a different part of the city. Leaving the cannon fodder to the rest, she lowered her altitude, entering the streets proper as she flew through them. She could feel that Tsubasa was in the general area closer to Kirika, but other than her location, she didn't know anything more.

It was then she saw it. Even with her vision slightly obstructed by the visor, she could still see the black light in her sight, a clear contrast to the white, polished look of the city.

'_You can't escape from me.'_

It was a thought that rang out in her mind, directed at the evil manifest she was seeing. That's right... the target was not Tsubasa... no, the target was the curses, and that's what she was going to eliminate.

She could see it. The silhouette moved to the corner of the building it was standing behind, waiting for her approach. '_I can see you light as day!'_

It would be a quick victory. Grasping her fan with both hands, she lowered herself to the ground as much as she could, almost touching it, still flying ahead to her destination.

There were only a hundred meters between them, and in a fight like this a hundred meters were like a few single millimeters. Her thrusters flared, and she accelerated to high speeds, coming upon the corner the blackness hid behind.

And just as she rounded it, she swung in a powerful arc, intent on cutting it down instantly.

"What?!"

Only to meet thin air.

'_How?!'_

Her fan passed by absolutely nothing, the crescent of light she had intended to use against Tsubasa leaving her fan to carve its path of destruction through the street, searing into the illusionary buildings.

She was tricked?! Again?! But how—

Her instincts kicked in right at that moment.

"NOT GOOD ENOUGH, MIKU!"

She came out of nowhere. Miku only had a second to look up to see Tsubasa coming down on her with her sword intent on running her through. Not giving in to shock, she jumped out of the way just in time, the black blade embedding itself in the ground where she stood a moment before.

'_How... how did she do that?!'_

"You must be surprised, but that's part of what the commander was saying; always be aware of your surroundings. For even the senses you rely on the most could betray you, especially ones you are not used to," Tsubasa said, pulling her sword out of the hole. "I was able to deceive you by working it against you. Don't expect Hibiki to not pull the same tricks, Miku."

"An afterimage..." Miku murmured, honestly surprised.

"Indeed," Tsubasa confirmed, raising her blade. "Now come, Miku! Show me your resolve! Show me the power that will bring Hibiki back to us!"

There was no need to tell her twice. Holding her fan with both hands again, Miku charged forward, and Tsubasa brought her sword up to block the swing. "Your power has vastly improved, excellent," the idol said, pushed back by the strike. "However, that will not be enough!"

She pushed her away, and with a quick swing aimed for her opponent's neck. Miku quickly pulled her fan back, letting the blade slide against it harmlessly before twisting on her foot and using the added weight on her legs struck with a vicious kick. Confused by the sudden maneuver, Tsubasa put her sword in the path of the blow, intending to cut the leg off.

Only for the bulky knee guards to repel the sword violently, catching Tsubasa off guard. Before her head could be struck, she ducked under the kick, feeling the wind buffeting her hair about. But Miku was not done yet, and the moment her foot touched the ground she spun again, this time her other leg coming up in a swift back kick. Realizing she won't be able to block it as well as she would have liked, Tsubasa opted to retreat, jumping back away from her range.

"Magnificent legwork, Miku," she said, watching as Miku balanced herself back on both feet. "A far cry from what you were just five weeks prior. You would have made an amazing fighter should you have chosen to do so."

Holding her sword with both hands, Tsubasa held her ground. "However, I know the reason why you did not... and it is as worthy as any! That heat, that determination... how I want to see it shine and drown out the Evils in its light!"

She dodged the burst of light Miku sent her way, moving her head to the side. "But you'll have to give more than that, Miku!"

Her charge was lightning fast. The single swing turned into many, cutting off all means of retreat. And Miku could see it, as the black blade suddenly multiplied in her vision into many, all coming down to slice into her.

Too bad that won't work.

The dome of light that had been seen only once beforehand returned in full force, creating a barrier between herself and the electrified blade. Once again Tsubasa's weapon was repulsed, her fast strikes blocked even before they could attempt to find purchase. The sword was flung from her hand, and she backpedaled away from Miku before she could be hit by the follow-up swing from the fan.

Taking the opportunity while her opponent was unarmed, Miku closed the distance in a single step. But Tsubasa was not harmless even with her weapon out of her hand, and her dodging ability was second only to the swift-as-the-wind Shirabe. The light that began to envelop the fan was not even able to graze her opponent, who could predict her opponent's swings with frightening accuracy.

Her opportunity for a counterattack presented itself. As the fan came down to strike her again, she acted boldly and slammed her palm against its side, throwing it off course. The brief contact caused a tiny bit of smoke to rise from her hand, but her plan was already in motion. Shuffling her feet, Tsubasa closed the distance and grabbed Miku's wrist before she could pull back to gain some distance. Tsubasa's armored hand began smoking immediately, but she did not hold on long enough for there to be any sort of noticeable damage.

She threw her. Spinning on her heel Tsubasa twirled, Miku being dragged by her momentum, only to be thrown against the side of the building next to them. Quickly the Ame-no-Habakiri Adaptor materialized another sword in her hand and slashed down at Miku, her blade slicing through the air with a scream.

Only to pull back in the last possible second as a wheel of green death passed by where she stood a second before. She took a step back and threw her head to the side, spotting the interruption.

"I'm here to help!" Kirika shouted, her arm still extended after having thrown her scythe. She brought forth another to her hand and charged, forcing Tsubasa to disengage from Miku and aim for her instead. The swordswoman's strike was quick, but having anticipated her attack, Kirika decided to try something completely different.

She smashed her scythe into the ground and jumped, releasing her hold on the handle just as Tsubasa's sword clanged loudly against it. Flipping in mid-air, she twisted as she avoided the idol's follow up blow, landing a distance away.

Tsubasa immediately turned to face her, leaving her back open. Smirking, Kirika tugged on the thin string in her hand, causing the swordswoman to hurriedly turn back as the scythe was violently dislodged, its sharp edge trapping her in. She quickly raised her sword, and the inside of the polearm crashed against it, causing her to skid across the ground as sparks flew from the impact point. Materializing another scythe in her open hand, Kirika swung hard, trapping her senior in between two sharp edges.

But it was just a moment too late.

In a display of unparalleled agility, Tsubasa disengaged from the lock, and with a skillful twist of her body jumped off the ground, the two blades passing below and above her simultaneously. She landed back on her feet and spun, her sword leaving behind a trail of light as it cut through the air. Just in time, the scythe that was connected by the string returned to Kirika's hand, and she expertly blocked the blow. However, it had a lot of power behind it and forced her back, her feet skidding against the ground.

Before she could charge again, Tsubasa swiftly turned around to parry the fan that came down on her back, forcing Miku off balance. The Shenshoujing Adaptor quickly regained her footing and swung again, a ray of violet light following her strike.

Realizing she had nothing to deflect this time, Tsubasa ducked low, her entire back arching as the light passed over her harmlessly. She followed it up by cartwheeling, the blades on her feet crashing against the fan's second pass, forcing it away. She jumped back as soon as she got back on her feet, and raised her sword in preparation, smoke rising from her feet.

It didn't take long into training to figure out the Shenshoujing's weak point, something that Tsubasa made sure to be aware of at all times: it required constant contact with the target in order to enact its relic-erasing property, and that was something that could be easily avoided if one was careful enough. So long as contact was kept to a minimum, it just wouldn't have enough time to do any significant damage and thus be rendered completely useless.

Essentially putting Miku in a spot where she had to be up close and personal with the enemy, leaving her open to any potential dangerous counterattacks.

But that was exactly why they were practicing. This way, Miku could gauge reactions and act accordingly. It worked both ways after all, as any enemy aware of her capabilities would know that a straight-up deadlock with her would end in her victory. And considering who their enemy was, it would definitely know this fact, and try to keep its distance or strike her with powerful blows that will leave her unable to respond.

Which was exactly what Tsubasa was banking on.

But of course, she wasn't alone.

As if on cue, a gigantic missile roared towards Tsubasa's location from behind her. It sped towards her at high speeds, sending gale winds through the streets. The idol quickly glanced back, only to see a bright light from the corner of her eye rapidly approaching. Caught in a sudden pincer, the thrusters on her feet lit up, and she _jumped, _barely avoiding the two.

The beam of light Miku had fired washed over the missile, which was summarily erased from existence without detonating. Tsubasa flipped in mid-air just in time to realize Chris was aiming at her from afar and raised her blade to block the sniper bullet, crashing against her sword and forcing her back.

And then she had to twist her body once more as a giant sawblade sliced through the air, passing by where she'd been a second before. Planting her feet against its side, she thrust forward, putting considerable distance between herself and the others.

'_They're slowly cutting off my retreat,' _Tsubasa understood. '_Picking them off one by one will be difficult... now, what would Hibiki do in this situation, as she is now?'_

It was a strange thought to have now of all times, but it was a necessary one. She was supposed to emulate her as much as possible, at least from what she remembered of her. '_However, I've wasted too much time dodging. I must go on the offensive at the first opportunity.'_

She landed on one of the roofs and immediately rolled to the side as another huge sawblade cut the building in half. Stumbling momentarily, she jumped to another rooftop, barely avoiding the barrage of bullets that threatened to catch up to her.

But Shirabe was faster, and once more used her sawblades to slice the building Tsubasa was on. '_She's trying to get rid of my high ground advantage... that's bothersome,' _she said to herself. Glancing to the ground, she saw as both Miku and Kirika were right below her, running parallel to her position. '_I have to start doing something about this.'_

The building began collapsing, and thinking on the fly Tsubasa summoned a Heaven's Wrath sword, the giant blade embedding itself by the sharp edge into the side of the building. She quickly raced up its length and then summoned another. It hung in the air momentarily before it began to fall, and she quickly jumped to it, using it as a temporary foothold to gain more distance.

Or better yet, close in on her current target.

Chris saw her coming from a mile away and readied her machine guns to fight her off. Holding her ground atop the skyscraper, she fired an endless volley of bullets at her upperclassman, intent on shooting her out of the sky and right into the waiting arms of the three below her.

Tsubasa smiled with pride at their teamwork. '_Miku is not recklessly charging in as I expected her to. She's letting the others take some of the work as well.'_

But it was not only her. Kirika and Shirabe trusted Maria explicitly, who worked hard to lure the outlying Noise and beasts to her location so she could slay them. That removed the pressure off of their backs as they focused on Tsubasa.

And she could see that they were working wonderfully. It was obvious that Chris was deliberately presenting her an easy target, forcing her to focus on her while everyone else was boxing her in.

She could see their plan as it would unfold: She would engage Chris in close combat in an attempt to down her, but she would hold on long enough for the others to join in on the fight and proceed to overwhelm her by sheer numbers.

That would be their plan, she knew it.

But would Hibiki notice it? Tsubasa knew for a fact that as she is now, Hibiki would be more vulnerable than ever to surprise attacks and sudden ambushes. But would any of that work against her? There was no way for them to know, at least not now. If the corruption was as bad as she heard it is, then...

If their plan succeeds, then they win, no questions asked.

So that's why it was a better idea to make it fail, and see how they follow up.

_(Play: Cry & Slash - Dynasty Warriors 9 OST)_

She passed by her. Relinquishing her opportunity to strike at Chris, Tsubasa chose to summon another Heaven's Wrath sword and smashed it right in front of Chris, obscuring the gunslinger's vision of her.

And decided to aim right for the person they wouldn't have expected her to pick: Maria

Realizing Tsubasa's intentions, Miku boosted forward, rising off the ground in pursuit of the Ame-no-Habakiri Adaptor.

Maria didn't even see her partner idol coming. One moment she was slaying the enemy units left and right, and the next rubble and debris rose into the air before a black blade came down on her faster than light. In her precarious position, her dagger embedded inside the body of one of the simulated beasts, she had no time to call forth another into her hand.

Kirika screamed. "MARIA!"

It was then Tsubasa's turn to be caught by surprise as the elder's hands caught her blade midswing. She struggled against her hold, and Maria grit her teeth, the two tiny triangular shields she brought forth in her palms at the last possible second holding back the sword to the point of shattering.

"Magnificent reaction, Maria," Tsubasa found herself saying with a smile.

Maria's bared teeth suddenly turned into a smile of her own. "Thank you. Nice change of tactics there," she replied, still struggling against the blade. She peeked from the corner of her eyes as the Noise and the beasts began to close the distance to her, noticing she was now occupied. Their programming caused them to ignore Tsubasa entirely, focusing only on the non-Ignited Adaptors. "But you didn't plan on me blocking, did you?"

"No, I did not," Tsubasa answered. "That forces my own plans to change again... if I have the time to do so."

Which she won't, because she was now in a bind. Her surprise attack on Maria failed, and that gave the others all the time in the world they needed to cover the distance once more. Kirika and Shirabe made their way over as fast as they could while Chris once again positioned herself in a high vantage location atop another skyscraper.

But out of all of them, Miku was the fastest. Tsubasa watched as the Noise and beasts were thrown into the air like nothing more than collateral, and she was forced to let go of her sword as the fan came down on her once again. But Miku was not done, and switching to a reverse grip attacked again, the light following after her fan in a crescent shape. Tsubasa once again ducked under it, flipping over and calling forth another sword into her hand.

'_I might be in a pinch here...' _She realized. She had expected to catch Maria off guard and take her out in one hit, then proceed to evade the others once again; rinse and repeat right under their nose and she would be able to achieve victory.

But her partner idol's amazing block threw that option out of the window, and her opportunity to escape Miku was gone with the wind.

She was boxed in despite her change in tactics, and she realized she might no longer have any options left. But maybe...

Maria tossed aside the black sword just as the Noise and the beasts reignited their offensive, bringing total chaos to the plaza. Shirabe and Kirika charged through them as well, their weapons slicing through them without regard to anything as they closed the distance to Tsubasa.

Miku re-engaged with another charge, forcing Tsubasa to deflect her blows by cherry tapping strikes as to not lose her blade. However, with every successful block more and more of her sword was shaved off, its form wavering under the assault of the Shenshoujing's properties.

And she wasn't even done yet. As the Noise and the beasts closed around Miku, Tsubasa jumped back once more to gain some distance.

Just then, the Shenshoujing Adaptor did something none of them had seen before. She held her fan by her side as if it were a sword sheathed in its scabbard. Her gaze powerful, she stepped forward with a single foot, cracking the ground beneath her and swung.

But she did not stop with just that single direction. No, she attacked in ALL directions, her singular horizontal swing becoming a spin.

And a ring of violet light exploded from her, striking all targets in the vicinity.

'_**ANGEL'S HALO'**_

Her allied Adaptors only had a moment to either duck or jump as the wave washed over everything, the Noise and beasts pushed back and thrown as if a downburst suddenly erupted over the plaza.

Tsubasa stared with wide eyes as her own allied units simply disappeared from the force of the strike, reducing the now empty plaza to just the Adaptors. Noise and beasts from the outlying streets began to pour in once more, but the damage was already done.

Once more Tsubasa's plan was thrown in the gutter by a surprising move, and she couldn't be more ecstatic. '_Trying to use the Noise and beasts as meatshields is no longer possible I see... what am I left to do?'_

Holding her fan with both hands once again, Miku charged once more.

And her fan came to an immediate stop as Ame-no-Habakiri shattered into a million black shards, leaving Tsubasa in her civilian clothes, the Ignite Timer having run out in exactly that moment.

Total silence descended on the plaza as the Noise and beasts that had returned to try and attack shimmered from existence. From around one of the corners, Genjuro walked up to them, tension still in the air as Miku's fan stopped just short of its objective.

"And that's the end of it," he said, clapping loudly. "Excellent job everyone, that was quite a sight to see."

If he was acknowledged was unknown, as the others were watching nervously. Genjuro's clapping fell silent as they looked at Tsubasa and Miku, the two of them still in the position they were in beforehand.

A position in which in any other situation, would spell instant death for Tsubasa.

But luckily enough, it seemed Miku did not go berserk, and wordlessly stepped away from her teammate. Her shoulders sagging, she took a deep breath as pressure left her frame, forcing a smile out of Tsubasa.

"You did good, Miku," she said, making the newbie look at her with an even expression. "You've improved so much in such a short time; with this... our wish comes that much closer to coming true."

The others smiled as well and dispelled their own Gears. Miku remained clad in her own as she looked away.

"Very well done everyone," Genjuro spoke up, making them all turn to him as they gathered in the center of the plaza. "That was fantastic teamwork out of all of you. Tsubasa, what do you have to say?"

The idol put a hand on her hip, her face still graced with a smile. "Let's see... I think in the end there, if my Ignite Module hadn't run out, I believe I still would have lost," she admitted, looking to her teammates. "They managed to surprise me time and time again, leaving me without any options to respond. I would like to particularly point out Shirabe's quick thinking of cutting down the buildings I was using as footholds and Maria's incredible last-second block."

She crossed her arms as the two mentioned girls smiled. "But everyone did an amazingly good job. With such teamwork, even with my advantage in power and speed, I was left with absolutely no opportunity to counterattack. I was trapped and underestimated everyone's new capabilities, which left me at a severe disadvantage; I was outnumbered, and the Cursed Eden Module served to only delay the inevitable."

Genjuro nodded.

"Good analysis there, Tsubasa. Indeed, even without speaking to each other you understood exactly what it is you wanted to do, and all of you were able to think on the fly in order to achieve your objective."

The girls sans Miku smiled at his compliments. However, he was not done yet with his feedback. "Remember what you did here well because you'll need to apply it when the next battle starts... but of course, don't forget that it can, and probably will fall flat the moment it starts. Make sure to trust each other's decisions like you did here."

His eyes passed over each and one of them as they stood before him, his eyes settling on Miku. "Because even with all the power in the world, you won't win if you try to take on everything on your own."

She caught his message, and once more looked away from him. "That was excellent, everyone, so you can have your break now. Shower and do whatever you'd like, and meet me here again at 8 PM sharp, alright?"

Together the six Adaptors nodded, and at last, the tension disappeared completely, the city repairing itself around them as the exercise came to a close. "Kirika, Shirabe, come on. Let's go rest a bit," Maria said. She then looked to Tsubasa with a curious eye and smiled. "Care to join us, Tsubasa?"

"I'd be honored," her partner idol said. It was then she noticed Chris standing off to the side with a pouty expression, and let out a chuckle. "You want to come too, Chris?"

She blushed and turned her head away. "S-sure, whatever. I was going to do that anyway."

Kirika chuckled at her upperclassman's usual antics, then turned to Miku with her hands joined over behind her head. "Miku, you wanna come with us?"

"No, not this time," she answered. "I want to practice some more."

The blonde tilted her head in question but decided not to pry. "Okay, then we'll see you later! Come on Shirabe! Let's count bruises again!"

"Kirika, that's not..." her partner began to say. "Nevermind."

"Miku, are you sure you don't want to join us?" Maria asked with a concerned tone, her constant worry evident once more.

Normally, Miku would empathize with her, but right now her head was somewhere else. "I'm sure."

No one had an argument to give. "Alright... then we'll see you later. Don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

Miku's only response was to nod slightly, turning away as the five Adaptors walked away, leaving the simulator empty save for Miku and Genjuro.

The two remaining were silent for a moment before Genjuro spoke up again. "They're worried about you, you know. They've made that clear to me a few times."

"I know," she said with a solemn expression. "But I can't let myself stop now. It's... not enough yet."

"Is it? That last finisher of yours was quite something. Do you really feel not ready?"

"I won't be ready until I'm 100% sure I can win," she answered back, causing his eyes to widen. "That's what you said, wasn't it?"

He laughed. "Yeah, I guess I did say that, in one way or another," he said in agreement. "You took it to heart I see, what was said to you."

She fell quiet, turning around to face away from him. "I had to," she said. "Because it wasn't wrong."

She had thought about it day after day, night after night. Every time she had found herself in the middle of the night she thought and considered, her mind going over everything again and again and again.

"_Are you going to deny her wish?" _Tsubasa had said to her.

The obvious answer was no. If there was anyone in the world that would deny Hibiki's wishes and ideals, she wouldn't even be on the list. Miku had sworn to support her, to stand by her side, and that extended to even now.

To show Hibiki that whatever she had in mind was not something she truly wanted was also part of her job. She knew that Hibiki would never actively pursue such a horrible outcome on her own; she wouldn't even consider it, no matter what she truly felt.

But... what if she did? Adam had said that part of what those curses do was remove inhibitions, just like certain drugs she only had a vague understanding of. But that would mean... that would mean that somewhere... this destruction and horror was born somewhere out of Hibiki's own desires.

She was the one who wanted it, and Gungnir simply made it possible. It was such a dark thought to have, but she couldn't let go of it, even for a moment.

What would she do then? Would she truly support such a thing?

'_No, obviously not.'_

And that was her own justice, the one she herself pursued. Even if she was not a dazzling hero with magnificent ideals, she still had the things she believed in. And just like Chris had said to her before, if there is disagreement... then fight it out until one wins.

Only the one with the stronger justice would then emerge victoriously.

But this wasn't a fight between a hero and a villain. There was no clash of ideals or fanciful monologues to give unlike what Yumi would believe.

Miku didn't give a damn about that.

Gungnir, the curses, and everything else that lies in between are just obstacles to be overcome.

It was a long, winding road.

And on that road, there was only herself, her goal, and countless walls to climb.

'_No... I guess it's not just myself...'_

Yeah, that was the truth, she realized. She wasn't walking that road alone, nor was she climbing those walls by herself. Supporting her were her friends, an entire organization, and a heartbroken mother. They all came together, whether by body or spirit, for the sake of that goal.

How she wished Hibiki would see that it was all for her sake.

"_In order to save her, you just have to be like her."_

Out of all the things the mad doctor Ver had told her that day, it was that one singular phrase that had stuck with her.

Because despite all his insane ramblings, he wasn't wrong, at least not when he said that. Miku was aware, more than anyone else, the changes she has undergone since she chose to get involved and fight. The feeling of power and the stirrings of her own mind, the strange unfamiliar familiarity with her own body, and the unshackled drive that focused on what she wanted.

And it was only because of that that she could start to bring herself to understand what truly lies inside Hibiki, and to atone for the sin of having been blind to her true heart for so long.

"It looks like you've reached some sort of conclusion," Genjuro suddenly said, putting a hand on his hip as he looked to her with a smile.

She met his gaze for a moment before going back to stare at the floor. A question rising in her mind, she spoke. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

A small silence.

"When everything ends... will you condemn her?"

She did not see the widening of his eyes, nor how his arm fell to his side once again. "You wound me, Miku-kun. I think the answer to that is obvious."

"I see..."

Silence once more.

"If I did, what would you do?" He asked in return.

Her response was quick, immediate, and resolute. "I think the answer to that... is obvious."

She would turn against him immediately, that was what she meant.

That was the extent of her love. It didn't matter to her who was the opponent; if their target was Hibiki, she would place herself between them and her and would fight back with all her power.

And if her own life was required, then she would do so in a heartbeat.

'_Love has been wielded for and against humanity before,' _he thought to himself, the image of a certain long gone blond priestess rising in his mind. '_A force strong enough to affect even the stars themselves... yet for once, I want to see what happens when it's wielded for a cause as pure as hers.'_

"I guess there's no point in thinking about what-ifs," Miku said. But although she said that, she knew she was the one most guilty of dwelling on such things before.

What if she had never invited Hibiki to the concert was perhaps her biggest one, and one she had turned into her own deep-seated regret a long time ago.

And it still was, for it shall forever remain a thought that will haunt her for the rest of her days.

-!-

"Thank you so much Kuriyo-chan," The elderly and kind owner of Flower said to the schoolgirl. "I don't know how to thank you."

"Don't worry about it, Obaa-san," the beige-haired girl said, putting down another box of heavy kitchenware down on the floor. "I'm glad to help. I can't do much, but the little I can I try."

She wiped her brow with her sleeve and stretched her back from the arduous task. The evening had already arrived, and she was shocked to see how fast it came. She had been working and helping throughout the city in an effort to survey and help take care of the damages done by the so-called "disaster" that had apparently struck while they were underground.

She didn't believe that for a second. No, Kuriyo may not know all the details, but she was far from stupid; Chris and the others definitely fought something. If her gut feeling was correct, and if what she saw that day in Lydian's courtyard was any indication, that something was Hibiki, no doubt about it.

Trying to contact any one of them, including Miku, proved to be a big undertaking. It was only in this last week that she managed to get a response in the form of a text message from her that stated that "_I don't want to talk about it."_

A vague response was what she had expected from Miku, and that simple response gave her all the answers she needed.

'_How did it get this bad?' _She wondered. She had seen the damage that was caused, and couldn't believe how terrible it was.

The city was pretty much gone, with almost nothing left standing. Weirdly enough, or perhaps by some crazy miraculous coincidence, the entire campus of Lydian was not touched save for what had already happened there, and the stage where the idol Amou Kanade lost her life also remained completely unscathed.

How did they both survive the onslaught she had absolutely no idea, but she was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, even if the gift was... a bit strange.

"Then, I'll be bringing some more stuff from the outside alright?" She asked the kind owner. The lady nodded with a smile, and Kuriyo headed out, basking in the evening glow. People went to and fro on the streets, most of them carrying tools or objects as they passed by, all intent on fixing the damage as soon as they could.

'_At least for once everyone is working together,' _she thought with a smile.

And then she _froze, _her entire being seizing completely as she spotted something impossible in the crowd. Her eyes followed the impossibility as it disappeared between the goers. Kuriyo immediately chased after it, weaving and bumping into people along the way as she looked ahead, her hand extended towards it.

It took her what felt like forever, but she finally managed to catch up. Putting her hand on the impossibility's shoulder, she uttered the name she thought she wouldn't speak now.

"... Bikki?"

There was silence. As if everyone else in the world disappeared, she could only stare at the chestnut-haired girl's back in shock and confusion. Everything in her eyes became insanely surreal, since the last time she had seen her, she wasn't anywhere close to being herself.

Yet now, here she was, in her school uniform of all things.

A million warning signs rang out in Kuriyo's head, but the sheer shock drowned them out.

And slowly, the person she believed to be Hibiki turned around, revealing...

"Ah, Kuriyo, what's up?"

Immediately Kuriyo froze. All at once, terror ran through her veins, causing her to shiver. Her heart began beating a thousand miles a minute, leaving her petrified by the sight of her friend. She couldn't explain why she felt like this now, but the tone of Hibiki's voice, combined with those eyes...

They felt evil. Pure darkness rolled from them both, and she did everything in her power to tear her eyes away from Hibiki's. Just from a brief glance, she already felt her breath coming up short, feeling nothing but dread building up within her. Swallowing, the girl barely managed to bring herself to talk, her voice shaking.

"B-Bikki? It's you, right? Are you... really Bikki?"

Hibiki tilted her head in confusion, an act that normally would seem cute to Kuriyo, but now was just terrifying no matter what way she looked at it. "Of course I am, who could I ever be?" She answered with a sickening smile that roiled Kuriyo's stomach. "But I'm sorry, I can't stay and chat. There's something I need to do."

She turned back around, and Kuriyo's hand slid off her shoulder. She began to walk away, leaving her friend paralyzed. With her legs still shaking, and her voice still quivering in panic, the short-haired girl called out to her. "W-what about Hina? What is—"

"Don't worry, Kuriyo," Hibiki replied before she could finish, waving her away with her hand. "Everything will be as it should be very soon."

Leaving her friend with those cryptic words, Hibiki vanished from her sight, leaving Kuriyo to stand and stare in horror at the spot she disappeared to. The world then shimmered back into existence, and she fell to her knees as her legs lost strength. Onlookers passing by her hurried to her side.

"Oi, are you okay?!"

It took a long while for Kuriyo to finally calm her nerves. Swallowing nervously once more, she reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out her phone.

Calling the one number she knew was most likely in the know.

-!-

'**KILL THEM KILL THEM KILL THEM KILL THEM KILL THEM!'**

'**MAKE THEM SUFFER!'**

'**DISGUSTING DISGUSTING DISGUSTING DISGUSTING DISGUSTING!'**

'**BURN THEM BURN THEM BURN THEM BURN THEM BURN THEM BURN THEM!'**

'**DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!'**

"Oh my, you're so impatient~"

Tired of staying cooped up in her new home all the time, Hibiki had decided to go for a walk. Her leisurely stroll through the city was met with exactly the response she had expected. As soon as people took one look at her, they began screaming in terror, running for their lives, or pee their pants before her. She didn't even bother doing anything, yet they were all having that reaction to her as if it was natural.

It was fun. She liked that. She liked seeing them curl up in fear and beg for their lives just from her presence. The shitty bunch deserved it after all. Her only regret was that they didn't simply die as she passed by them. She could've killed them herself, but where is the fun in that? Sometimes, just a fresh batch of traumatizing the masses was all she needed to be happy.

It didn't take very long for the crowds to disappear completely, leaving her alone with a particularly giant structure that loomed over the city.

The place where it all began stood before her in all its glory, abandoned to the elements ever since that fateful day. At the very top rested a concert hall that housed only the spirits of the dead, their presence hanging in the air like a miasma that she never bothered to notice before.

"Don't worry, I feel the same way. Let's end them together, okay?"

But now she did.

And they all screamed and begged, _vowing _vengeance. She heard their voices, intermingled with the many others very clearly. She heard them and acknowledged them, taking in all they entailed.

"Now, let's begin..." Hibiki said in a sinister tone.

Spewing hatred, their souls unresting.

"The time for justice—"

There was no one around her in this evening glow, and she stared up at the magnificent structure with a huge, disturbing smile on her face. She spread her arms to the side, looking up at it as if it was a sacred totem.

"—HAS COME!"


	26. Chapter 26: All the Evils of this World

The sweat dripped down Miku's brows as she finished the last repetition of punches against the punching bag in front of her. Stepping away, she took a moment to catch her breath, stretching her neck and shoulders as the tension began to fade from them.

"Very well done, Miku-kun," Genjuro said as he approached. "Your technique has improved dramatically. I dare say you're coming up to par with the others; your accuracy and power are really something else."

"But it's still not enough," She answered with a huff, still staring at the punching bag in front of her. It turned out Genjuro truly thought ahead in regards to the targets, as having a Symphogear empowered Adaptor deliver blows to a mere punching bag would naturally result in its destruction.

Just like this one.

The sand filling the punching bag once again began to fall out of its container through the small hole Miku made in it with her fists. Even if this time she was asked to hold back a bit, for the sake of the equipment and as part of the training, she still caused damage to it without meaning to.

Well, what's a punching bag in the face of her goal.

"If you feel like it isn't, then we can keep going after a short break," he said, crossing his arms. A sudden ringing sound rose from his pocket, causing him to look down at it and retrieve his phone.

"Excuse me," he said to her, and turned around, answering it.

While he was occupied with his call, Miku went to the rest table to refresh herself. She grabbed her water bottle forcefully and once again chugged it down, feeling the cool liquid sliding down her throat. Rubbing her lips with her arm, she too found herself lost in thought once again.

And then it hit her. It was as if a blaring red light suddenly lit up inside of her mind, and her eyes widened, darting about to and fro as she hurriedly looked for the source of that feeling.

Only to instantly realize what it was, as she knew it felt familiar. Her guts wrenched as her face scrunched up, feeling the familiar anger rising inside of her, only to swallow it down as she tried to focus on the world once more.

RING RING RING

Until her phone started ringing. She stared at the device, vibrating loudly against the table, watching as it moved across the surface from the force of its shakes. She had brought it here with her on a total whim and had barely used it the entire time she trained. She had planned on ignoring it completely, but the alarm in her mind forced her hand forward, and she took hold of it quickly.

'Andou Kuriyo'

Her eyes narrowed, and with her curiosity piqued, she answered. "Hello?"

"_Hina! Thank god I managed to catch you!" _The girl on the other hand panickingly said.

"Kuriyo? What's wrong?" She asked her, trying to understand what that gut feeling she had was. It was too much to be purely a coincidence, and deciding to humor the girl, she did not hang up on her.

For what she said next caused Miku's blood to go cold.

"_I just saw Bikki!"_

And then she understood. She knew about the connection between the two concepts... and the fact that it happened now of all times confirmed to her exactly what caused it.

She felt her breath starting to quicken once more, and she tried to keep a hold of her composure. Swallowing once, she spoke up. "Where? Where did you see her go?"

"_Ah, uhhhhh..." _Kuriyo mumbled incoherently, trying to think of the direction. Miku could hear people yelling in the background, nearly drowning out her friend's voice. "_I think... she went to the old concert hall! She just showed up when I was at Flower and that's where I saw her go!"_

The concert hall?

The gears spun in Miku's head, leaving her speechless until Genjuro spoke.

"Miku-kun," he simply said, causing her to turn to him. His expression was serious and alert, and she realized he probably heard similar information from someone else.

"Kuriyo, I have to go," she said to her friend. Not bothering to wait for a response, she hung up the call and once more met his gaze. "We have to go."

"Yeah."

Leaving everything behind, the two turned to the door of the simulator and ran.

-!-

"The time has come, I see," Saint-Germain said to herself. Rising from her work table, she grabbed the bag containing the Alca-Noise crystals and holstered it around her waist. She took her Spellcaster and the satchel containing various gems she knew she'd need.

All of her business was already finished. She made sure to leave something behind for S.O.N.G just in case, but she couldn't tell them outright. That'd wait for later.

Surveying over the room one last time, she hurried to the bridge, completely missing how one singular jewel amongst the many she had shone briefly before once more settling down.

-!-

"Activate the alarms and give me a status report!" Genjuro ordered upon entering the bridge with Miku right behind him. He thundered towards his console and slammed his hands down upon it, listening to and watching his subordinates as they worked frantically. Immediately afterwards the red lights flashed inside of headquarters as alert levels rose.

"I..." Tomosato began, staring at her screen in confusion. "I'm not sure! But we've detected a very large curse cluster in the city!"

"A curse cluster?!" Genjuro asked in a yell. They found _only_ curses? That doesn't make even a tiny bit of sense! "What about Aufwachen?! Divine power?! Anything else?!"

"Nothing else sir!" She confirmed. "Nothing but that! Everything else is completely silent!"

His mind raced. What does that mean then? Was this part of that total corruption Adam Weishaupt talked about?

At that moment everyone else arrived on the bridge. The door opened and the other Adaptors came rushing inside in their civilian clothes, and right behind them was Elfnein with Adam in her hands. She ran to her console quickly and sat down, placing Adam next to her as she booted up her system.

"Do we have visual?! Anything?!"

"No, sir! We are still looking!"

At that moment Miku burst into their conversation loudly. "The old concert hall! Check there!"

Genjuro looked to her for a moment, then turned his head back. They all watched as the display zoomed in the location she indicated, and Saint-Germain entered the bridge right at that moment.

And they saw her. Right there, under the humongous structure that housed the concert hall, Hibiki sat on the stairs. Her hands behind her, she leaned backwards and stared into the sky, and their image also showed the big smile she had plastered on her face.

Then she _turned_ to them, her head tilting as she looked straight into the satellite's camera, and she waved to them.

There was total silence on the bridge as shocked filled them all as one. Swallowing nervously from the unnerving expression on her face, Genjuro gave out his next set of orders. "Sound the alarm in the city. Have everyone go underground immediatel-"

"No," Miku suddenly interrupted him. "The shelters won't be enough this time."

He looked to her with wide eyes as she continued. "This is different. Hiding won't save them; you have to evacuate the whole city."

Gasps were heard from the crew members at her blunt declaration. "Evacuate the entire city?! Are you sure?!"

"Yes, I'm sure," she said to him, nodding once. Her eyes not leaving the display for a moment, he watched as her brows furrowed in concentration. "We don't have much time. She's waiting for us, but she won't be patient forever. You have to do it right away and as fast as possible."

"She's waiting for us..." Maria murmured behind her, putting a finger on her chin in thought. No one responded to her as Genjuro contemplated his next action.

No, there was no point in contemplating anything. He gritted his teeth in frustration. "Send an evacuation alert! Have it happen as soon as possible!" He ordered with a shout. "We're damn lucky there aren't a lot of people in the city anyway, but it will still take time."

"That's fine," Miku replied. "Because we're heading out right now. We'll stall for time."

She clenched her fists and turned around to the door, her armored feet clanging against the steel floorboards. As she passed by her teammates, not a single one of them missed the sudden flaring of her spirit, nor the dreadful crimson aura that began to rise from her. The thought of her enemy rose up in her mind, showing itself after a while of being gone.

"Any Noise signatures? Black beasts?" Genjuro asked his subordinates, causing Miku to stop before the doorway.

"Nothing sir, just her."

"They'll be coming," Miku announced. "Let's go."

And she left the bridge, heading to the outside. The other Adaptors and Saint-Germain followed after her, and Tsubasa threw one last glance to her uncle before she too headed out, mentally preparing herself for the coming grueling battle.

-!-

She stared into the sky, thinking of nothing in particular. Humming a melody to herself amongst the chaos that the city descended into, she drowned out the sounds of the sirens blaring in the background. The city was being evacuated, she noticed, and that sat fine with her.

She wasn't here for those people after all.

No, she was waiting for a special few, and among them...a very unique one.

Hibiki swung her legs nonchalantly as she waited. "You're taking too long." She said, smiling towards a section in the sky again where she knew the satellite was, pointed right to her. Everything right now in her vision felt so... clear, like a veil of the world has been ripped away, and her heart was filled with such serenity she could not explain it. She was so calm she was giddy and felt herself becoming impatient as she had to wait for them.

The sun set on the horizon, the last vestiges of twilight beginning to fade from the sky. She figured maybe an hour passed, and now the city was much quieter than it has ever been. The evacuation must be done, or at least be underway.

She had to give it to S.O.N.G, they knew how to act fast when they wanted.

Well, not like it mattered in the end.

Her legs came to a stop, and she finally lowered her gaze to stare ahead at the approaching group. Her disturbing smile grew wider as they came into her vision, the sight of the six Symphogear Adaptors with Saint-Germain in tow filling her with such strange joy she couldn't describe it.

When they finally got within around five meters of her, Hibiki finally spoke up. "Geez, guys! It took you way too long to get here! Buuuuuuuut you're here now, and that's wonderful!"

"I wouldn't use the word 'wonderful' in that context, Hibiki," Tsubasa said with a careful, suspicious tone. "And unless you've forgotten, school is out of session."

Hibiki let out a laugh and tugged at her school uniform sheepishly. "Oh, this? Just a weird whim I had that's all, it's not actually important—"

"Stop speaking like that with her voice, _demon," _Miku growled out between clenched teeth, taking a step towards her.

But Hibiki simply put a finger against her cheek and tilted her head in what seemed like actual confusion and puzzlement. "Awww but Miku! It really is me! Can't you see? I'm right here! Silly Miku, you're always so worried all the time! It's adorable."

She tilted her head to the other side this time, her eyes shining. "I'll tell you a secret Miku: I've been dying to see you all this time! I'm sorry if I made you wait too long, but I'm here now. So come with me Miku; you don't need that thing. Let's go to a special, special world with just the two of us. Trust me, it will be... amazing."

Miku gave her absolutely no response and only glared hatefully at the form of her best frien- no... the one she loved. The fact that the demon _dared_ to masquerade as her right in her face was infuriating beyond belief, and the only thing holding her back from attacking straight away was the sheer oddity of the situation.

There was something more at play here she was not aware of. Hibiki—no, the _demon_—had another trick up its sleeve if it could come here and speak so casually when last time it was nothing like this.

"_How is it possible there is no Aufwachen signal coming from her?" _Genjuro asked in bewilderment over the comm.

"Because the possibility that Gungnir as we know it no longer exists," Saint-Germain answered, keeping her eyes locked on Hibiki as she raised her hand to her earpiece. "I can only assume that it was consumed by the curses at this point; its existence as a relic and a Symphogear must have been completely erased, and now... it's something else."

Hibiki completely ignored the chatter from the alchemist, deeming it worthless. No, in fact, all of the Adaptors in front of her now just seemed so absolutely insignificant in her eyes.

All except for Miku, who shone so brightly it was blinding.

Just how she liked it.

"What do you say, Miku? It will be fun!" Hibiki said, clapping her hands together.

This time Miku responded, and she raised her fan at the demon, pointing the mirror at its end straight at it. "The only thing I'll be doing is _ripping you to pieces," _she declared, her voice containing a dangerous edge. "And take Hibiki back with me. _YOU don't belong!"_

Hibiki's face turned into a sad frown, and she raised a hand to clear away a non-existent tear. "Wahhhh, Miku hates me now! But that's okay, we fought before so it's nothing new! And we said we wouldn't hide secrets anymore either, so I'm not actually sad! After making up our bond will become stronger, I know it!"

Chris clenched her fists in fury. "What the hell are you going on about you—"

"_**WHO THE FUCK SAID YOU COULD SPEAK?!"**_

And Hibiki waved her hand in front of her, a wave of darkness suddenly shooting forward towards the Adaptors. Recoiling from the sudden aggression, they were prepared to counterattack until Miku swung her fan and cut the wave in two, causing it to fade away harmlessly into the wind.

The sudden vulgar and earthshaking scream from Hibiki caught them off guard, but Miku stood steadfast before the demon.

She smiled again, putting her hands together. "Silly Chris-chan! You know you shouldn't talk without permission! I was speaking to Miku, so only when I call on you you're allowed to speak, okay?"

Her friend's eyes widened in shock as she stared at her, and she was left speechless after the outburst.

Hibiki clapped her hands together again, smiling brightly. "Oh, that's right!" She suddenly said in a happy tone. "Miku, you won't believe it, but we have a child now!"

The group narrowed their eyes in a dumbfounded expression, her sudden announcement catching them completely flat-footed. Only Miku remained with the glare on her face, not at all fazed by the words. Only a slightly raised eyebrow was any indication she acknowledged them at all.

"But she's a bit of a rowdy one, so how about we wait until everyone's done running away? I think it will be fun to have her come out and play!" She continued, standing up from the stairs, tilting her head left and right. "We can play house now Miku! I'll be the daddy, you be the mommy, and we have our little cutie pie now! Isn't that great?!"

Careful as to not anger the absolutely mad Hibiki in front of her, Kirika spoke in a low voice, speaking into Shirabe's ear. "What the heck is going on with her? This is too different from before!"

"Now now Kirika-chan! No whispering!" Hibiki suddenly said, causing Kirika to yelp in surprise. "We said no secrets after all! Silly Kirika-chan, I might actually have to punish you now!"

It sent shivers down the blonde's spine, and Shirabe gazed at the corrupted Adaptor with the eyes of a hawk, studying her motions carefully.

"How much time will this take, geez!" Hibiki continued in her own strange temper tantrum. "I want to have fun already! Hurry up!"

Silence descended upon the courtyard as Hibiki began to pace to and fro in front of them, their eyes tracking her as she moved about. She put a finger to her chin in thought, thinking of things that were probably too outlandish for them to accept.

"Hmmm, she's a big child, so feeding her will be a problem..."

They saw as she suddenly had a sort of eureka moment, looking like she came up with some marvelous idea. "Oh, of course! Miku is the mommy after all so she can feed her! Hey Miku, think you could do that? I mean, I don't know anything about raising kids after all! You were always better than me at all the housework thing!"

"Shut up with all this nonsense, demon," Miku retorted angrily. "I'm not falling for your twisted and sick lies."

"But I'm not lying Miku, believe me!" Hibiki said, throwing her arms into the air. "She really does exist! Just give it a minute!"

'_What could possibly happen once the evacuation finishes?' _Tsubasa wondered to herself. '_We need to be ready for anything. I have a very bad feeling about this, as only those with a trump card can allow themselves to be so careless.'_

But was it carelessness, or madness that drove this... Hibiki in front of her to such strange lengths and to spout such unusual words?

There was silence once more, the tension in the air so high it could be cut with a knife. The feeling that hell would descend upon them once it did would not leave their minds.

And then finally, the announcement came as Genjuro spoke to them cautiously over the comm.

"_Everyone... it's done."_

And it was something that Hibiki could hear very well.

She once again clapped her hands together happily and even _jumped_ for joy at the news. "Yay! It can finally begin!"

Maria swallowed and dared to ask the heavy question. "What can?"

Silence.

And then... Hibiki laughed. She threw her head back and _laughed, _and it was such a gut-wrenching demonic and terrifying sound that they could not believe it was coming from Hibiki's throat. She laughed uproariously and without restraint, and even twirled in place in giddiness and joy, her skirt rising and falling with the wind.

When she finally stopped, she wheezed for a moment, and then stared right at them, her gaze piercing into them all sans Miku.

"Silly Maria-san, isn't it obvious?"

The last light from the sun disappeared from the horizon.

She raised her arm to the sky and pointed upwards.

Her eyes once more took on that alien, disgusting green glowing shine.

"THE TIME FOR REVENGE HAS COME!"

THUMP!

THUMP!

THUMP!

The ground suddenly began shaking as the sound of something striking a surface filled their ears. The Adaptors balanced themselves quickly as the earth moved, and after a moment finally located the source of the sound, something that Miku already noticed.

'_Something is coming!'_

They looked up.

And up.

And _up._

_(Play: A Myth Attacking - Fate/Grand Order OST)_

Space _shattered. _As if a window was blown out of the sky itself, shards of reality exploded outwards in a rain of illusionary glass. Yet something within stirred, smashing the insides of its jail. The black void that had suddenly appeared in the sky enlarged as more and more of the glass-like shards erupted. The world trembled non-stop as _something_ attempted to come out into the world.

And then a _hand. _An absolutely gigantic hand, colored black and red, emerged from the dark hole and pulled on the edges of reality, peeling it away like cardboard. And then another appeared, grasping the other side as it too tore the bits and pieces of the sky away, the shards raining down before disappearing into nothingness in the night.

It continued to tear, attempting to escape into the world proper. But as it continued to peel away reality, the rest of its form a mere silhouette in the darkness, the hands were withdrawn back into the void.

A beat passed.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

It happened all at once. Having lost its patience, the _thing _crashed against the confines of its prison, and it looked as if the sky itself had collapsed upon them. It was so gigantic it was incomprehensible, and as the Adaptors looked at it with wide eyes, their minds failed at understanding exactly what it was they were seeing.

With its shackles gone, and its way into reality now wide open, it finally made its true appearance.

The hands emerged once again, grasping at the edges of the doorway as it pulled itself out. A massive black and red leg stepped out, crashing down on the buildings around them as if they were mere bugs in its presence.

And then came the other leg, following after its other, the monster shaking the earth with just the two steps it took out of the void.

What followed it was something that caused the Adaptors to go into shock, and even Miku, who up until now stared with wide eyes, was caught in total disbelief.

With all its limbs now outside, the rest of its gigantic humanoid body followed its form now completely visible to them all.

A Titan. That was the only way it could possibly be described. Like the great beings that preceded even the gods of Olympus, it stood so tall that its entire height could not be captured without tilting their heads up to the sky. It towered above absolutely _everything _in the vicinity, including the Skytree, the elevated concert hall, and even the mountain range in the horizon.

Yet that was only part of what made it so unbelievable.

No, the biggest shock was the fact that _the Adaptors knew what it was._

They had seen it before, for it was the other conclusion. This _thing, _this incomprehensible monster looked exactly like what Elfnein's original predictions said it would look like, the only real difference being the offset colors.

The eyeless being turned to the distance as it made its final step into the world. Horns dotted out of its head in a twisted facsimile of its creator's hair, and the entire thing _screamed _Hibiki at them, its frame down to its proportions identical to the corrupted Adaptors's, only on a much more massive scale.

_This _was what Hibiki was supposed to have turned into, had things gone as they had assumed. This _thing _was what should have been, and now, it was truly here. A cluster of evil so massive that its presence alone tainted the air.

Tsubasa dared to tilt her head back down and look to Hibiki, and found herself at a loss once again.

She was staring up at it, a huge, maniacal smile on her face and her hands spread to the sides as the Titan _looked _around, taking in its surroundings.

Only Chris found the ability to speak as she took fearful steps back, her eyes glued to the monster. "W... what... the fuck... is that..."

A being beyond normal conception, that's what their minds answered.

And Miku's glare filled to the brim with barely restrained fury as she realized that this tremendous presence was made of nothing more than pure, crystallized curses. A being so outrageous it broke the laws of the universe it resided in, and nothing reality had in store could possibly combat it.

The Titan raised its head to the sky.

And _**ROARED.**_

The air itself _shook_ from the sheer intensity of the soundwaves, its voice coming out in a singsong yet diabolical tone that _redefined the meaning of sound itself._

**And together with its child, the harbinger of All the Evils of this World laughed.**

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA_**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**_**!"**

**Two demonic sounds mixed together to form a hellish cacophony.**

And in their wake, the very fabric of the universe trembled in terror.

-!-

Fear.

Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. **Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEEEEAAAAARRRRRRRRR.**

Nothing but that one overwhelming emotion filled the hearts of the crew members of S.O.N.G as they clutched their heads in terror just from staring at the _thing _that had emerged. Some were even _screaming,_ the sheer impossibility of the Titan in front of them causing their minds to collapse in on themselves as they tried in vain to _understand, _yet they could not.

Genjuro's eyes were wide, and his mouth was agape as his brain tried to take in the sight of the astronomical monster. Every sound aside from his own heartbeat failed to reach his ears, and that same emotion began to fill his being too. He couldn't bring himself to even catch a glimpse of the truth that lies in that thing.

Somehow he managed to retain his wits, and could only shakily ask the following question. "H... H... H-how...?!"

"This... is very bad," Adam said, biting his lip. His eyes darted to the data on Elfnein's console, the homunculus having shut down in shock at the sight of the monstrous impossibility. "I did not expect something even remotely close to this. How big is this thing?... Seven hundred meters in height. Composition?... Unbelievable. Not a single trace of divine power is in this thing. It is truly a monster made out of nothing but condensed curses."

His own eyes widened in disbelief as well, as, for the first time in his long life, Adam Weishaupt was now astounded beyond belief. "This... is All the Evils of this World. This is the true evil of humanity given form..."

He swallowed.

"This... is a creation of mankind, nothing less than that. This... won't go unnoticed. They'll come down here for sure, and when that happens... what will happen?" He continued in his mad ramblings, the horror is his voice audible to anyone still able to hear above their own terror. "This... might be the beginning of the end."

His usual haughty attitude vanished.

And he said the words.

"We... have lost. The final moments of humanity... are now at hand."

-!-

**Tumbling down**

**There is no truth**

**Tumbling down**

**Impossibility.**

**Madness unfathomable.**

**DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE.**

**A woman screaming.**

**A madman laughing.**

**The flesh being pierced. The smell of a rotting corpse. **

**Sand flows between the fingertips.**

**Reality is torn asunder.**

**It all comes together**

A force stronger than even the bonds that hold the universe together. An emotion so powerful it can rewrite existence itself, and it is unshackled, free to let loose upon the beings of its origin.

**HATRED**

It was worshipped, men and women of all periods bowing down to its presence in the cosmos, even if it was simply a figment of their own imagination.

**WRATH**

Human imagination. Human belief. Human greed. Human insanity. Human lust.

It was all a part of its being, for it was they that made it possible. It was not the child of one, but all. All those who walk the earth have contributed their essence to it, thus letting it grow oh so powerful.

The harbinger only needed to light the spark of life for it to finally take form.

**ALL IS MEANINGLESS**

**T**here is only one name that a being such as it could possibly receive, for it was now one among the many that existed in this world.

**GOD**

**Holding within itself all that belonged to mankind, that was the title the being was endowed.**

**And with it, oblivion.**

_**A GOD OF DESTRUCTION**_

"How do you like it?"

Their eyes and ears forcefully turned to the source of the voice, the demon speaking up in all its glory. Blackness flowed from it, tainting the ground around it; its eyes glimmered with an unprecedented and unfathomable shine, the feminine form that held it having become inconceivable.

"Isn't she a wonderful child?" _Hibiki _whispered, licking her lips and putting both of her hands on her cheeks in glee. She looked up at her handiwork, the Titan towering above even her, as not a single one of them was even as big as its _toe. _

And she _moaned, _the sigh of pure pleasure escaping her lips freezing the blood in their veins. "Ahhhhh~~~... So great... so amazing... I love it. Look Miku, look. That is our sweet darling. Let's raise her together and let her grow. I'm sure she'll eventually be a wonderful daughter we can be proud of."

There was no response.

All the Hopes of this World raged within their container, unable to stand the insanity it saw through her eyes.

'_**ERASE IT!'**_

Just like that fateful battle a little over a month ago, the Shenshoujing _screamed,_ its own intense influence rising to combat the threat it had sensed. To see its nemesis act so brazenly and spread its filth in such a vile manner was beyond what it could allow. It thrashed, bellowing in her core and burning like the core of a star. A vortex of nothing but pure desire to vanquish its foe threatened to swallow her whole.

And yet, Miku would _not_ allow it.

Smashing down on it with all her might, she took a step towards the demon. Rather than allow the raging concept to grab hold of her mind like it had intended, she turned it on itself. Grabbing hold of it by the metaphorical throat, she forced her will on it, morphing it into what _she _wanted it to be.

And that thing was _power._

With every step she took forward, the ground beneath shook, rubble rising into the air as gravity itself was subdued by her aura. A multi-colored flame surrounded her form, and even her Symphogear itself began glowing, gale winds erupting from her center to cover the courtyard in its entirety.

The others could barely hold on to each other, trying to keep their feet on the ground. Everything that was happening around them was so impossible they were left completely speechless. But they could not miss how Miku _thundered_ onwards, each one of her footsteps crashing down like lightning.

"This... is too much..."

Who was it that said that? Voices became indistinguishable in the storm. Saint-Germain clutched her bag of Alca-Noise crystals tightly, ready to unleash her army upon the enemy...

That has yet to show up. Until then, she can't do much against Hibiki... or the Titan she has birthed.

Taking note of Miku's advance towards her, Hibiki tilted her head with the most disturbing smile yet, her lips upturned like the Cheshire cat's. "Oh my. Oh my oh my oh my oh my oh my oh my oh my. Miku, do you want to play already? It's okay, I'm ready to play too~~~"

Her anger having reached its breaking point, Miku's next step crashed the ground beneath her into pieces. Lifting her fan at breakneck speeds, a burst of light exploded from it, aimed at the demon.

But Hibiki simply stared at the light, and just as it was about to hit her...

She disappeared.

No, she did not, Miku realized as she narrowed her eyes. The moment the light was about to touch her, all of a sudden her entire form was enveloped by black smoke, dispersing from the area before the light could consume it. And Miku's eyes followed it, her sixth sense triggering once more as the smoke hung in the air momentarily before taking form again.

And as it dispersed once more, Hibiki appeared within it, still smiling.

"Awwww, Miku, I didn't say we can start yet!" She chirped. "But it's fine, I don't mind. In fact..."

And from within the black void the Titan emerged from, gargantuan amounts of black smoke leaked from it, falling to the ground in a dark blanket that washed over the area. It filled up the city like a tidal wave, washing over the streets in its entirety.

The Adaptors and Saint-Germain raised their arms to cover their eyes, feeling the smoke whipping around them like a typhoon. Miku was the only one to remain standing, her eyes now shining more brightly from the contrast, her gaze still locked onto the demonic Adaptor across from her.

Slowly, the smoke settled down.

And Saint-Germain's turn finally came.

If one would rise above the city and stare down at it, they would see something quite strange. It wouldn't be a pearl white paradise like they usually imagined, nor would it be a bustling metropolis that was filled with residents and tourists alike.

No, what they would see would be total darkness as the entirety of the city was now crawling to the brim with black beasts and Noise, their numbers absolutely mind-boggling.

But that was not the end of it.

-!-

In a populated city on the South American coast, the population moved about none the wiser. The bustling city roared with life, the sparkling lights dancing upon the sky. The morning sun shone brightly, and the weather was calm and accommodating for a wonderful day.

However, that would not last long.

A chill descending upon the populace from out of nowhere was the only warning they received. Thousands of heads turned to the sky as it was blotted out by a countless amount of holes appearing in reality. Black smoke poured from within and following it the enemies of humanity began their assault.

"N-Noise!" Someone yelled. The people ran, screaming in terror as the Noise descended upon them by the hundreds of thousands. However, it was all for naught. Humans could never battle the Noise head-on, for it was a task solely reserved for the Symphogears. The world had believed that the threat was finally gone for good for reasons they did not understand, and so no one had to live in fear of death daily.

But that fragile peace was shattered just like the sky before them. Joining the Noise were creatures none could identify, and the land's army hurried to deploy to combat them.

Destruction lay in the wake of the invaders as war erupted in the heart of a populated city, sending all to ruin.

-!-

Genjuro thought that he knew the Noise pretty well by now. After all, in order to beat your enemy, you must know them well. He could say that he could easily distinguish them from each other and knew what each type of Noise was capable of. From the Adaptors' battle as well as his own, he was perhaps the only one amongst the crew of S.O.N.G that knew them as well as the Adaptors.

But absolutely nothing, and he meant _nothing, _could prepare him for what he was now seeing.

Because it seemed that even the Noise were not immune to the taint of All the Evils of this World. If before their colors were almost cartoonish in nature, the now almost diseased and black visages they sported were nerve-wracking beyond a shadow of a doubt.

And the worst part is, he also knew why. The Noise were after all weapons created by man to be used against man, and so the feelings that went into their creations were definitely not benevolent. No, the Noise embodied some of the worst of mankind, each type almost a representation of the seven deadly sins.

So it would make sense that the moment an influence as all-consuming as that would come in contact with them, they would be corrupted just like everything else.

"The Treasury of Babylon has been compromised," Adam swiftly announced upon seeing the blackened Noise. "That dimension has become nothing more than a breeding ground for these things."

The sound of Genjuro's fist striking the console caused the still sane operators to cringe, the metal bending even more under his blow. "Disconnect us from the port! We can't let them come on board! Head for the very middle of Tokyo Bay!" He bellowed, his orders being conveyed to all those on the bridge.

'_Shit! Shit shit shit shit!' _He cursed in his mind.

"Commander!" One exasperated officer yelled.

"What is it!?"

The operator swallowed as she stared into her console, her fingers hovering over the keyboard in horror. "... More Noise signals have been detected outside the city!"

His eyes widened in shock. "What?! Where?!"

Desperate to give her commander the answers he wanted, she recomposed herself before bringing up a diagram of the world on the display on the screen.

Letting absolutely everyone see how bad things had gotten.

Both of his fists smashed into the console this time, sending sparks in all directions. "Holes are opening up all over the world?" He yelled, noticing the black patches appearing on the hologram of the globe.

New York. Volgograd. Berlin. Buenos Aires. Brazilia. Providence. Chengdu. Pyongyang. Seoul. Khabarovsk. Tehran. Darwin.

Those were just _some _of the cities he recognized that were now being overwhelmed by the dark clouds representing the Noise and the black beasts. That did not take into account absolutely everything else, some of them even appearing smack dab in the heart of the Sahara or the far reaches of the North Pole.

The submarine submerged beneath the waves, diving down and away from the reach of the Noise and the beasts. Everyone could only shake in fear and uncertainty as the patches continued to grow slowly, red alerts appearing all over the screen.

"Commander! Incoming transmission!"

'_Shit, who's it now?"_

"Patch it through!"

The moment he spoke, a screen displaying Yatsuhiro's face appeared, a scowl on his face. "Gen, what's the situation?"

The commander's fists clenched tightly as he spoke. "Hell, that's what's happening," he said, causing his brother's eyes to widen. "We have to mount some sort of defense. Aniki, contact the UN forces- no, contact absolutely every government you have contact with. We have to retaliate immediately!"

"I've already done so, Gen, but there have already been casualties," Yatsuhiro said, trying to keep his own composure. "And the numbers are only rising as we speak. I've even heard sources claim that weapons of mass destruction are being considered once more."

"Like that will help anyone!" Genjuro screamed, giving his brother pause. "They'll only accelerate the process! They have to evacuate the citizens first as far as they can go, preferably to some desolate mountain range or anything they have around them!"

"Gen, you know that's not possible so quickly-"

"If they don't then humanity is finished!" He screamed once more, his fists impacting the console so hard it exploded, sending metal shards all over the bridge and causing several crew members to yelp in fright. "Shit, having normal soldiers facing these things is already bad enough! But if we don't do something, then everyone will only die faster!"

When Saint-Germain had told him this would be the final battle, he did not believe it would be to this extent.

Hibiki had become not a simple demon... she had become a _devil_ and was now unleashing the forces of Hell upon the world's population.

And these forces weren't even actual demons or the screeching souls of the damned. No, they were her own god-damned copies and corrupted Noise. And of course, they could not possibly ignore the mind-bogglingly gigantic monster she had brought forth just to drive the knife deeper in.

How were the Adaptors supposed to handle such a great threat? How were they supposed to match up to something so daunting? Five weeks of training were not enough to deal with such a burden.

"There is nothing left to be done," Adam said in a defeated tone. "Your wishes and my ambitions have now come to an end. Even if the Custodians descend, I'm not sure even they could surpass her; her entire army is composed of this hellish god-slaying power, and that will subdue them in but an instant. Death incarnate has come to the world, and it will now be consumed by the sins of its dominators."

All eyes looked to him in terror.

"There is nothing left to be found on this Earth... for now, it is Hell. Abandon all hope, ye who reside upon it."

-!-

"EVERYONE DISPERSE!"

The alchemist's yell shook the Adaptors out of their stupor, and they dodged wildly as the chaos that were the black beasts and the Noise came crashing down on them all at once. Buildings crumbled down from the sheer weight of them all, and the Titan too began walking forward, shaking the earth with every cumbersome step it took.

"Our formation is useless now! Engage all enemies!"

It was obvious from the get-go, and it was like Genjuro had predicted. Hibiki truly turned out to be violently unpredictable, to the point that it was impossible to even begin to imagine what she might bring forward.

And what she brought was just far too much. Since Genjuro had left the channel open on the comm, they all heard exactly what was said in the bridge of headquarters. What met their ears baffled them beyond anything they could believe, as the knowledge that it was not just Tokyo, but the entire world that was now in danger was incomprehensible.

This city was just where she chose to make her appearance, her avatar of destruction having made landfall here specifically first.

And nothing could stand in its way.

Total pandemonium erupted as the five Symphogear Adaptors began their desperate fight against the enemy forces. The sound of slashing and bullets firing intermixed between the guttural roars of the beasts and the insect-like shuffling of the Noise. Meanwhile, Saint-Germain jumped up to the rooftop of one of the few remaining buildings, staring down at the infested ground. With narrowed eyes, she tore her bag of Alca-Noise crystals open, the gems raining down to the ground.

A veritable explosion occurred as the hurriedly summoned Alca-Noise army burst forth from their containers, overflowing like a true wave over the city streets. There were so many of them that even Saint-Germain herself lost count of their true numbers, but the last time she checked they numbered over five hundred thousand, a vast increase over anything she had previously managed to create.

And it was definitely not enough.

'_If we survive, I owe you for this, Tomosato Aoi.'_

"ALL FORCES, CHARGE!"

Regiments? Platoons? Units? It didn't matter in the least. There was no time to plan something as elaborate as that.

Her vision was filled with war as the two opposing forces came into contact, the battle commencing around her in an instant.

But this time, the enemy Noise were retaliating. Flying Noise, both alchemical and corrupted began dogfighting in the skies, fireballs rising above the city and sending shockwaves with each one that was destroyed. Battleship-type Noise from both sides rained down reinforcements in all locations, turning the razed city into more of a hell than before. The once flourishing center of Japan became nothing more than a battlefield for the fate of the world.

Yet amidst it all, one location remained relatively peaceful. The veritable eye of the storm, centered around two specific individuals remained without a shred of violence or even dirt coming into its path.

Because it was about to become the most chaotic of all.

Miku and Hibiki stood on opposite sides as everything raged around them. Miku, with her fan in hand, stared at her opponent with a hateful glare; Hibiki, however, was the complete opposite, relishing in the destruction and despair being instilled in the world throughout.

Somehow above all the noise, Miku heard her speak. "Isn't it just breathtaking, Miku? This is the fate of mankind now; to be consumed forever by hatred and greed. And then, only then... will we find true peace," she said, the demented smile on her face sending nothing but waves of fury throughout Miku's body. "But I know you don't approve, and that's fine with me; after all, we have just the way to solve this. Now come, Miku, and let's perform the final dance for all to see!"

Six black flames erupted as the Adaptors entered Cursed Eden mode. Wordlessly raising her own hand to the Divine Beast Mirror's pendant, she grasped the sides and clicked, releasing all of its power at once.

The black fire engulfed her too, hiding her from Hibiki's vision.

Until the blaze was dispersed, and in its place rose a _white _flame, the very core of the Ignite Module being purified by the concept held within its host relic, yet losing none of the massive power it granted in the process.

The end result was not a pure white Symphogear like Hibiki had expected, nor was it tainted like the regular one. No, to her eyes it seemed like the Shenshoujing had evolved, the jagged, shark-teeth like visor replaced by a singular one hanging above her eyes. Its colors white and purple, and the previously dark purple knee guards, together with her gloves, now sported a bright violet sheen.

All in all, the difference Hibiki noticed were almost purely color in nature, but they still screamed _power _at her, a vast difference over the unbridled rage the girl had sported with the previously all-black finish.

It was known that a Symphogear changes according to their owner's will or every time they go through the process of ascending to X-Drive. However, this time was different, for it was not an upgrade born just out of sheer willpower, but also as a response of the concept dwelling within to the massive presence of its nemesis. If against the other Adaptors in training it didn't have much to react to other than glue her to her opponent, now it was truly letting itself be known.

But Miku shackled it down so it would not overtake her mind, and so it was not free to do as it wanted.

For if it did, annihilation would surely come, and she knew this.

"Beautiful, yet so vile," Hibiki said upon finishing studying Miku's form, putting a hand on her cheek as she marveled, her tone taking on a connotation that nobody ever heard her take before. "I love it. In that case, let me meet you with my own dress, Miku."

Black smoke coalesced around her, converging upon her in all directions. It whirled around her like a tornado, sending gale winds that blew everything that even came close to their vicinity.

And little bit little it vanished, displaying Hibiki in her entirety.

Completely tainted, that was the only description it could be given. The Symphogear became pitch black, all of its plates melding into one another without borders or differentiation. Covering the armor were those accursed red veins, finding purchase on every flat surface and crevice. They streaked onto Hibiki's skin, pulsating ominously with each second that passed. Not even her face was exempt, looking as if it had been tattooed deeply into her epidermis.

Her teeth elongated into fangs, and her fingertips became claws. This form, they reckoned, was what Gungnir would've looked like under the influence of the Cursed Eden Module.

Only much, _much _worse.

And the pendant hung there, right above her collarbone, although it no longer had its normal vibrant crimson color. No, now it was simply a hollow, blackened shell, its true purpose consumed along with the spear of Odin and everything it entailed as a relic.

Within the HQ of S.O.N.G, the Aufwachen signal that Genjuro had wondered about finally appeared on their sensors.

But there was nothing left of it.

The orange flower that previously represented Gungnir was nowhere to be seen, for now, it was but a black hole so deep nothing could escape from it, not even the invisible signals that signified the Symphogears. Next to it, the Aufwachen signal of Shenshoujing flared brightly, the veins of otherworldly colors shining.

The clash of the two forces would mark the start of the final battle. Left with no other option but to pray, the crew members of S.O.N.G placed their hopes on the Adaptors outside.

And in the girl clad with All the Hopes of this World, determined to rescue the prisoner of evil.

_(Play: Sound of the End - Nier Automata OST)_

No more words were exchanged between the two. Slowly, they lifted off the ground, rising into the air. A storm came to life around them, surrounding them with razor-sharp winds that allowed no entry from anyone else that desired to interfere.

And even if they did, they would achieve absolutely nothing, for they would become nothing but collateral.

Hanging in midair hundreds of meters above the ground, almost as high as the Titan's head, Hibiki and Miku stared at each other, one with a smile and the other with a determined gaze. A pitch-black spear with an emerald glowing core materialized in the corrupted Adaptor's hand, aiming it towards her opponent. In response, Miku held her fan with two hands, ready for the inevitable clash.

The wind raged wildly.

And _they _charged, closing the distance in less than a second. Their weapons clashed loudly, and the tornado was blown away from them with the pure force, revealing them to the others fighting below them.

But of course, neither of them cared about that.

The deadlock continued, sparks flying from the point of impact. And of course, moments later the spear began boiling, the curses lining it starting to give way for the light that engulfed Miku's fan.

Only to narrow her eyes further as she noticed that despite being shredded, the curses seemed to reform even under the might of her light. She lifted her gaze and met Hibiki's shining emerald eyes... only this time, the irises were a glowing vermillion, the sclera still sporting the light green shade.

"What, you didn't think I'd let that happen again, right?" Hibiki asked her nonchalantly. She brought her face closer, so close Miku could feel her breath on her lips. "This time, it will be much more interesting."

Miku grumbled to herself, and disengaged from the deadlock, putting some distance between them. She looked on with a curious gaze as the melted part of the spear quickly reformed without any indication of damage, a solid proof of how deep the curses reached.

In that case, she'll have to hit it harder, so hard they'll be blown away with nothing left.

She charged once more, and the two weapons clashed once again. She pushed Hibiki back with sheer power, moving away from the skies above the courtyard to fly above the destroyed rooftops.

Putting power in her arm, Hibiki pushed the fan away and struck forward, intent on impaling Miku on the end of her spear. But in a move that surprised her, the Shenshoujing Adaptor spun in mid her, smashing her open palm against the spear's flat side, avoiding it and sending it off course. She ended her spin with a downward slash, prompting Hibiki to back away from her range.

Only for a line of light to erupt from the fan, a crescent wave flying towards the rogue Adaptor at blinding speeds and brilliance. Once more disappearing in a veil of black smoke, Hibiki reformed behind Miku, avoiding the light that continued onwards to slice through Noise and beasts alike, without regard to friend or foe. Smiling all the while, she struck down on her from above. But Miku once again blindsided her, sensing the spear's path behind her and spun once more, avoiding it and coming face to face with her opponent.

Her fist was like lightning and struck Hibiki head-on. The corrupted Adaptor's eyes widened as she was sent flying back, feeling the strength of the hit in her stomach. It quickly went away, but it surprised her nonetheless. Miku was relentless, chasing after her opponent through the skies, her fan wielded like a sword. Her opponent struck with all her might, and realizing she has to take this seriously, Hibiki retaliated, crashing her spear against the fan repeatedly.

It was an exchange of blows that dwarfed any that came before it, shockwaves of pure power being sent all over the city, rumbling its foundations.

"You're always so full of surprises, Miku!" Hibiki yelled with a manic grin and stare as their clash continued. Choosing to not answer her, Miku parried away another lunge and entered her range, coming face to face with the demon wearing Hibiki's face. Her fist once again surged forward, but her opponent reacted just in time to catch her fist with its free hand, the blackened glove closing around it just like Genjuro had done.

Counterattacking, Hibiki swung her spear at the seemingly defenseless Miku, only for her strike to be interrupted as her opponent grabbed her wrist, stopping any attempt at retaliation.

And so they hung in the air, both hands occupied by their opponent. Miku glared with all the might of a red giant, while Hibiki kept on looking on with glee.

They struggled against each other, a feat that Hibiki found to be quite pleasantly surprising. Having expected to overwhelm Miku with sheer force, she found she was unable to push her back, and her smile dropped as she bared her teeth, with her opponent doing the same. Wild sparks and unshackled power raged around them, the war taking place just below them escalating with every passing moment.

And they continued to struggle against each other's hold, trying to overpower the other with brute strength. Still surprised, Hibiki's face upturned into a demented smile once again. "Amazing, Miku... you're so bright, so pure, so strong... that's right, only you and I can go into the new world."

The corrupted Adaptor tilted her head back slightly, an act that Miku immediately copied.

And with all the strength they could muster, smashed their heads into each, another shockwave rippling through the skies to gouge space around them. Pure power exploded around them as the struggle of force continued.

Yet, Hibiki's smile still did not drop. "... and there, we'll bring up something great..."

In a move that caught Miku completely off guard, Hibiki moved her head a tiny bit closer...

_And licked her upper lip._

Miku was stunned by the move, feeling the cold tongue over her lips for just a tiny moment. Her eyes widened in shock, her focus wavering for less than a second.

"Paradise."

The air screeched as something approached from the side. Still frozen in shock, Miku's grip loosened on Hibiki's arm, allowing the corrupted Adaptor to pull away to put enough distance between herself and her opponent.

A giant shadow loomed, and Miku could only turn around in time to see the humongous red and black fist of the giant close in on her at supersonic speeds, breaking the laws of physics and reality with that single move.

And left petrified by what Hibiki did, she could not escape in time.

The Titan's fist crashed into her with the force of a thousand explosions. The air itself imploded from the contact, and Miku was launched across the city's skyline at ridiculous speeds, the sheer might and weight behind the Titan's punch causing her mind to short-out for a long, extended moment.

She streaked through the air, and a few seconds later crashed into one of the hillsides surrounding Tokyo. The ground caved in beneath her in a large cracked circle, and her entire body burned from the pain of the strike. She groaned as she tried to dislodge herself, finding the agony unbearable.

But it was not over yet.

As if her voice was carried on by the wind, Hibiki once again put a hand on her cheek and spoke. "But... I think I need to tear that thing off of you first," she said. She then turned to look at the Titan, now staring at the location Miku had been cannonballed to with its power. "It won't do for mommy to wear such an ugly thing, right? _**Then let's take it off."**_

The Titan opened its mouth.

And the roar that followed didn't sound anything like a roar. Rather than a bestial bellow, it was instead a mind-numbing amalgamation of many different horrific noises that could only truly be called the agonized screeching of the damned. The sound of Hell itself escaped the Titan's throat as golden light began to gather in its open mouth.

All the humans in the area alike screamed as the sound pierced into their souls, causing their very being to tremble in horror and pain. Barely able to hold themselves together, Maria and Shirabe could only look up in pain at the Titan, seeing exactly what was occurring at that moment.

And their eyes widened in horror.

The light _exploded _outwards in a blinding flash, a beam of pure destructive power, _a physical, plasmafied song_ tearing through the air on its way to the hillside. There was barely time for Miku to respond. Raising her fan in front of her, it opened, becoming the circular mirror that was normally used as a method of attack.

For now, it will be what makes the difference between life and death.

Holding the mirror before her like a shield, Miku closed one eye and braced for impact.

At that moment, the hillside erupted as the beam struck.

No, it was more correct to say it was _vaporized, _the sheer heat of the golden blast tearing down the landscape down to its bare roots, altering the geography surrounding Tokyo with a single attack.

The fireball rose to the sky, and Hibiki looked on with a victorious grin.

-!-

"Chris! Support Saint-Germain!"

"On it!"

The Ichaival Adaptor leaped up to the rooftop the alchemist was on her guns out and firing in all directions as she aimed at the enemy forces. Chris' entire arsenal lay bare as rockets, bullets, cannonballs, and arrows flew in all directions, piercing through everything that dared to get in her way.

Dozens of beasts jumped up to the rooftop, following after her. They all charged simultaneously, and she gritted her teeth as she turned her attention to the encircling creatures, all baring their teeth savagely. While their shape in on itself did not change in the least, now red lines ran over their forms, giving them the appearance of half-broken dolls that were hurriedly repaired.

But it seems the new look helped them out because they were _much_ stronger than before and much more brutal. Stopping for absolutely nothing, Chris and Saint-Germain were forced to abandon their assault in order to dodge out of the way of their strikes, each missed blow crashing into the rooftop and caving in the concrete they stood on.

"We have to move!" The alchemist yelled, and Chris nodded her head rapidly in acknowledgment. Waiting for the moment the beasts once again attempt to strike, the two jumped, avoiding them by mere inches.

"Damn it!" Maria yelled as she weaved in between attacks of both Noise and beasts. Taking the opportunity, she impaled a beast on her dagger, embedding it into its core; but she was forced to let go of her weapon swiftly as it simply didn't die, sweeping its arm where her head was a moment before. "Why are they so much stronger?!"

"Don't leave them in one piece!" Tsubasa yelled to her, her blade slicing one of her targets in half horizontally. Even with its body in two pieces, somehow the beast was still able to try and claw at her, the two parts hitting the ground and dissipating into dust a moment later. The ground beneath her suddenly shattered as the Titan began turning around slowly, its single step rumbling the foundations beneath her feet and nearly causing her to lose her balance.

A dozen humanoid blackened Noise took the opportunity to strike at her, and Tsubasa groaned as their blows connected, shooting pain up her spine. Clenching her teeth, she swung in a large circle around her, tearing them down with a single slash.

Or at least, that's what she had planned on. Halfway through her spin, she found her sword suddenly stuck in one of her targets, as if it had actual mass behind it. Her entire understanding of the Noise shattered in an instant as they suddenly seemed to have a physical existence. Their bodies felt almost _fleshy_ as they attacked without end, their massive army continuously pouring out of the Titan's hole in reality.

The affected Noise attacked, and Tsubasa too was forced to let go of her weapon before her face could be struck. She jumped back, sliding across the ground as beasts converged on her from all locations.

"Shirabe!" Kirika shouted in desperation, watching her partner be ganged upon by at least two dozen beasts at once. Her partner had opted out of trying to attack, as the maddened creatures wouldn't give her even a second to try and retaliate. Her giant buzzsaws were raised around her in a makeshift barrier, the claws striking against them and causing the relic-made steel to groan and screech as it barely held on against their repeated assault.

Kirika jumped into the fray, slicing through targets in a frenzy as she attempted to reinforce Shirabe. She was immediately chased by both Noise and black beasts, gazing behind her with clenched teeth as she was forced to abandon her charge and strike back. Not holding back a thing, she _swung, _her scythe tearing through their ranks instantly and bisecting them through their waists instantly.

But they just kept on coming without end. Even the Alca-Noise, who were supposed to be their commandeered troops, were not able to hold back the tide of the enemy forces completely. Not only were they vastly outnumbered, their corrupted counterparts now seemed to be smart enough to retaliate against their now only partially effective strikes.

And with the black beasts still tearing through them, the Alca-Noise numbers were rapidly decreasing with every second, routing the S.O.N.G forces with every crazed assault they made.

The world rumbled once again as the Titan took another step, sending waves through the city. "We have to stick together!" Maria yelled to her ground-bound comrades. "We can't use our normal tactics now! We have to cut down them quickly!"

"Easier said than done!" Kirika screamed back, being pushed back more and more.

And everything around them froze as the air suddenly shook, and they looked up to see the Titan's fist strike Miku with unbridled force, sending her flying through the air. Their eyes widened as they screamed her name.

"MIKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

Unable to assist her, all they could do was hurriedly dodge and block the beasts' and the Noise's brutal blows that rained upon them. Carbon dust filled the air to the brim as more and more of everything dissolved, tinting the area in a violet mist that began to obscure their long-distance vision little by little.

Yet they could not miss the follow-up _screech_ that came from the Titan, the very shockwaves of the sound dissipating the cloud that had begun to settle around them. Their ears rang, and as one they screamed from the vibrations that echoed in their heads to and fro. It threw off their focus even more as the Noise and the beasts were completely unaffected and charged at them with reckless abandon.

And their jaws only dropped lower as the sky lit up with light as a beam was fired from the Titan's mouth and proceeded to raze the hillside it aimed at, a massive fireball rising into the sky in its wake.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The despair, however, was not done yet.

Blood splashed as Maria's back was sliced by a beast that snuck up on her in her lack of attention, and she screamed in pain at the searing pain that followed.

"MARIA!"

Shirabe, pushing through the encirclement rushed to her elder's rescue but was forced away from her objective as she was rushed from all sides.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" She yelled, losing her composure and letting anger take over. She charged forward as fast her feet allowed, and her giant buzzsaws only became larger as she sliced and diced her way through everything.

The Airgetlam Adaptor groaned and she too slashed away wildly, desperate to get the enemies off her back. "We have... we have to regroup..." She bit out through clenched teeth. "Everyone! We... we have to fall back! We need to get a grasp on our bearings!"

There was no vocal answer to give her. Finally making her way to her older sister figure, Shirabe quickly put an arm around her and jumped away, barely avoiding the follow-up attack. Seeing her comrades starting to retreat, Kirika followed, abandoning any attempts at an offensive and jumping away and above the enemies' attacks.

Chris and Saint-Germain continued to leap from rooftop to rooftop, the enemy units hot on their tails as they tried to claw at them at every possible moment. A single blackened flying Noise suddenly dove into their path, and Chris had to bring up her arms in a hurry as she crashed into it. It felt like she hit a wall made of goo as she found herself bouncing back, right into the waiting arms of the pursuing beasts.

But luckily for her, Saint-Germain grabbed her leg in the last moment with her one hand, and with a strong heave threw her forward, right towards her retreating Symphogear comrades. Chris only had a moment to be surprised before she straightened herself in mid-air and landed on another rooftop, following after them.

Left alone with the chasers on her back, Saint-Germain continued to run without stopping. She felt every building she stepped upon crash immediately after she leaped from it, sending rubble and debris in all directions.

'_We have to gather more information,' _she said to herself, glancing back for a moment at the Titan that had struck their only hope. '_If Kohinata Miku falls then this will all be over. We have to do something with this Titan Tachibana Hibiki summoned.'_

Of course, that thing was just one problem among the many they had to deal with. She could feel in the back of her mind as her Alca-Noise army continued to take casualties, their earnest efforts being rendered almost useless. It is only by the way of mutual kill that they managed to take an enemy Noise down with them, but that did not take into account the beasts, enemies which only the Adaptors and herself could deal with.

But even they grew stronger. The sheer might of the curses and the influence of All the Evils of this World strengthened them beyond what they were before, and now even with the Cursed Eden Module, they gave them a very hard fight. That also did not take into account that their divine power core had been completely corrupted as well, making a one-hit kill against them difficult unless they chopped them up into pieces.

And with so many enemies in so many directions, a killing blow was something that would take too much time to execute before they'd be overwhelmed in an instant.

Having reached the end of the block, the alchemist found herself at the last possible foothold she had to escape the pursuers. Fortunately for her, however, one of her Giant Alca-Noise brought down its massive arm right in their path, blocking their attempt at chasing her further. Taking the opportunity, she leaped down from the roofs to join her allies, running after them.

Raising her voice, she screamed at them. "Don't stop for anything! We must find a location where we can regroup and work out a plan!"

Whether they received her instructions or not was unclear, as the group of five ahead of her continued to run with Tsubasa in the lead, slicing her way violently through any enemy unit that stood in their way. Reaching the end of the block, she took a hard left, turning in the general directions of Lydian Academy.

Only for their path to be suddenly blocked when the Giant Alca-Noise from earlier was sent flying over their heads, its huge and shimmering form crashing into the middle of the street and forcing them to an immediate stop.

"Damn!" the veteran Adaptor exclaimed. "This is far too chaotic! We have to find a way to get through this siege!"

"_Sorry, but that ain't happening."_

The voice that suddenly appeared out of nowhere caused Tsubasa to freeze. As they looked back to the street they came from, a blast of wind tore through friendly and enemy units alike, sending them all flying in different directions and clearing the path ahead of them, filling it with a blanket of dust and smoke that obscured their vision.

That is until something began to walk forward from within it.

Despite the chaos and intrusive noise coming from all directions, somehow they could still hear the steps of the person approaching. They were metallic and heavy, and not unlike something they've heard before.

"...What?" Chris could only mutter. She hurriedly glanced up to the Titan, spying that Hibiki was still floating in the air beside it. She turned her head back to the approaching silhouette, finding her eyes widening at the sheer strangeness of it all.

-!-

The bridge of S.O.N.G descended into complete disarray, Genjuro standing as still as a statue as he studied the displays in front of him. They were so useless in the battle at large that it was almost comical, having been forced to run away so the enemy forces could not get to them.

He looked at the overhead map with a worried expression, having caught Miku being blasted live on the screen. However, since the Aufwachen signal of Shenshoujing remained, it was an indication that she had survived.

But in what condition? He didn't know.

A gasp from Aoi turned his eyes to her immediately, and he spoke up in alarm. "What is it Tomosato?!"

Her hands refused to move as she looked at her console, finding the reading she received completely impossible. "C-Commander... Auf-Aufwachen has been detected!"

"WHAT?!"

An Aufwachen signal?! Now?!

"That's impossible! All of the existing ones have already been identified!" He yelled back incredulously.

"I know! But there's another one!" She responded. Forcing herself to type again, she brought up the reading into the main display.

Letting Genjuro see exactly what she was talking about.

"What."

That was the only thing he could say in response to what he was seeing. Another impossibility appeared in front of his eyes, something that he knew that could not be real in any earthly manner. Yet no matter what he thought, and no matter how many times he blinked in order to try and see if he was hallucinating, the image in front of him would not go away.

It was indeed an Aufwachen signal...

But an old one, and one he had not seen for over three years. Even if a relic changes hands, the signal itself changes in several manners to differentiate the people who use it. The most egregious example he could give was Hibiki and Maria, both of them having used Gungnir at some point in time yet still had different Aufwachen signals.

Which is why he could not believe that this one had appeared before him.

For only one person in the world had ever held it.

And that person no longer existed.

"THAT'S GUNGNIR?!"

-!-

The dust began to settle down, an eerie, indescribable quiet falling upon the street as the figure started to enter their vision.

"Sorry, but I can't let you go any further," it said.

The voice ranged from only vaguely familiar to completely unknown to some of the members of the group.

However, for Tsubasa, the very moment in entered her ears her entire being simply ceased to function, and she looked ahead at the impossibility that started to become more coherent.

The first thing she saw was an orange and red spear, held in the figure's right hand as it walked. And as the dust settled more and more, she started to see the vestiges of a Symphogear armor, colored black, white and orange that accentuated the figure's tall stature.

But the one feature that stood out above it all... was a mane of red hair that fluttered in the wind, and with it, a pair of dark red eyes that the blue-haired idol had not seen in over three years.

The cloud of dust disappeared.

And in its place stood a ghost of the past.

"It's been a while, Tsubasa."

A deep yet feminine voice entered the Tsubasa's ears, and all of her fighting spirit was snuffed out in an instant. The group stared ahead at the now familiar figure, their shock visible on their faces as their mouths gaped at the impossibility.

Her eyes wide, her pupils dilated, and her voice shaking, Tsubasa muttered the name that she thought she'd never utter again.

"...Kanade...?"


	27. Chapter 27: Fighting Wings

_It was a memory of many years ago._

_She was alone for a long time, before that day. From a young age, the only words that have been spoken to her were: "This is your purpose."_

_And she accepted it. Having been born to a family as influential as hers, it was her duty to uphold that name to the best of her ability or die trying. And so, she was granted a piece of a relic that went back generations, to the days of old._

_She accepted it and lived by that code for years to come..._

_At least, until she came._

_She wasn't sure where her Uncle found that girl. The only facts she had heard were that her family was massacred by the enemy and that he brought her here as the only survivor._

_At first, she was scared of her. The girl with a mane of red hair reminded her of a lion, of a caged beast that raged against its confines. And that's what she did, for she was inconsolable. So furious was she that she had to be restrained in order to keep her in line, even with Uncle standing by her the entire time._

_She swore vengeance, and so Uncle asked her a single question._

"_Even if it drags you down to hell?"_

_Her answer was immediate._

"_Even if it drags me to hell."_

_That was how she met her. That was how she came face to face with a girl whose entire purpose was payback and anger. There was no length she would not go for the sake of that one goal._

_She remembered it like it was yesterday._

_The tests were taking place that day, and the girl was anxious and excited to finally get them done. Having failed to activate the relic like they had wanted to for a long time, she finally heard the good news that the drug she needed was finally complete._

_Even when the initial dose was not enough, and the girl was writhing in pain, she still would not give up that one overwhelming desire._

_The memory was vivid in her mind._

_The girl looked at Uncle was a crazed expression, refusing to surrender. Holding the syringe to her neck, she pressed the trigger without hesitation. The effect was immediate, as the girl continued to writhe, puking and falling into a pool of her own blood. Uncle immediately ordered the doctors to get the drug out of her system, fearing for her life._

_But she did not surrender._

_It was engraved in her mind._

_A bloodied hand struck the window separating the two, and she could recall exactly how much of it covered her open palm. The hand dragged across the glass, smearing the blood over it. The girl rose to her feet, a savage grin plastered on her face as she declared her victory._

_And she sang a bloody song, the holy words coming to her mouth right there and then._

_That was how she had obtained her power. Swearing vengeance, she threw up blood, pushing against her own limits to finally be able to enact on that feeling. The day she had waited for finally arrived, and she could not be more ecstatic. By her own hands, she had reached her goal, with the help of no other._

_Her way of fighting was savage and brutal. A complete contrast to her own reserved and efficient one, the girl struck with unshackled might, each enemy she cut down feeling the full force of her grudge and resentment._

_That was the only reason for her to fight. There was nothing other than that which she desired._

_And yet, something happened. As a result of her actions, people were saved. And those very same people thanked her, telling her that it was all thanks to her song that they managed to keep on going._

_She didn't understand it, but she forged on regardless. And as she saved more people, and as she sang more, she began to feel it. The blooming of another purpose beyond just her own selfish one, a purpose that shone brightly in her heart._

_And so, the girl wrought with nothing but anger smiled for the first time._

_They truly became partners since then, fighting and singing together for the sake of the many. One out of duty, and one out of a selfless desire. Even though their reasons differed, they were joined together despite everything, and together they soared, lighting the path for all to follow._

_She feared her no longer. No longer was the girl a beast, but a shining Sun. And she basked in that warmth, holding it as a lifeline to stave off the burden that lay on her shoulders, even for a little bit._

_And so she found herself enthralled, the spirit of the once fearsome girl drawing her in despite everything._

_Then came that day._

_The enemies were without end, having appeared out of nowhere. They massacred and murdered, and the screams of the ones who had been slain echoed in her mind as she fought against them._

_And the girl, fighting for a selfless desire, was crumbling. Putting herself between them and a single survivor, she told that person to never give up on life, begging them to survive._

_Yet even though she said that, the girl gave up on her own life. Singing her final song, she blasted them away... and collapsed._

_She ran to her, begging her to live._

"_You know... dying leaves you empty and hungry."_

_Leaving her legacy behind for another, Kanade left the world._

_And so, Tsubasa remained alone._

-!-

It was as if not a single day had passed since then. Kanade stood before her, looking as she was three years ago. As her comrades simply stared at the once-dead Adaptor in confusion, Tsubasa found herself drawn forward, her feet dragging behind her in a daze.

"Kanade..."

Her eyes were wide, her vision focusing only on the former Zwei Wing member. Yet Kanade stayed still, her spear in hand and with an even, unreadable expression, watching her former partner approach.

"Kanade..."

She couldn't even say anything else. The sight of the redhead was just so overwhelming, memories from the past rushed into the forefront of her mind in an instant. Moments of happiness and sadness, of anger and laughter, of sorrow and joy. So many precious memories from bygone days. And that's why she could only walk forward, her sword dropping from her hand and dissipating to nothingness. Alarmed at Tsubasa's shift in demeanor, Maria called out to her in concern.

"Tsubasa!"

The idol made no movement to acknowledge the fact that she had heard her. Worry filling her up completely, Maria took a step forward and called out to her once more, this time far more loudly.

"Tsubasa! You have to stop!"

Yet still, no response. The blue-haired idol could only advance towards Kanade slowly, entranced by the sight of the returned Adaptor. Until said Adaptor spoke up herself, her voice unshaken.

"I'd listen to her if I were you, Tsubasa."

She stopped. Her feet coming to a sudden halt barely ten meters away from Kanade, Tsubasa stared at her in confusion and dejection, her blue eyes shaking.

"Kanade..."

"If you don't... then I'll have to kill you," Kanade stated matter-of-factly.

The casual threat snapped Tsubasa out of her stupor, and she took a step back, trying to process exactly what Kanade was telling her.

"Kanade—"

"I already told you that I can't let you go any further," Kanade said. "That's my role. I have to stop you from helping the girlie over there. That's all I'm here for."

Everything she was saying sounded alien to Tsubasa, who was desperate for an explanation. "K-Kanade, what are you saying?"

"You heard me, Tsubasa," Kanade answered, her voice containing an edge that unnerved her once partner. "I can't let you go any further. If you try to run, I'll cut you down before you can even clear the street."

Tsubasa's heart beat rapidly in her chest, and the others shifted their feet at the warning. They looked to her with caution, just waiting for her to go on the offensive. Whatever her power was, she couldn't possibly take on all six of them on her own, that's for sure...

Or at least, that's what they reckoned. The casualness of Kanade's words lit up a red light in their minds, and they listened intently as the war continued around them. Tsubasa tried to speak up, but once more Kanade interrupted her.

"You're probably wondering if I'm even real, aren't you?" She suddenly asked, causing Tsubasa's eyes to widen even more. It was as if Kanade was reading her mind just by staring at her. The once-idol continued. "It's written all over your face; the answer to that question though is... I'm not sure myself."

Tsubasa remained speechless as Kanade kept on talking, bringing up her free hand to scratch the back of her head, just like she always used to. "I'm definitely not alive, even if you think I am. I know I died back then, that's for sure. Let's see... I guess the best way to describe me... would be a ghost?"

Her nonchalant tone threw Tsubasa off completely.

"Yeah... I guess a ghost is the right answer," she repeated, this time more sure of herself. "I'm just a ghost of the past that came back just for this one night, nothing more. I don't even know why I have to stop you, but... that's what I gotta do, and I'm gonna make sure to get it done alright."

"Kanade..."

"This whole business is one giant mess, that's for sure. Tonight is the biggest clusterfuck it's ever going to be, what with this nasty miasma filling the air like a goddamn shitty smog," Kanade continued with a sigh. "Although I guess that's how I can be here at all. That giant hole in reality over there is releasing it without stopping, and it's making everything very crazy around here. It's like a strange magic mist that makes weird things possible, including something like me," she explained, pointing to the open void still hanging in the air.

She lowered her hand to her side, staring ahead. "But that doesn't matter, cos that doesn't change the fact that I can't let you help the girlie. If you want to get by me, then you're going to have to fight, Tsubasa."

Her once partner gasped and responded in an aghast expression. "No! I can't fight you, Kanade!"

"Is that right? In that case..."

The redhead raised her spear and pointed it not at Tsubasa, but the group behind her. "Then I guess you won't mind if I kill all your friends then."

The idol's blood froze. The others, now hearing their own lives were directly threatened, took on their stances as they prepared for her assault. Tsubasa, however, did not budge, still puzzled by Kanade's threats.

"Kanade... why?"

"I already told you, Tsubasa. That is my role here, nothing more. Let me tell you what is going to happen if you don't fight: first, I'll kill you where you stand. Then I'll kill the others behind you so that once that army of yours falls we can all gang up on the girlie there. If that happens, she'll lose, period."

A tense silence fell between them. Kanade then continued.

"Once she loses, it's over, and you know it," she said. She then stared behind Tsubasa to the others, realizing their intentions. "And don't think you all can gang up on me and win. If you do that, the only one that'll survive is Tsubasa. None of you are strong enough to beat me, even with that little nifty toy of yours. Right now, I have the home-field advantage, even if the Noise don't dare get close to me. They just know that I'll crush them if they even think of that in that little brainless head of theirs, wherever it is."

She turned her gaze to Tsubasa, who was left paralyzed by her words. "If the girlie gets to fight her one on one, then her chances of winning are much better than at any other time. And that's what you're all here for, right? Since I'm here to stop you from doing that, then there's no other choice but to fight, Tsubasa," she said almost sadly, something that her once-partner noticed, breaking her heart even more. "What happened to that duty of a Sentinel you always went on about?"

A crushing and blunt blow to her ego right where it mattered and Tsubasa began to bite her lip in frustration and indecisiveness. But then Kanade kept on going, and her expression suddenly softened, perplexing Tsubasa even more.

"But I guess that's not why you're here," she said, lowering her spear. "You're not here because of some duty... you're here because you made a promise, am I right?"

Her once partner clenched her fist tight and nodded her head wordlessly.

Kanade smiled, a sight that Tsubasa has not seen in years. "Yeah, you made a promise to make things right. That's the only reason why you'd be here now, and not brooding somewhere over your inability to act. You're here because there's something you want to accomplish even if it goes against that duty you were always proud of... as what lies at the end is far more worth it."

"Kanade, I—"

"But I'm standing in your way," Kanade reminded her, interrupting Tsubasa before she could try to get a word in. A word that Kanade knew will be nothing more than a self-deprecating comment. "So it's either you fight me here and now, or you will never be able to fulfill that promise. What will it be, Tsubasa? Are you gonna let the past drag you down like that missy up there, or are you going to keep your promise to her?"

'The promise I made...'

Of course, she could never bring herself to forget it. The promise to bring Hibiki back, and to let nothing stand in the way of that goal.

But...

To raise her sword against Kanade, of all people?

To her, such a thought was nothing short of impossible.

Yet... yet...

"You better make the choice, Tsubasa," Kanade interjected. "Because every second that you dwell on it more, is another second that your big army over there continues to get wrecked and your chances of victory get smaller and smaller."

Tsubasa's fist clenched even tighter, and she could feel her fingernails dig into her palm even though they were gloved. Her mind was in turmoil, unable to reach a decision. As if sensing her distress, Maria wordlessly approached her comrade and placed a hand on her shoulder softly.

"Tsubasa..."

She turned her head slowly to her fellow idol, and the anguished expression on her face broke Maria's heart. However, she remained unperturbed and smiled at her partner warmly. "Tsubasa... she's waiting for us," she said, causing the blue-haired idol's eyes to widen. "You don't want to let her down, do you?"

Who was she referring to in that statement?

Was it Miku?

Was it Hibiki?

Or... was it Kanade?

In that simple sentence, Tsubasa found a dilemma—no, a paradox. A contradiction that put her own beliefs on the scales, and she could only watch in a daze as the two sides rocked back and forth, each one trying to be heavier than the other. But... it wasn't a matter of weight or importance, she realized.

Because she, along with the others, had chosen to damn the scales. The very concept of justice became meaningless, as they pursued nothing but a selfish goal that cared little for true righteousness.

Those things could only truly be held by those that had a duty to uphold, and had to serve as guardians and saviors of the world even if it came at the cost of their own happiness. But...

In the end, Kanade was right. She didn't come here out of a sense of duty to protect the world or deliver justice upon an evildoer. No, she came here because she made a promise to herself, and to the girl who had fallen to darkness.

She didn't come here as a Sentinel.

She didn't come here as the next head of her household.

She didn't come here as a world-famous idol.

No, she came here as one simple thing: Kazanari Tsubasa.

And in the end, that made all the difference. Even if those burdens are ones she'd always have on her shoulders... right now, she chose to cast them away for the sake of that one goal.

The tension in her hands dissipated, and Maria looked on with joy as the light returned to her eyes. She removed her hand from her shoulder, and Tsubasa looked back to her once partner again.

"Thank you, Maria," she said softly, almost in a whisper. Maria only continued to smile, and the pink-haired idol watched as her partner took several steps forward, placing herself before Kanade with a straight and confident stance.

The former Gungnir Adaptor seemed satisfied, as she too smiled at her former partner's change of heart. "Looks like you're ready now. I'm glad, Tsubasa," she said. Briefly looking behind her once partner, she turned her focus to the eldest Adaptor. "Your name was Maria, wasn't it? It takes someone special to be able to set her straight so quickly. She was always a crybaby, this one."

Tsubasa felt properly scandalized, her face briefly taking on a red shade. However, it quickly faded as Kanade continued, turning her gaze back to her. "But sorry, I'm going to have to borrow her from you for a bit. I promise... this will be the only time."

It was as if the red-haired former idol knew exactly what she was thinking. As she took steps back to join the others, Maria could not help but murmur her partner's name. "Tsubasa..."

"It's okay, Maria. All of you need to go take care of everything else. I... I will personally get rid of the obstacle that stands in our path." She said with her voice slightly shaking, not turning back. Her sword reappeared in her hand, truly signifying her newfound resolve.

Maria's gaze lingered on her back for a moment, burning the image into her mind. She turned back to the rest, who looked to her for direction. "Let's go, everyone... we can leave this to her."

"Maria..." Kirika murmured, only for Saint-Germain to interrupt her.

"We have no more time to waste. We had a moment to regroup, and now we must reach some sort of decision as to what we'll do from now on. I do not believe that Kohinata Miku was defeated, but she won't be able to focus if she has to watch her back due to this giant. I propose we attempt to distract it to the best of our abilities and give her the leeway she needs in order to achieve victory. We must also assist the Alca-Noise and take down their corrupted counterparts as well as the black beasts," she explained, taking control of the impromptu strategy meeting. "I volunteer myself to be part of the distraction team. Its movements are slow and cumbersome, so I will not have much trouble avoiding it while directing our army."

"Saint-Germain... then I too, will—" Maria began to say, only to be interrupted.

"We'll also help," Shirabe suddenly said, turning all eyes to her. "Kiri-cha—I mean, Kirika and I will also be part of the distraction."

"That's right!" Kirika added to her words. "We'll help you out."

"It's too dangerous!" Maria argued. "You could get—"

"Maria, you're injured," Shirabe reminded her. "It will slow you down too much. If that thing gets even one good hit, it's over, so we need to put speed as a priority first. I'm the fastest one here, and Kirika has a lot of ways to get away in time from its strikes. You and Chris should focus on taking down the Noise and the beasts. Now that we know how strong they are, it will be much easier for you two."

"Shirabe..." Maria uttered, left speechless at the younger girl's insistence. Meeting her gaze head-on, she realized that she wouldn't budge, and so neither would Kirika. "Alright, but be careful okay? No risky moves. This is only a distraction until Miku can win, so don't go jumping in on any weird chances to attack."

"We won't, don't worry. We can take care of ourselves just fine. Worst case scenario Saint-Germain can direct us on what to do, but we'll be fine."

Suddenly finding herself thrust with responsibility, Saint-Germain said nothing in response. Chris glanced to her upperclassman in the middle of the street, she too watching her back for a moment. "Then let's get this show on the road," she said, turning back to her teammates and brandishing her crossbow. "It's time to make these bastards pay."

"Right!"

Nothing more needed to be said. Nodding to each other, together the group jumped away from the ruins of the street and back into the chaos, their weapons already cutting down their targets. Tsubasa and Kanade remained alone despite the war happening around them, the street they are in completely void of enemy and friendly units.

And it was strangely quiet too, a quiet that has not been seen for quite a long time. And as such, Kanade broke the silence, still smiling. "You've got good friends, Tsubasa. I'm glad."

Tsubasa gave her own small smile. "Yes, I do. I could have never imagined that I would make such close bonds with others, a feeling I held in my heart ever since you left."

"And yet here you are. I am happy for you, Tsubasa, from the bottom of my heart," Kanade responded sincerely. However, her smile dropped promptly. "So you know what you have to do. The only thing standing between them and me is you, and I'm willing to bet you're not going to let me get to them so easily now."

"No, I'm not," Tsubasa replied, her own smile dropping. "Kanade... thank you. For everything."

The former idol did not reply, and Tsubasa continued. "The times we've spent together... the memories we've shared... were like pure light. Warm and reassuring, and it is thanks to you I can stand on my own, here and now."

And she took her stance, holding her sword with both hands. "But... as you said, I cannot allow these memories to hold me back from fulfilling my promise," she said as if to reassure herself. And then she said the following words that sealed the deal, finally marking the girl before her not only as a dear friend... but as an enemy to be overcome. "That is why, Kanade; with this blade... I will cut you down."

They were silent for a moment.

And then Kanade let out a laugh. Tsubasa looked to her quizzically as the redhead spoke up. "Oh, it's nothing. I just find it funny that Zwei Wing's big reunion ends up like this. But I guess that's just the way things are these days," she said with an honest tone.

The change was instantaneous. The laid-back attitude was discarded, instead replaced with a dangerous glint in her eyes, one that put Tsubasa on guard. "Very well then, I'll meet your challenge head-on, Tsubasa. When everything ends... one of us won't be walking away from here."

"Indeed," Tsubasa agreed. "Let us do away with words now, Kanade, and let our blades speak for themselves."

Kanade smiled once more and held her spear with both hands in front of her. "Yeah. Let's give it all we've got."

Two wings that once soared together, now standing on opposite sides.

Only one will be able to once again fly towards the sky as the other will plummet to the depths of the abyss.

No more words needed to be said, as the two have already said everything they needed, be it in the past or present.

And so, in the chaotic battle that will determine the fate of the world, Zwei Wing began their last performance.

-!-

"Kanade-kun..."

There was no way to describe what Genjuro was feeling at that exact moment. Slumping into his chair at the sight of his former charge, the emotions that raged in his heart were almost overwhelming.

Elfnein looked to him in sympathy, having regained her bearings once Kanade truly made her appearance. While she didn't know an awful lot about the lost half of Zwei Wing, she had read enough about her in the reports. She knew that her death shook the entire foundation of the division that would eventually be known as S.O.N.G.

Her heart went out to him, as she saw that the heartbreak he was experiencing was unlike any that came before. However, she had learned enough to know that Genjuro had essentially treated Kanade like she was his own daughter. The devastation that he had suffered following her death was what caused him to decide to get stronger, wiser, and grander so he would not have to lose anyone else again.

So to see her now, after so long, would definitely leave him breathless. And yet... she was on the enemy side, the side that wishes to bring chaos to the world, and the reason for that was so unknown that even the girl herself didn't know why. Her appearance on the battlefield was nothing short of astonishing, as nobody truly believed that such a thing would ever be possible.

Except... something she said caused Elfnein to raise an eyebrow. Kanade had stated something about a miasma that covered the city from head to toe. She said that it was responsible for the strangeness, and perhaps was also the reason the Noise and the beasts were so overwhelmingly strong. They had, in her own words, the home-field advantage. And according to her, all of that miasma was being let out of the hole, so in order to remove that advantage, they would have to seal it back up.

But how will they do that? What do they have in store that will be able to achieve such a feat?

She would have to go through the archives in record time to find that answer.

However, it seems that the miasma also works in their own favor. Glancing once more in the direction of the Ignite Timers, she watched as the new numbers ticked down slowly as if it was being actively denied from disappearing. Whatever it is in the miasma apparently causes the Cursed Eden Module to remain active for longer times, providing the Adaptors with the much-needed power boost for a longer period.

But... is that actually a good thing? If the miasma can cause a dead Adaptor to reappear and strengthen the Noise, the beasts, and the Adaptors all at once... what does that even mean for them?

She's going to have to keep an eye on it. Pressing buttons rapidly on her console, she began to write the program on the fly, her eyes darting over the screen to and fro.

"Hmmm, this change is quite fascinating," Adam suddenly said to no one in particular as he studied the screen displaying the Adaptors' fight. As they cut through the Babylonian Noise, he noticed something very interesting that intrigued him. "The Noise almost seem to be made of flesh and blood now. The way they die seems to indicate that perhaps the Phase Contrast Barrier has been... eliminated from them?"

It was a statement none on the bridge took lightly. Taking note of his discovery, Genjuro spoke up. "How can you tell?"

If he had hands Adam would have pointed to the example, but compromised with simply gesturing with his chin to the screen. "When was the last time you saw the Noise leave behind corpses?"

That was a point that left Genjuro speechless. He had to admit the former head of the Illuminati was right; as they watched the battle, the defeated Noise were... not disappearing as they had expected them to. The targets the Adaptors cut apart were bisected, and the two halves actually fell to the ground and remained there, not turning to dust like usual. Only the beasts still seemed to be akin to undead monstrosities, while the Noise seemed to have actual life in them, in the vaguest sense of the word.

That fact was only emboldened by the reports he started to receive. Both his overseas operatives and Ogawa, who was now protecting Hibiki's family, made the same observations.

Firearms were now effective against the Noise, a godsend in this battle for survival. However, that advantage was offset by the fact that they were now much more brutal and aggressive. They sometimes disregarded wounds entirely to just stampede across vast plains and cities in an instant. Fighter jets and tanks were already deployed all over the world, and Tokyo was exempted if only because the Adaptors were already there to deal with it.

The black beasts were an entirely different story, but they too seemed to be vulnerable to conventional weaponry. He just hoped none of the great superpowers resorted to WMDs, which would scar the landscape of the world in an attempt to save it.

They'll have to wait and see.

-!-

_(Play: the MOON is a Harsh Mistress - Symphogear G OST)_

"Remember the plan!" Saint-Germain screamed to the group. "Yukine Chris, Maria Cadenzavna Eve! You two take care of the small fry! Akatsuki Kirika, Tsukuyomi Shirabe! You two are with me!"

The girls grit their teeth as they crashed through the Noise and the beasts, their enemies proving to be far bigger obstacles than they imagined. But rather than let themselves be pushed back like before, they charged with unparalleled ferocity, the three close combat fighters slicing through their targets like a typhoon.

There were so many of them that it was impossible not to catch at least a dozen with just a tiny swipe of her arm. While it was a damn good feeling, it also meant that a single moment of hesitation will cause her to be ganged upon from all sides. The black beasts darkened the night sky even further as their leaping forms crashed down on them, their claws extended outwards like wild animals.

Shirabe was a swirling maelstrom of death as she continuously spun, taking a chapter from Kirika's book as she used her wheeled feet to rotate at insanely high speeds, her enlarged buzzsaws likewise letting none of her targets survive. It was strange to be feeling actual resistance when she cut into the Noise, their suddenly fleshy bodies proving to be far more durable than she had expected.

But it was useless either way, as her rotational speed was so high that even a human would find themselves in two pieces immediately, their guts flying in all directions. The beasts were no exception, even if their mass seemed to be more resilient, slightly reducing her speed as she with each one she downed.

Their numbers were so high that she came to believe they were deliberately throwing themselves into her just so the pile of Noise corpses on the ground would slow her down enough to leave her with no room to run. It was a surprising strategy from something as mindless as the Noise, but... if what Kanade stated was true, then it was definitely because of the miasma the hole was leaking out.

They would have to solve that problem as soon as possible, or risk being surprised by something else that would perhaps work to overwhelm them. Every second they allow this to continue, the battle becomes more chaotic by the second, and the Noise and the beasts just become more and more problematic.

Reaching their intended split-off point, Saint-Germain yelled once more. "Now! It's time to put our plan in action!"

With a rapid nod of their heads, the two groups separated, jumping away in two different directions.

-!-

It wasn't very hard to miss the Titan. After all, being as big as it was, it was hardly subtle in its appearance. Fortunately for them, it had remained fairly docile for now, only truly ambushing Miku when she least expected it. It did not go on a rampage like they had initially expected it to, perhaps owing to it being bound to Hibiki's will. She still floated in the air next to it, looking at the razed hill where Miku was last seen.

Well, now it was definitely going to join the fight. After all, the three of them were going to goad it into chasing them rather than remain by Hibiki's side after all.

Jumping above and slicing through enemies, Kirika led the charge, her scythe a blur in the night as it dismembered Noise and beasts alike in their path towards their giant target. Taking the opportunity, Shirabe raised her voice towards the alchemist. "How are we going to get it to focus on us?"

It took a moment for Saint-Germain to answer. "I say we first test the waters. Attack it directly and see how it responds. Considering its size, you might have to use your greatest assets in order to even get it to notice you. Work your way up and see what causes a reaction. We have to get it to turn on us as soon as possible."

And somehow close the hole, but that can only be done once they move the Titan away from its vicinity.

"Got it," Shirabe replied. It was a very general plan, but in a situation like this, it's the best they got. "You heard that, Kirika?"

"Loud and clear!" her partner shouted back, still keeping up her charge, letting her two teammates follow up behind her.

As they got closer and closer to the Titan's feet, they noticed how the congestion of Noise was far greater than they imagined. They were so densely packed against each other that they were covering the ground completely, essentially having turned into an elevated floor themselves.

And that was good for the Adaptors. Heading first, Kirika jumped above, landing upon the first Noise. Its head was crushed under her heel as she landed upon it, and not losing momentum for a second she broke into a run, crushing heads beneath her heels with every step. The Titan's still foot was right in front of her, and it so gigantic that it could be considered a skyscraper all on its own. It did not shift even a little bit as she approached, and she raised her scythe in preparation for her strike, aiming at the oversized black and red ankle.

Until she heard a sound akin to a jet plane and looked up to see a battalion of flying Noise suddenly dive-bomb her, aiming to intrude on her path. She narrowed her eyes, but rather than be stopped in her tracks she continued onwards, closing the distance even faster than before.

Because Shirabe and Saint-Germain had her back.

A barrage of small buzzsaws sliced through the Noise followed by gunshots as her backup fired repeatedly, shooting down the targets before they could finish their assault. Throughout her entire path, it continued, and she lowered her head slightly to avoid even the slightest chance of being hit even by accident.

After what felt like hours but was only truly less than ten seconds, Kirika reached her destination. Pouring power into her arms, she swung the scythe as hard as she could at the Titan's ankle, aiming for where its Achilles tendon would be on a being of its size. The scythe screamed through the air, and with a loud impact struck her target at full force.

Only to bounce off, failing to pierce the skin as she had intended. Her eyes widened in shock as she was repulsed, losing her balance for a second.

Giving the Noise and beasts ample opportunity to ambush her right at that moment. She hurriedly turned around, raising her scythe and spinning it rapidly in front of her as the Noise crashed against it with reckless abandon.

It was as if they were put through a meat grinder, as their now fleshy bodies were sliced into pieces, forcing Kirika to close one eye to avoid being blinded by the onslaught of Noise parts flying in her direction. The Titan seemed to have not even noticed her attempt at an attack, causing her to click her tongue in frustration.

"Tsukuyomi, your turn!"

At Saint-Germain's instruction, Shirabe charged into the fray. Taking advantage of the fact that many of the Noise and beasts were focused on Kirika, she closed the distance to the ankle without much resistance. Summoning her giant buzzsaws and making them even bigger, nothing stood in her way as she struck, the two whirling disks of death crashing into the ankle from both sides. She groaned as she felt the saws attempt to grind away at the rockhard skin, bits and pieces of the relic metal flying off as their sharpened tips snapped in their ferocious spin.

'_Not... enough... need to give more!' _

Saint-Germain watched as the disks became even bigger, bulging in size as sparks flew off from the impact point. Taking aim, she fired at any Noise that attempted to ambush the short Adaptor while she was occupied. With Kirika holding off the enemies on one end, and Saint-Germain firing from a distance, there was nothing in Shirabe's path trying to impede her progress.

The Noise turned their attention on the alchemist. The several Flying Noise hanging in the air above her changed targets and dive-bombed her instead, forcing her to stop firing and jump away. The building she was standing on exploded as they plunged into it, sending rubble flying in all directions. She landed back on the ground and instantly found herself surrounded by the encroaching enemy units that noticed her presence.

Fortunately for her, she was not alone. Like a tidal wave, the army of Alca-Noise crashed into their corrupted counterparts, smashing into them like a raging stampede. However, she did notice that the number of units she had under her command was decreasing rapidly, raising alarms in her mind. While the Babylonian Noise were now more vulnerable, their increase in brutality meant that the Alca-Noise had a much harder time dealing with them. The advantage of the enemy units being totally mindless was gone and were now retaliating against her own forces.

Well, that's what they were here for anyway; to serve as the disposable foot soldiers while the Adaptors dealt with the real threats. But her army was still having an extremely hard time, and quite frankly she was not sure how to assist them. Elaborate formations were useless since the enemy was just attacking nonstop, and there was no way to lure them into a trap or attempt a pincer on them. They were actively seeking targets, meeting them head-on remained the only option.

Another Flying Noise charged at her, and once again she jumped into the air, missing it by a hair's breadth. But rather than fall back to the ground, she instead tried something a little bit different; she willed a Flying Alca-Noise to place itself right under her feet, and she landed atop its back, using it as a foothold in the air.

"I need to turn its attention to us..." She said to herself, rising to stand at full height on top of the Noise. With a mental command, it shot upwards, rising into the air and above the battling army of Noise and beasts on the ground.

Her hair fluttering about wildly in the wind, the Noise rose and rose, until she was on face level with the Titan's head. Both it and Hibiki were with their backs to her, and wordlessly she raised her gun and fired, aiming for the corrupted Adaptor.

It had about as much effect as she expected. The bullet clanged against her armor without leaving even a tiny dent on it, the alchemical shot dissipating to red dust upon crashing into it. However, it had the intended effect: making Hibiki turn to her.

The expression on the demonic Adaptor's face was a bored one as she only slightly turned her head, the corner of her eye meeting Saint-Germain's gaze.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I thought I'd get a good look at you," the alchemist said in an even tone. "See exactly what it is my ambitions have wrought."

"Is that right? Well then, I'm sure you're happy with the results," Hibiki answered her with a dismissive tone. "Go away, St. Germain-san. You're an eyesore."

It was then, however, that Hibiki noticed the trouble brewing right below her, all the way on the ground right underneath the Titan. "Oh, so that's what you're trying to do?" She said, noticing Kirika and Shirabe's actions. Raising her head back up, she fully turned to the alchemist. "Sorry, but this child won't fall because of something as dumb as that."

She turned to look at the giant head next to her and smiled. "Honey, why don't you get rid of these bugs? They must be so annoying, aren't they?"

The Titan growled lowly in response, a sound that shook the air from the vibrations. It lifted its giant foot, the movement slow and cumbersome and causing Shirabe and Kirika to stop their attempts at carving apart its ankle.

And then it smashed its foot on the ground, right on top of them. Reacting quickly, the two Zababa Adaptors dodged out of the way just as it slammed against the concrete below. While it missed them entirely, many unfortunate Noise and beasts that were crowded underneath it were not. Shockwaves were sent through the earth, and Saint-Germain saw the streets beneath wobble like ocean waves.

"Hmmm, so annoying, like cockroaches," Hibiki said, pursing her lips. "Darling, do you want to take care of these? I'm sure it will make you feel a lot better."

Saint-Germain fought hard not to physically cringe at the overly cutesy tone Hibiki took when referring to this horrid giant creation of hers. The Titan once more grumbled, and again tried to step on Kirika and Shirabe, who darted underneath it and struck against its feet with their Armed Gears. From its massive height, the two Adaptors looked even smaller than ants, their weapons nothing more than tiny bug bites than failed to penetrate the outer layer of its skin.

If the Titan had any capacity for thinking, it showed a tiny bit of it as it continuously attempted to crush the two of them to no success. Growling once more, it turned around slowly, its massive legs crashing through buildings without care.

Hibiki turned her head back to the alchemist and narrowed her eyes at her. "I don't know what it is you're planning, St. Germain-san, but I can tell you right now it won't work. Didn't you learn the first time that you can't match me? Sheesh, you never learn do you—"

Her sixth sense flared.

The corrupted Adaptor turned around, having been interrupted mid-sentence just in time to raise her spear in front of her as a beam of light washed over her, erupting from the razed hill. Her vision was filled with brightness as she attempted to keep herself in place, feeling her spear starting to melt from the properties lining the light.

A silhouette charged towards her from within it with a battle cry, and a second later the air rumbled as something impacted her spear head-on, this time pushing her back with pure force. Sent careening through the air backwards, she stabilized herself, her face lighting up with a grin.

"I knew you'd make it, Miku," she said, staring ahead at her nemesis, her Gear and her exposed skin partially dirtied. "Let's continue our dance then!"

Completely ignoring the alchemist, Hibiki rushed towards Miku, who raised her fan to meet her charge.

Saint-Germain watched as their battle resumed, the air screaming as they exchanged blows. Leaving the corrupted Adaptor to Miku, the one-armed alchemist turned her head back to the Titan, the giant being now separated from Hibiki as it began to chase after Shirabe and Kirika.

'_I suppose that worked out for the better,'_ she thought to herself. '_Now, to capitalize on the opening.'_

Willing the Flying Noise she was on to a dive, she too headed towards fulfilling her goal.

-!-

_(Play: Souls to Fight - Fate UBW OST)_

It truly was like the old days.

The former Gungnir Adaptor's blows were brutal and powerful, and Tsubasa found herself forced to dodge out of the way. Many of them she felt were just too strong to be simply blocked or parried, lest the spear she was familiar with would smash her sword to pieces.

A performance akin to one on the stage, just without the music. Their weapons, having worked in tandem for so long in the years gone by met each other perfectly in the clashes, their power even.

And so, Ame-no-Habakiri's blade once more cried from the joy of being united with its long lost partner... yet this time, they met each other head-on as enemies on the battlefield, in a duel to the death that shall determine the fate of the world.

"You've grown strong, Tsubasa," Kanade let out, swinging her spear in a powerful horizontal swipe that forced the blue-haired idol to jump back. The red-haired ghost followed after her, swinging down on her head from above. Once more Tsubasa dodged out of the way, the spear impacting the ground a moment later.

And she too struck, aiming for her opponent's neck in a lightning-fast blow truly fitting for one of her bloodline. Her eyes shone slightly as she swung, intent on finishing this grueling emotional battle in one blow.

"But you've gotta do better than that!"

Kanade wasn't kidding when she said she was strong herself. In the blink of an eye, the spear was dislodged from the ground and swiftly smashed away Tsubasa's rapid strike. She then thrust forward, and Tsubasa was forced to pull her blade back to stop the pointed tip from piercing through her abdomen for a second time.

"Tch—!"

Clicking her tongue, Tsubasa jumped back, rising into the air and swiftly slashing in front of her, sending a blue shockwave forward.

'_**AZURE FLASH'**_

Kanade smirked as the projectile approached. Her spear shone for a moment, and holding the shaft with two hands, she too swung in front of her, sending a similar shockwave forward to meet Tsubasa's.

'_**POWER∞SHINE'**_

The two flashes met in midair, creating an explosion that caused the wind to tremble. Tsubasa landed on the ground, and Kanade was already upon her, her spear a blur in the night. The Kazanari heir found herself pushed back through the street as she parried and deflected the blows, careful to not get caught off guard.

'_Even with Cursed Eden, she's insanely strong!'_

If she had Susano'o on her side in this battle, then it might have looked differently.

But... even if she did, she wasn't sure she'd be willing to rely on his strength. Even though with his assistance she would have been able to overwhelm Kanade easily, it just wouldn't be right to do so.

Susano'o wasn't the one with the connection to Kanade, Tsubasa was. Even if his presence was nothing more than an illusion born of pure power, to channel his will would have been an insult to the bond she shared with the girl in front of her.

It was like facing Hibiki all over again, with all the same insane power behind her blows that made her feet stagger and her breath quicken as every swing was death incarnate. She had to meet the blows head-on or dodge them expertly so that the spear would not even be able to graze her.

Because as she experienced last time, even a grazing blow can blow away her brains like tofu.

Kanade was always an overwhelming presence, something that could either serve as an indomitable foothold or blow you away with its sheer magnitude.

Now Tsubasa could admit she had felt both sides of that precious coin.

And how she wished she wouldn't have had to feel this one.

Strikes that used to be used on her side were now aiming to kill her, and the mere thought of that siphoned her fighting spirit slightly. Even though she had resolved herself to fight her, it was still a very difficult endeavor for Tsubasa.

'_Perhaps... I've never been able to truly let that feeling go.'_

Whatever feeling that was she was referring to had to wait as Kanade struck at her with swift thrusts, each one tearing the wind apart at the seams. Tsubasa once again found herself pushed back, gritting her teeth as she struggled to keep up with the rapid-fire lunges, each one carefully aimed at either her limbs or vital organs.

"What's wrong Tsubasa?! This can't be all you've got!" Kanade yelled in what seemed like real frustration, failing to understand why her opponent was barely counterattacking. Planting her feet, she spun and swung her spear in a wide arc that crashed against Tsubasa's sword, causing her feet to skid across the street, throwing rubble into the air.

"G-guh—" Tsubasa let out, feeling the pain in her arms.

"This can't be all of it, Tsubasa," Kanade said with a dangerous tone. "Is this really all I am to you?"

The idol's eyes widened. "Kanade, that's not—"

"Then why aren't you fighting back? Are you going back on your word now? Will you continue being a crybaby forever?" She interrupted her bluntly, just like always. Tsubasa was left speechless, unable to give a sound argument to her criticism. "Killing you like this will be a goddamn shame, that's what it will be. I don't want my last memory of you being you dying so pathetically. You deserve a lot better than that, especially from me."

Her sword shook in her hand, and her arms trembled at her opponent's words. Clenching the handle of her sword tight, she raised it in a stance parallel to the ground. "I also..."

And she charged, the thrusters on her feet launching her forward at the speed of sound towards Kanade.

"FEEL THE SAME WAY!"

The blade smashed against the spear's flat side, Kanade having raised it in time to block. She smirked as she felt the power behind the blow, forcing her spear back.

"That's the way, Tsubasa."

Tsubasa pushed as hard as she could, her black and blue blade roaring to life as a cerulean flame enveloped it. Kanade's eyes widened slightly in surprise as a sudden heat flared from the sword, and the proximity of it causing her to feel it sear her skin. Gritting her teeth, the redhead pushed the sword away and jumped back, putting distance between them. She let out a breath, wiping her forehead with her arm.

"Now that's new."

Adjusting her grip, Tsubasa readied herself for the next clash. "Of course," she responded with a small smirk of her own. "I cannot have you come to believe I haven't grown at all. I'll show you my progress in the next exchange of blows, Kanade."

"Just what I wanted to hear!"

And the former idol once more went on the attack, speeding ahead towards Tsubasa. Taking a single heavy step forward, Tsubasa tried a different approach.

She threw her sword as hard as she could, the blade speeding towards Kanade in a straight line. Before it could pierce her, however, she deflected it to the side, her charge not stopping for even a second. Upon closing the distance, she swung her spear down on Tsubasa again, who quickly summoned a new sword to block the heavy blow. The ground beneath her cracked from the force, and she groaned as she felt her bones rattle.

With a yell, she forced Kanade away and went on the offensive. She struck and struck repeatedly, and her opponent easily parried her blows, leaving her confused.

"What's this?" She asked. But Tsubasa gave her no response as she continued to attack forcefully, keeping Kanade's attention on her at all times.

Which seemed to work as intended. She just needed to wait for the right moment to enact her trap.

Kanade parried another blow, putting herself in point-blank range of her opponent. Their eyes met for a moment before she struck forward with her free fist, the punch screaming through the air from the side, leaving shockwaves in its path. But the training Tsubasa had been through in the past five weeks had not been for nothing, and she quickly whipped up her own free hand to strike Kanade in the wrist with her palm. Following up her counter, Tsubasa struck with a quick low kick to Kanade's feet, forcing the former idol to jump back lest she get knocked to the ground.

Taking a moment to recompose herself, the once Gungnir Adaptor charged once more, her spear raised for a vicious strike. She closed the distance again and swung vertically in a wide arc.

Tsubasa smirked.

There was absolutely no way for Kanade to know it was coming except for the sudden whooshing of the wind behind her. Her pupils dilated as her senses screamed, and she hurriedly ceased her attack mid-swing as the sword she previously deflected made its way to her at light speed. Taking the opportunity while her opponent was distracted, Tsubasa swung as well, catching Kanade in a pincer maneuver between two of her swords.

It was perhaps due to her familiarity with Tsubasa that Kanade managed to escape with her life. The blue-haired idol's eyes widened as Kanade twisted her body in such an amazing manner that both swords failed to hit her, missing her body by mere inches. The former idol rose back to her feet, grinning at her successful escape.

Only to be caught by surprise as Tsubasa caught the previously flying sword in her free hand and instantly struck at her.

And this time, Kanade did not get away scot-free.

The blade cut into Kanade just above her belly button. It wasn't deep enough to be a decisive blow, but it was not so shallow to be completely ignored either. Kanade drew a sharp intake of breath as the pain rushed up her spine, and she once again jumped back in order to gain some distance.

The skirmish ended. Tsubasa, now standing with two swords in hand, looked to her opponent with a saddened expression. "Kanade..." She murmured, studying the wound she inflicted upon her former partner.

She didn't want to believe it, but the proof was right there in front of her. No blood leaked from the injury, instead leaving a sort of empty line where it should have been, as if she had cut away a piece of paper rather than an actual body.

Kanade looked down at it with her own interested stare and sighed. "Yeah, I guess that's a thing. I really am a ghost if I ain't bleeding," she said. She then raised her head and a genuine smile lit up her face. "That was very nice, Tsubasa. Honestly didn't see that one coming. Only the you I'm facing right now can come up with it, not the old Tsubasa that went on and went about duty and swords and sentinels and bla bla bla."

"Kanade..."

"I like you better now, you know," she admitted, causing Tsubasa's eyes to widen. "You look much more free and expressive as if you're really doing it out of an actual desire that is yours. I always hated that shitstain of a grandfather of yours, and I'm glad at least now you ain't giving a shit about what he thinks."

Ah, she remembered that moment. The day her grandfather made a... surprise visit, so to say, to the old headquarters. She remembered how he walked the halls with his army of bodyguards following behind him, making him seem important as distressed employees moved out of the way to allow his passage.

Kanade never had any real interaction with him except once. That day was the first and only time she had ever seen him, and boy did she leave an impression. After hearing him say something that Kanade had considered at the time "talking shit", her once partner showed her disdain for him clearly, cursing him and swearing at him to no end.

So brazen was she that she even stood right in the middle of his path, her arms crossed, and goaded him to fight her. Of course, the overly traditional elder did not even give her the time of day, simply looking down on her with his ever judgemental gaze before walking off regardless, leaving her speechless.

It took Kanade exactly one meeting with the man in order to paint him as a pest, and Tsubasa at the time tried in vain to get the girl to calm down and begged her not speak that way to him.

Looking back, she was glad she didn't listen to her.

"This is the power of your promise," Kanade continued, putting a hand against her so-called wound. "Carve that proof onto me with your blade, Tsubasa. I want every one of these injuries you give me to serve as a marker for your future. The more you inflict, the more you get closer to it. But don't expect me to make that easy for you, cos now that I know you've got some nasty tricks up your sleeves, I'm gonna stop trying to goad you, since you don't need that."

"Kanade..."

Holding her spear with two hands once more, Kanade beckoned her forth. "Let's keep this going, Tsubasa, until one of us breaks."

Tsubasa let out a breath. Holding her two swords tight in her hands, she prepared for the next exchange of blows. "It's strange, Kanade, how my heart weeps in both joy and sorrow, as if I waited for this day to come yet dreaded it all the same."

"Really? Well, that's flattering I guess. I guess that's one part of you that will never change... but I don't mind that. Now come on, No more talk. You drew first blood, not that there was any, but I still need to pay you the favor."

And she charged, and her shout accompanied her on her endeavor.

"THE PERFORMANCE ISN'T OVER YET!"

-!-

Out of everyone, Maria could say that so far she was the only one that actually got the role that was designed for her from the get-go. She was, after all, supposed to be the bait for the Noise and beasts, what with her endurance being the highest of all the Adaptors. As such, she was prepared for this role and knew exactly how to approach it even if the enemies weren't how they had initially expected them to be.

In the end, it was nothing more than a diversion, making sure that these pesky rank and file minions don't get in the way of the important objectives. Tsubasa was also supposed to have joined her in this endeavor as her backup, thus making this a win-win situation for everyone.

But as they say, a plan never survives contact with the enemy. With Tsubasa occupied with the now resurrected former Zwei Wing member, she could not assist her in her role.

She got Chris instead, and while she got along with her very well and could consider her a friend, the last thing she could use to describe her was diversionary.

Destructive seemed to be the most appropriate term here.

It wasn't so much that the enemies were being forced to focus on them and more like they were obliterated before they could even consider doing anything at all. With massive rockets launching in all directions, Maria saw how both themselves and the enemies were engulfed in gigantic fireballs as the detonations of the missiles blew the Noise and beasts up to smithereens.

Usually though, the Noise would simply dissipate into dust and leave no reminder of their existence upon the Earth. However, the evidence supporting Adam's claims were irrefutable: the Noise really were leaving corpses behind, and the elder idol could arguably call the sight kind of grotesque.

She had never seen a dead Noise before, so something like that was a very interesting new experience.

The sound of Chris' machine guns tearing through the Noise ranks filled her ears, and the smell of gunpowder overwhelmed her senses. Now that they shook off the shock of the enemies' new strength, they could act a bit more safely in their presence. A beast lunged at her with its arm transformed into a spear, and it roared as it attacked. But Maria ducked underneath it, the strike ruffling her hair slightly. At that moment, as if sensing the attempt on her teammates' life, Chris turned around halfway with the machine gun raised and sprayed the offending beast with a barrage of bullets, causing it to recoil back from the hits.

Maria rose back to her full height and plunged the sword into its face, before promptly tearing it out violently, ripping the beast's face apart and causing it to fall to the ground in a heap. It will definitely rise again in a moment, so to avoid that she placed herself above it and swept her blade back and forth, carving the fake Hibiki to pieces and making it dissolve into dust.

A tad bit more brutal than she wanted, but no point in holding back now, she figured. Crawler Noise tried to sneak up on her in large numbers, but their attempts yielded nothing but more failure as her sword elongated, becoming a whip-like chain as she swung it to and from, chopping the attacking Noise to pieces.

She was doing very well so far, but the injury on her back was definitely distracting. It numbed her senses somewhat, and a particularly sharp pain rose from it, throwing off her focus for just a moment. The enemies seemed to realize this, and doubled their efforts to gang up on her. Now faced with too many at once to respond in time, Maria was forced to jump back, separating her from Chris.

'_Tch, these things are far more annoying than I would have liked!'_

The Noise were being especially pesky with their invigorated aggressiveness. She found herself missing their mechanical movements, more content with having them be completely soulless instead of being akin to living beings with a very volatile temper.

After all, anger can lead to some very crazy results, and usually, those results were disastrous. It seemed however that they did not have any new tricks up their sleeves, so their true nature wasn't different from what she knew.

'_I have to get back to Chris though. I can't stay separated from her for too long,'_ she thought to herself.

Only for the enemies to place themselves in her path, as if they were actively trying to stop her from rendezvousing with her comrade. She didn't even have time to be surprised as she was instantly surrounded, and even a dozen Giant Noise joined into the mix to completely hide the night sky from her vision. Her eyes darted to and fro, trying to find some sort of method of escape, but saw none that immediately caught her attention.

Well, if she can't simply avoid them she'll have to crush them.

Maria raised her blade into the sky, and a second later a tornado enveloped her form, the powerful winds forcing the enemy force back. They could not approach lest they be decimated, and riding upon the winds Maria rose into the air. 'With this, I can escape their encirclement!'

'_**TORNADO†IMPACT'**_

At least, that's what she thought.

There was absolutely no way she could have expected the Noise to do something so insane, yet they did so anyway. Just as she was making her way towards Chris' location, six of the Giant Noise placed themselves in her path. She did not have time to change her trajectory as she slammed into them, the ripping gale winds tearing into them from within. She pierced through one, and then another, and then another.

But the real surprise came from the fact that apparently, the Noise had planned far enough ahead to counter her attack. They successfully managed to reduce the speed of her winds, making it harder for her to pierce through the fourth. She grit her teeth as she applied more power, and the fourth wall was crushed as she made her way to the fifth.

But it was already far too late. Her wind lost far too much speed at this point after tearing through their now fleshy bodies, and as she smashed into the fifth Giant Noise, it only worked to push it back as she struggled against its massive frame.

And out of nowhere a Giant Noise hand came down on her, cutting through her wind in an instant and smashing into her with all the force of a speeding truck. She screamed as the injury on her back was struck head-on, and immediately the tornado surrounding her was dispersed as she was violently forced to the ground.

The same Giant Noise used its massive claw-like appendage to lock her down, pinning her to the ground on her stomach as the rest of its comrades began to close in on her quickly.

'_Since when have they been able to do something like this?!'_

That puzzled thought ran through her mind until the moment she had to swiftly move her head down, a massive barrage of bullets tearing through the Noise and beasts converging on her. The arm pinning her down was cut off by the wrist, and hurriedly Maria pushed it off and jumped back to her feet, slashing behind her at a beast that tried to ambush her.

"Chris!" She yelled, her eyes locked onto her comrade, who had her machine gun aimed at her direction. "Thanks for the assist!"

"No problem!" her comrade answered back. Quickly Maria went to join her, and the two stood back to back as the enemy units circled them. "These guys... are really pissing me off."

"You and me both," Maria answered, her eyes darting between the various encroaching Noise. "They're way smarter than they should be."

"That just makes it worse," Chris added in. "It's getting on my nerves."

"We can't lose focus here," Maria reprimanded her. "We need to stick together all the time."

Chris didn't say anything more and proceeded to open fire on the enemies in front of her, mowing them down. Maria clenched her teeth as she swung her blade back and forth, slicing through the Noise with a great amount of effort. As she cut through one, a beast suddenly jumped towards her before the two halves could fall to the floor. It struck her hand and her sword was flung from her grip, landing a small distance away from her.

She had no time to try and go get it before the beast was upon her again with both hands raised to swipe at her. In a daring move, right before it could bring them down, Maria grabbed it by the wrists, stopping it from completing its strike. Her feet dug into the ground as she grappled with it, the beast proving to be much stronger than she had anticipated. Its face came too close for her liking, letting her feel its nasty breath on her nose. Left with little choice and with its comrades coming in to assist, Maria smashed her head into its face, causing it to recoil backwards in pain.

And she immediately dove behind her, bypassing the enemies' attacks and coming to a roll, stopping right next to her sword. She drew it from the ground and slashed, killing the beast she had grappled with earlier. 'This is intense!'

She glanced to Chris, and she could see how the sheer recoil of her guns firing nonstop caused her feet to dig into the ground, her teeth bared as she held back the tidal wave that was the Noise.

But even with her superior firepower, some managed to make it inside her range. Realizing she won't be able to fire so freely anymore, she threw aside one of the machine guns into the fray, causing several of the enemy units to stagger and fall. Flipping the remaining one in her hand and holding it by the barrel, she smashed it into the face of a humanoid Noise, causing its upper body to explode in a shower of blackened mist. She quickly turned, and smashed another one away, making her look like she was playing a demented game of baseball with the enemies.

She managed to hold her own for a while despite being out of her element, a true show of the grueling training they had undergone.

But it was just only slightly lacking.

"CHRIS!"

She spun on her heel.

And she was struck across the face in a moment of a lack of concentration, a humanoid Noise's flat palm striking her cheek. Her head whipped aside from the blow, and Maria feared that the force behind it caused her neck to crack. The machine gun in her hand crumpled to the floor, laying unmoving next to her.

Silence.

As if the entire world became still, the pandemonium around them stopped for an illusionary second. Chris' head was to the side, her bangs hiding her eyes.

"I'm done."

Maria's eyes widened. "Wha—"

It happened so fast she barely managed to catch the sheer brutality of the next action Chris did.

If the Noise at the receiving end of her blow could feel surprise, this would be the moment it would look at its wound stupidly as it would try to understand exactly what had happened to it. But since it did not have the intelligence to do so, it merely stood in place, its comrades not moving in to help or take advantage of the opening.

For Chris had out of nowhere buried her hand in its face. Maria gasped as she saw the wretched expression her comrade worsen, an animalistic and crazed look sporting her features. Not content with just staggering it, Chris shoved her other hand right next to her other in its face...

And with a show of pure force, ripped the offending Noise in half with nothing but her bare hands, the two halves falling to the ground in a heap. Maria looked at her with a confounded expression, aghast at the brutality.

"Chris?"

Her comrade did not hear her. As if their survival instincts suddenly kicked in, the rest of the Noise and beasts dared not approach, feeling something coming off her frame in droves that their simple minds could not understand.

Except one. It ran to her despite itself, trying to fulfill its purpose.

Her foot moved, and in an instant, its legs were swept out from under it. The Noise fell to the ground on its back, and immediately Chris stomped on its abdomen, pinning it in place.

And proceeded to viciously tear one of its legs off with her bare hands, the limb coming off with an all too nasty squelch.

Followed up with her smashing the leg into its face, and its head exploded in a shower of nasty gooey gore on the ground.

If the Noise had blood in them, Maria was sure she would have gagged at the spot from the ferocity Chris was displaying out of nowhere. Left speechless at her act, she could not respond in any articulate manner to what came next.

"**YOU MOTHERFUCKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERS!"**

Chris roared like a bloodthirsty animal, her rage having reached an all-time high breaking point. Caught completely by surprise, Maria could only watch as Chris renewed her assault with inhumane ruthlessness, diving into the Noise ranks with nothing but her own two hands. She tore into them with unparalleled ferocity, a brutality Maria had seen and experienced enough times before to understand.

'_B-Berserk? But how?! Why now?!'_

It didn't make sense! There was a distinct appearance to a berserk Symphogear Adaptor, but for some reason, Chris remained looking exactly the same, the only thing covering her form being the Cursed Eden Ichaival.

Along with a black and red flame with an intensity that she did not expect, puzzling her even further. With the enemies she was fighting now recoiling backwards in what seemed like fear, Maria watched them in shock, before raising her hand to her earpiece.

"Command, this is Maria! I think... I think something's wrong with Chris!"

-!-

"Repeat that, Maria-kun!" Genjuro yelled. "What did you just say?!"

"_I think something's wrong with Chris! She just... she just completely lost control out of nowhere!"_

"What?!"

His eyes darted to Elfnein immediately, the homunculus already on it. "Elfnein-kun! Do you have anything?!"

"I think!" She answered hurriedly. "I think—I think it's the miasma Kanade-san was talking about! It must have done something strange to Chris-san!"

"Something strange?! Like what?!"

"A partially induced rage, it seems," Adam answered in her stead. "I figured that this was what it was doing. With all of the Symphogear Adaptors directly clad in a layer of the curses, it only makes sense that this miasma, that is also composed of them, would start affecting them in some manner. From what I have seen, the girl is by far the most easily aggravated of all of you, so I assume it just pushed her over the edge and caused her to respond in such a brutal manner."

"But this is too sudden! Why is it happening now?!" Genjuro asked swiftly, trying to see if there was some sort of reasonable explanation.

"I do not know. I doubt the resurrected Adaptor lied to us on purpose, but my theory is that the influence of All the Evils of this World has become so profound that it began to break the laws of reality itself. Inducing a partial fury in one of the Adaptors, particularly the one with the shortest fuse, seems almost child's play for it at this point. We cannot forget that the vast majority of its power originates in the divine power, and that force breaks reality simply by existing."

"Breaking reality..." Genjuro murmured to himself. At this point, that statement was simultaneously figurative and literal, what with the black void still hanging in the air in the battlefield uninterrupted. "What could the consequences be in this case?"

"Who knows?" Adam responded. "At this point, I have as much knowledge as you do. I'm afraid I have no more enlightening knowledge that can turn the tides in our favor."

"Shit... we need to close that hole ASAP," the commander bit out. "If we allow any more of this miasma to leak out, it will do something that will crush our expectations and force us into a corner even more than we already are. Elfnein-kun, do you have anything in mind?"

The girl typed away rapidly at her console, her eyes moving back and forth on the screen. "I'm not sure, I need to look into it more... but I think... Kirika-san and Shirabe-san should be able to do it!"

"Kirika-kun and Shirabe-kun?" He repeated for clarification. "Why?"

"The nature of Ig-Alima and Shul-Shagana, perhaps?" Adam answered in her stead. "There aren't many twin relics left in the world after all. Their interaction with each other could cause some very interesting results."

"Their nature..."

Adam wasn't wrong. The two relics, after all, belonged to the same deity, in one form or another. The real history of Ig-Alima and Shul-Shagana was very contradictory at times according to their research, some sources claiming they were, in fact, a pair of brothers born to a different god altogether.

But their existence as relics pretty much confirmed their status as the weapons the goddess Zababa wielded. The reason why they of all relics would be able to close the hole was beyond him, but if Elfnein believed so, then he would go along with her plan.

"Of course, they will not be able to get anything done with this giant chasing them now," Adam continued, gesturing to the screen displaying the duo Adaptos as they weaved in between the Titan's blows. "If we are not careful, it will be impossible to achieve victory. Losing even one of our active members would cause everything to crumble to dust."

Genjuro bit his lip. He was damn right, as right now they didn't have even a single Adaptor in reserve to assist. Miku was far too busy combating Hibiki, Tsubasa was engaged in battle with Kanade, Chris was currently infuriated beyond belief, Maria was injured, Kirika and Shirabe were escaping the Titan, and Saint-Germain was directing the Alca-Noise army.

If they manage to win, it will be by the skin of their teeth.

And when that thought ran through his mind, Genjuro immediately understood that things were going to get much worse.


	28. Chapter 28: Ripping Gale

_(Play: A Violent Encounter - Shadow of the Colossus)_

It was akin to a game of cat and mouse, only if the cat was the size of a mountain.

Kirika and Shirabe could say that they had successfully lured away the Titan, stopping it from interfering with Hibiki and Miku's battle. With her command of "getting rid of the pests" still in full swing, that was how the Titan was treating them: pests. Bugs to be squashed under its massive foot.

Buildings were not exempt from its rampage, and with each step it took the ground shook more and more, rumbling the city's foundations. The empty shelters beneath had collapsed, but luckily enough not a single civilian was anywhere near the city at the moment.

And luckily enough, there wasn't anything to chase after them either. According to S.O.N.G's calculations, the enemy force that should have overrun Honshu by now had spawned directly in Tokyo, which is why they were so densely packed. The Adaptors were, in essence, holding back an army that should have completely consumed the Japanese mainland, letting the rest of the residents stay relatively safe in the shelters spread out across the country.

That was, however, just in theory. If they fail here, this entire force will be able to stampede unabated throughout the whole region, massacring the population in its wake. Even though Hokkaido and Kyushu were under attack themselves, not a single battle in Japan, or even in the entire world, could compare to the scale of what was happening in Tokyo. The world's armies actually had a chance at victory due to having an actual formation, but here it was total chaos.

And they all knew that in chaos, anything could happen. With the miasma spreading out through the city's perimeter, it was only becoming worse by the second.

The Titan seemed to have enough of just trying to squash the two Adaptors underfoot. The Zababa duo turned around for just a moment, only to see its giant fist come down on them. In a panicked move, they moved out of the way in opposite directions just as the punch collided with the ground. The earth shook from the force, sending rubble up into the air.

Kirika held on for dear life as she landed a distance away, bringing up her hand to cover her eyes from being pelted by debris. The winds died down after a moment, and she looked on with caution as the Titan dislodged its hand from where it struck, unveiling the crater it had created.

With the two Adaptors on opposite sides, the Titan moved its head to and fro between them slowly, as if deciding who to target first.

It completely ignored the shots Saint-Germain was firing at its head, the tiny alchemical bullets doing as much damage as a paper cup thrown against a steel wall. The alchemist grit her teeth as she fired, the Flying Alca-Noise she was standing upon struggling to balance itself in the air in the Titan's presence. She must be imagining it, but she could swear that the thing was so densely packed that it might have formed its own gravitational field, but that was an extreme conjecture.

If it didn't have one now, it might later, and that will definitely change the very concept of 'colossal' in their minds. With the absolute insanity that was the battle in Tokyo, they just couldn't plan ahead for anything. Every moment, from one to the next, was laced to the brim with uncertainty, and even a tiny misstep will result in a total and complete loss to their side.

To say Hibiki brought to bear absolutely everything was indeed an understatement. Giving her a month to gather strength with no interruption inside the Treasury was a costly mistake that they, unfortunately, couldn't do anything about.

The Titan once more threw its head back and roared, shaking the air and chipping away at solid rock with just the soundwaves it produced. Feeling herself going deaf from the sheer volume, Shirabe went on the offensive in a desperate attempt to do something about the unbelievable monster they were facing.

Kirika noticed her charge from the other side and quickly reacted as she joined in the attack. She poured power into her scythe, enlarging it to almost ten times her own size as she once again aimed for the ankle to try and bring it down to its knees.

It noticed their actions, and once more reared its fist back to slam it on top of them. However, Saint-Germain had no intention of letting it do so. Raising her one hand up, a magic circle formed in front of her in record speeds. She quickly aimed and fired, a blast of pure force launching forward and exploding in the Titan's face, throwing off its focus.

It couldn't ignore that, at least.

While there was no visible damage to its form, it bought enough time for the Zababa duo to act. Shirabe's giant buzzsaws roared to life once more, this time even bigger than they were before. Together with her partner the two reached their target, the left ankle, and struck with all their might.

If before their weapons simply bounced off, now they grinned at the fact that now they found purchase. They yelled loudly as they pushed more strength into their Armed Gears, desperate to overcome the steel-like skin of the Titan. Sparks flew off from the impact point, their weapons struggling against it, threatening to snap off at any moment.

And then, Shirabe's buzzsaws made their way through. Black smoke flew out of the cut she successfully made in the ankle, and she jumped back to allow Kirika the follow up blow. Pulling the scythe back, the blonde swiftly aimed for the now gaping injury, and her scythe crashed into it.

Then she cleaved in a wide slash, tearing open the ankle completely. The Titan screeched above them, shaking the air once again as it roared in what they believed to be pain.

They only had a second to celebrate their success before the Titan suddenly turned around, the movement again shaking the earth as it attacked with a powerful left hook. The punch tore through buildings as if they were paper, and immediately Shirabe raised her saws to act as a shield from the insane amount of debris that was thrown about. The fist came towards them with the intensity of a meteor, and Kirika barely made it in time behind the cover as it smashed into them, instantly breaking the barrier and swatting them both away.

"Tsukuyomi! Akatsuki!" Saint-Germain yelled to them in concern as they crashed into a building a distance away, Kirika having taken the brunt of the impact. Gritting her teeth, Saint-Germain flew downwards towards the open wound.

She'd have to take advantage of the opening they made, even if just by a little bit.

It took some time for the Titan to right itself, the injury on its ankle taking a toll on its balance. Saint-Germain weaved between falling debris to reach her target, and the Titan seemed intent on ignoring her, focusing on the two Adaptors instead. Its eyeless face turned to where they had fallen, and it started to shift on its still completely functional leg to follow up on its monstrous blow.

The alchemist took the opportunity to reach the injury, and she watched with wide eyes as it began to close itself. Time seemed to almost rewind as the black smoke that had leaked from the wound began to insert itself back into the cut, slowly closing the wound that both Kirika and Shirabe worked painstakingly hard to inflict. Not dwelling on it for another second, Saint-Germain aimed her gun and fired, and the bullet traveled through the smoke to lodge itself inside the gaping wound.

And she did so just in time, as the wound resealed itself a moment later. She clicked her tongue as she retreated, the Flying Noise soaring high in the sky.

"U-ugh..." Shirabe murmured as her eyes fluttered. She groaned at the sharp pain that accompanied her awakening, and immediately her eyes shot open as she remembered exactly where she was.

Looking behind her, panic began to fill her as she took in Kirika's form, her partner having taken the brunt of the impact. "Kiri-chan!"

Dropping any pretense at professionality for the moment, Shirabe's cry caused Kirika to stir awake, having been knocked unconscious. "Ah, Shirabe?"

"Kiri-chan! Are you okay?!" she asked in concern.

Kirika groaned as well as she slowly dislodged herself from the wreckage she was stuck in. She clutched her head lightly as she was assaulted with slight pain. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said groggily. Shirabe promptly offered a hand to her to help her up, and the blonde got up to her feet next to her partner. "What happened?"

Kirika's question was answered when they looked back, seeing the looming form of the Titan right above them as its eyeless head stared down at them. With no time to recompose themselves, the Titan shrieked once more and threw down another punch in their direction. Covering their ears for just a moment, the two Adaptors jumped away together just in time as the fist crashed into where they stood just a moment before.

As they hung in the air, the duo looked at each other and nodded. Before the Titan could pull its massive fist back, the two landed on top of the outstretched arm and began to run up its length. Shirabe's wheels left dust in her wake as they closed the distance to its head, and the Titan slowly retracted its arm back, turning to them with a furious expression.

"How the heck do we take down this thing?!" Kirika yelled to her teammate.

"I don't know," Shirabe said, grimacing. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Nope!" The blonde answered quickly. "No idea! Maybe if we take off the head? Or cut off the nape? I dunno! We need to try and see what we can do!"

Before they could converse on the matter further, the Titan opened its mouth, light gathering in the open cavity. Stuck in a precarious position, Shirabe narrowed her eyes and quickly put her hand around Kirika's waist. Her yo-yo materialized in her free hand, and she hurriedly extended it to the side, wrapping around the arm in a single second. Checking that it was secure, Shirabe took the initiative and jumped down just as the Titan fired, the beam of light screaming through the air into the horizon.

Holding on to dear life, the tiny rope that was anchored to the Titan's arm survived the passage of the light. With Kirika clutching her tightly, Shirabe held onto the rope with both hands and directed their swing towards the Titan's back.

They arced through the air as they found themselves behind their massive opponent, and the pink Adaptor quickly undid the rope and threw another yo-yo upwards, the small Armed Gear wrapping around one of the many horns jutting out from the Titan's head. With the giant being too slow to react to their movements, Shirabe reeled in, and the two of them rose higher and higher to reach their first intended target.

"Kirika! Now's the chance!"

"Right!"

Releasing one hand from her hold on Shirabe, Kirika once more materialized her scythe in preparation for the blow. She poured power into it, more than she ever had before, and the scythe grew. It grew, and grew, and grew until it reached a size so large it should have been impossible for the small blonde to carry with one hand, and much less likely for Shirabe to endure.

They rose and rose, and as they reached the upper back of the Titan, Kirika held her scythe behind her, her eyes set on the goal.

And finally, they made it to their objective.

"NOW!"

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Kirika swung with all the power she could muster in her one hand, and the huge scythe sliced through the air as it made its way to the nape, intent on slicing the Titan's head off in one blow.

But just before she hit her mark, it turned its head, finally realizing where the two of them were. The sudden movement caused Kirika's blow to miss its mark, and the scythe only managed to clip the side of its neck as they lost their upward momentum.

With their attack on the Titan having failed, Shirabe unhooked her yo-yo and reeled it back in as they glided through the air, the giant once more turning its head to follow their movements. It roared loudly, forcing Kirika to drop her scythe to cover one ear due to the volume, further increased by their proximity to it.

And the beam of light once more was fired from its mouth, with no indication that it was charging it up in the first place. Stuck in midair without the ability to change their direction, the two looked at the light with wide eyes as it approached.

Just before it could hit them, Saint-Germain slammed into them, pushing all three out of the way. The light passed by their previous location right afterwards, disappearing into the night sky.

"Saint-Germain!"

"You're pulling too many risky moves!" The alchemist screamed at them in reprimand. "Our role is to distract it, not take it down!"

"But we have to at least try! How do you know it will go away even if we win?!" Shirabe screamed back.

"At this point nothing is certain!" Saint-Germain argued loudly. Her words were interrupted mid-speech as the winds whooshed again, and she was forced to pull up in a hurry as the massive arm nearly smashed into them again. She grit her teeth just as they barely made it to safety. The humongous fist churned the air currents with such ferocity that the Flying Noise they were haphazardly using as a foothold nearly lost its balance in the ensuing raging winds.

Shirabe and Kirika held onto the alchemist for dear life, having no control of their own movements at the moment. "We can't depend on uncertainty! We have a plan, so start following it!"

Her tone was harsh and criticizing, but Shirabe did not back down. "We have to at least stop its movements somehow!"

"If you have any ideas then I'm all ears! Until then, act with due caution!"

Any further attempts at an argument were promptly shot down. Falling silent as they soared through the air, the Titan pulled its fist back from the wreckage and locked onto them once again.

"It's only going to become harder from here on!"

-!-

_(Play: Mighty Wind - Fate/Stay Night OST)_

Kanade could say she was someone who was not easily surprised, as even when she was alive she had seen a lot of what the world had to offer.

But holy hell did she miss a lot since then. Having come back to the world of the living for just a single, crazy night, she could now experience everything new it had in store.

And oh boy was she taken for a ride.

Tsubasa's swords were pretty much invisible to her eyes. Caught completely off balance by her dual-wielding style, the former Zwei Wing member quickly found herself on the defensive as she struggled to keep up with Tsubasa's attacks.

Had she faced her like this three years ago, she would have lost, that she was sure of. Kanade always knew that Tsubasa was the stronger between the two of them, and if not, the one with the most potential to become incredibly powerful. Tsubasa always had perfect compatibility, while Kanade needed doses of LiNKER continuously just to keep the Gear active.

The amount of effort it took to become able to use it in the first place was meaningless in the face of someone who was essentially bound to her relic her whole life. Someone who learned the way of the sword from the moment she could walk.

But Kanade had her own pride on the line. She spit blood, sweat, and tears in order to reach the level she had, and now she was even higher than that, going toe to toe with the Cursed Eden Ame-no-Habakiri.

And now, she'll do all she can to surpass her.

Tsubasa kept up the pressure, pushing Kanade back with every exchange of blows. The redhead dodged a strike from the right sword, only to come into the path of the left one. The spear came up in blinding speeds to push it aside, but before she could counterattack the right sword came back to slice into her, forcing her into the defensive again.

She never had many chances to practice this style, but the results spoke for themselves. Having studied Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five Rings carefully, the idol drank in all the knowledge and wisdom of a man of his era. She took in everything she could from his written down instruction, from his stances to his philosophies.

For there was no one in Japanese history as well versed in the art of dual-wielding as him, and now she'll make full use of that history to carve a path towards the future.

Despite her curious state, Kanade could feel the sweat pouring down her brows as she continuously managed to scrape by the strikes. To make matters worse for her, both blades were also covered with fire, making even a glancing blow dangerous as it burned her skin due to the proximity. Parts of her Symphogear were being chipped off due to said glancing blows, slowly whittling down her defense.

"Not bad at all, Tsubasa!" She yelled cheerfully. Her once partner gave her no response as she kept on her assault, bringing down both blades on her from above.

It was the only opportunity Kanade had for a counterattack. She raised her spear to block the blades, and the sheer force behind the blow caused the ground beneath her to crack and shatter. With a massive grin plastered on her face, she answered back with a forceful push, causing Tsubasa to stumble back for less than a second.

It was all Kanade needed. In an insanely quick maneuver, she spun in place, her spear leaving behind a trail of light as it followed the movement. Realizing she won't escape it in time, Tsubasa moved her blades to meet the blow.

Only for her eyes to widen as the winds churned around the spear, bringing to life a tornado in its wake. Gritting her teeth, she braced herself for the coming hard blow she knew she couldn't avoid.

Kanade finished her spin, and with a yell struck with a mighty blow, and the tornado surrounding her spear exploded outwards with a roar. Tsubasa's swords successfully stopped the spear slash, but the winds however continued towards her. Left helpless in their wake, she was struck and engulfed.

Instantly she was picked up off the ground and launched backwards, feeling the air in her lungs being sucked away by the difference in pressure. She gasped for breath, feeling akin to being hit by a speeding truck.

But such a thing won't be enough to defeat her. Tsubasa flipped in midair, planning to resume her attack upon landing.

Only to find Kanade high above her, her spear reared back in preparation. The thrusters on the back roared to life, and the former Zwei Wing member dove downwards in speeds surpassing sound. Her charge was so fast she was leaving multiple sonic booms, shaving away the rubble and wreckage around them.

Once more caught by surprise, Tsubasa raised her blades in an X in front of her to block the coming blow.

Kanade closed the distance and thrust her spear forward with all her might. With the power she now possessed, and with the momentum she gained from her charge, the spear struck Tsubasa's blades with the force of a falling meteor.

'_**ULTIMATE∞COMET'**_

To say Tsubasa was blown back would be an understatement. As soon as the weapons impacted, the ground beneath them simply ceased to exist as it detonated, the pure energy behind Kanade's strike causing it to erupt mightily right under Tsubasa's feet. Rubble was flung in all directions, and mingled among it was the Ame-no-Habakiri Adaptor. She let out a scream as she was sent flying, the swords in her hands having shattered from the power behind Kanade's attack.

She rolled on the ground for dozens of meters until her back struck the remains of a crushed building. Pain raced up her spine at the impact, but she pushed through it with clenched teeth. Her eyes opened, and she rose back to her feet unsteadily, this time unarmed. In her original position, Kanade stood waiting inside the new crater formed in the ground, joining the many others scattered across the city.

"Man, you're so full of surprises, Tsubasa," Kanade said, placing her spear over her shoulder.

Her former partner flashed a grin in her direction. Blood leaked out of an open wound on her forehead, staining her face. "You too, Kanade. I have to admit I didn't see that coming."

Kanade chuckled in response. "Heh, we're just complimenting each other here! But... I guess that ain't wrong. After all, we both know each other's tricks, so the winner is the one who gives the biggest surprise."

"Yes, that is true," Tsubasa said in agreement. Materializing a single sword in her hand, she re-entered her stance. "Luckily enough, I am proud to say that I have many surprises waiting for you. I want you to see everything I have to bare, Kanade. You of all people deserve the absolute best I have to give."

Kanade laughed again. "Thanks, Tsubasa," she said in a happy tone. She lowered her spear and crouched low, preparing to charge once again. "When you say words like that... I can't help but get excited!"

She rushed forward, and Tsubasa did so as well. The air screeched as they passed through it, closing the distance in record speeds to each other. With smiles on both of their faces, their weapons clashed with a loud and explosive spark that raged wildly, searing through solid rock and concrete without interference.

They disengaged and struck once more in perfect harmony and synchronicity as if they could see what the other was planning ahead of time. Years of fighting, singing, dancing, and performing together brought them to an understanding beyond normal friendship, having been true partners in every sense of the word.

Only one thing was missing from that equation, and that thing became impossible the day Kanade lost her life.

Tsubasa's sword cleaved through the floor on its way to its target, the ground melting from the brief contact it had with her blade. She swung in an upwards motion, intent on slicing Kanade in two. In response, the former idol lowered her spear to block the blow head-on.

Then her eyes widened as the blade cut through the spear like paper, its superheated edge searing it in half just like she had Hibiki's. The tip of the spear flew off into the distance, and Kanade had to tilt her head back to avoid having it be cut off. With the now nearly useless remainder in hand, she hurriedly blocked the follow-up blow, but that remainder too was sliced in half, cutting the spear down to size completely.

Only a handle remained in her hand now, and so surprised was she by the sudden change that she couldn't react in time to Tsubasa's next strike. She could see the resolve in her former partner's eyes as she swung, as well as the sorrow that lay just beneath it.

Kanade knew Tsubasa didn't want to kill her. However, she had to. This was the reality they found themselves in, now on opposite sides of the battlefield.

But... that anguish would have to wait a little bit longer.

In what seemed like an unnatural movement in the eyes of her once partner, Kanade somehow, somehow, once again managed to dodge a fatal blow.

And now unarmed, she had far more range in her movements.

How the hell Kanade managed to break through her guard Tsubasa didn't know, but all of a sudden rather than retreat to recompose herself, Kanade struck with a right hook, aimed right at her face. Surprised by the sudden close combat attack, she moved her blade to intercept the fist.

Only for a left hook to collide with her face instead. Her jaw remaining attached due to sheer luck, Tsubasa was once again blown back by the force, having not expected Kanade to use such a tactic out of nowhere.

'_It was a feint, damn!'_

She staggered backwards, finding herself off balance by the sudden blow. But Kanade was relentless, and once again approached her and struck, her fists a blur in the night, forcing Tsubasa on the defensive.

Kanade's punches were far more powerful than she had anticipated, and Tsubasa resolved to not get hit by another one of them again. But her former partner gave her a much harder time than she had expected, and her sword now became useless, not being even able to block the blows with perfect accuracy.

'What is this style?!' Tsubasa wondered to herself as she attempted to back off from Kanade's range. As if she was hopping on her toes, Kanade attacked relentlessly, her fists whipping forward straight into the blue-haired idol's face with pinpoint precision.

There was no wasted movement in her stance, and Tsubasa found it very difficult to regain her bearings under her assault. '_This is...this is boxing?! When did she—!'_

She was torn from her thoughts by another hard blow, this time to her right cheek as Kanade successfully passed through her guard. Tsubasa briefly saw stars, her vision darkening for less than a second as she stumbled back. She spit out the blood that filled her mouth and found that Kanade did not continue her assault, merely hopping in place with a smile on her face.

"What's wrong, Tsubasa?" She asked. "Got you good there didn't I?"

The swordswoman let out a hackneyed breath, spitting out the remainder of the blood. She wiped her mouth with her forearm and rose back to full height in facing her opponent. "Yes, you did."

So this is how Kanade wanted to play it, huh? Very well then.

Tsubasa tossed her weapon aside and entered her own stance to meet Kanade's own.

"Then it's my turn!"

Tsubasa charged, her fists ready to meet her opponent head-on. Kanade smirked again as she dodged a forward punch and counterattacked, Tsubasa moving her head in time to avoid the uppercut she sent her way. The blue-haired idol's left hand surged forward, only for Kanade to strike her wrist in time to send it off course.

The two's eyes met in the minuscule quiet that followed.

And then came the exchange of blows. Fists whirled around the two of them like a raging storm, and this time Tsubasa found more success in blocking Kanade's attacks.

While her former partner's unusual style was shocking, to say the least, Tsubasa had her own experience in hand to hand combat, having been trained personally in it by Genjuro. While she had mainly focused on her sword skills due to the nature of her Symphogear, she knew that it was important to know a variety of styles for every situation.

It showed its worth here, as now the two of them were on very equal footing. Without her sword to throw her off, the two pairs of fists met her each other blow for blow, blocking, parrying, throwing the other off balance.

Taking the opportunity after another one of her blows was evaded, Tsubasa ducked low and swept her leg, aiming for Kanade's lower body. The former idol jumped over the strike, rising above her former partner for just a second before coming down on her with a reared back fist. Tsubasa rose back to full height and jumped back, and Kanade's punch smashed against the concrete below. Not deterred, she immediately went on the attack again.

Tsubasa avoided the sonic boom leaving punches with watchful eyes, careful not to get caught in another feint that could come out of nowhere. Kanade's fists launched forward rapid-fire, having less power in each individual one but instead form a part of a greater whole. So many came towards her that Tsubasa found her own hands blurring wildly even in her own vision as she tried to keep up with everything Kanade was throwing at her.

'_I can't let her continue as she wants!'_

Deciding to break the stalemate as quick as possible, Tsubasa looked carefully for her own opportunity to go on the offensive. A fast forward punch to her face was all she needed, and rather than just move her head to avoid it, she instead moved towards it and...

Spun. Her head passed by the fist from the outside, and she twisted on her heels to seamlessly get behind her opponent. Planting her feet as she made her way around, she threw her own punch towards Kanade's back, trying to hit the back of her head.

Yet somehow Kanade still managed to avoid her, moving her head to the side just in time. Tsubasa launched another blow, and this time Kanade turned as well, swatting the strike away with the back of her right hand, causing Tsubasa to grit her teeth.

But Kanade had another surprise in store for her.

Tsubasa failed to notice Kanade's left hand from the angle she was in. The only warning she was given was the sudden shine that appeared out of nowhere, and as she pulled her hands back she finally saw what Kanade had in store.

"Wha—!"

The previously destroyed spear reappeared in Kanade's hand in a flash of light, and she thrust it towards the now off-guard Tsubasa. With less than a second to react in time, Tsubasa took a step back and hurriedly tried to materialize a sword in her hand to block the lunge, but was just a second too late.

She was saved by sheer luck again as the spear impacted the barely formed blade, shattering it and sparing the blue-haired idol from death by impalement.

"Heh."

The sound that left Kanade's mouth was the only indication that there was a follow-up. Left without anything to protect her, Tsubasa's eyes widened as a tornado once again erupted from the spear.

'_She tricked me again!'_

And this time, it engulfed her completely.

'_**STAB∞METEOR'**_

The storm ripped through the street with reckless abandon, growing larger with every centimeter it covered. Increasing in size bigger than the buildings around them, it raged onwards and without control, consuming absolutely everything in its path.

And Tsubasa was at the heart of it all. The winds surrounded her, cutting ribbons into her skin and her Gear. At the very last possible second, she willed the blades on her ankles to bury themselves into the ground, serving as anchors so she would not be blown away completely.

Her arms were raised in front of her face to protect her eyes, and she groaned in pain for every second she spent within the twister. The explosion of wind sent her skidding back the entire length of the street, and she held on for dear life.

"K-Kuh—!"

It was fierce and sharp as if it was made of steel. A wind that allowed no living thing to exist in its presence, and every second she spent within it she could feel tearing away at her, both in the flesh and in spirit, and she tried to keep a hold on her vision and consciousness.

She could not move an inch. She could not move a muscle. Holding onto herself on a tiny foothold, her sight was filled with nothing but light, and her ears were filled with nothing but noise.

She needed to go forward.

But she couldn't.

She needed to stand against the wind.

But she couldn't.

She needed to reach what lies beyond.

But she couldn't.

"G... Guh—"

She was struggling to breathe. Spots began to fill her vision, the wind erasing more and more of her with each passing second.

But she was overwhelmed.

This was not a normal wind. This was a wind filled with a song, and with strength, and with steel. It was the wind that surged around the eye of a hurricane, a force that could capsize the greatest of ships and unmake all that mankind worked to achieve.

And the noise. The noise was so loud, her ears and brain were drowning, and there was no relief or escape from it.

It screamed and it raged in her ears, and carried on it were the cries of mankind. The sadness and hatreds they bore making themselves known in full to the descendant of Susano'o.

Even though she holds the name of the wind, she could not stand against it. She could not go against the flow, and could not hold her own in its presence. As much as she wanted to oppose it, it would always find a way to drag her back. It would come out of nowhere, just like now, and invalidate both her actions and her very self.

She was bound by it, no matter how much she struggled against the shackles. Everything in front of her was an impossibility, for there was no forward. There was only backwards, and the wall that her back would meet should she lose her hold.

Tsubasa could not stand against it. She could not fly in this steel.

For this was the nature of the **wind**.

She blinked.

And suddenly, there was something beyond the wind. She could see her, standing there without a care in the world, the oppressive force originating from her. She was there, watching, waiting beyond the veil.

"Oi, Tsubasa."

The noise disappeared. The cries vanished.

"Can you keep up with me?"

Ah.

So that was it.

She stood beyond the wind because she had surpassed it. Yet, she was also the source of the wind, because that was her role. Her existence was contradictory, just like she had said, and now she was the obstacle that stood in the way.

So in order to surpass the wind herself... she'll have to cut off the source.

Along with the shackles that came with it.

'_I came here not as a Sentinel.'_

_"That is your purpose."_

'_Yes, that was what I had heard.'_

_"You exist only for this reason."_

'_I... wanted to be free of it.'_

_"Your life has no meaning beyond it."_

'_That was all I knew, all that I believed. Yet...'_

_"You will carry on the name until the day you die."_

'_She showed me there was another way.'_

Standing before the man, staring up at him in defiance despite the difference in stature, age, and position.

_"This legacy is your responsibility."_

'_But even she left, and I...'_

"Ah..."

A relieved sigh. Why did that sound escape her lips? Why, in this wind, could she find some sort of joy? It was blowing her away, yet...

Her eyes opened fully, and for some reason, a smile found its way to her face. '_I see now, Kanade. This... is what you're here for...'_

The girl who had surpassed the winds threw away the shackles and now stood at the head of it, challenging all others who dared go against it.

Because she was the proof, the sign, and the hope. She had carved her own legacy and passed it onto another once she no longer had any use for it.

Fire lit up in her core, and suddenly, the overwhelming might of the wind was no longer as oppressive. Slowly, she lowered her arms, the wind striking her face for the first time. Yet she was serene, calm in its presence as if it was no more than a mere inconvenience now.

'_You really are...'_

The feeling she thought she had discarded long ago once again surfaced from the depths. A feeling she had never acted upon, for she had no courage, strength, or will to do so; and eventually, it no longer had a recipient.

But it was a beacon, a sign, and a hope that lit up the road.

"No, Kanade."

She took a step forward, her hair fluttering about in the storm. She raised her hands above her, and light began to gather between them.

For what lay at the end of that road... was a promise she swore to uphold.

"You keep up with me!"

And she sliced the wind apart.

The steel storm was eliminated in a flash, cut in two by the edge of her blade. The two halves of the raging tornado flew off in different directions, tearing through wreckage and remains of buildings, heading off into the distance.

Moments later, it died down, and quiet returned to the world. Tsubasa stood up to her full height, holding her sword in both hands, her gaze tranquil. In response, Kanade lowered her spear, and let out a chuckle at the spectacle that took place. "Tsubasa... you really are one of a kind."

Her once partner smiled at her words. "I should say that about you as well, Kanade. You always knew... how to lift my spirits."

"If I didn't you'd just keep on crying all day," the redhead joked with a grin. "But I'm glad that you're able to do this much now. And since you asked me so nicely..."

She lowered her stance once more, holding the shaft of her weapon tightly. "Prove to me that it was not a fluke. I want to see your wings spread with nothing to hold them down, not even me."

Tsubasa once again let out a breath, appreciating the cool air that filled her lungs. Even though it was apparently filled with reality-bending miasma, she couldn't feel it, as if it had absolutely no influence on her.

She didn't care about it, because that was not her opponent. It was not the obstacle she needed to overcome.

For what she truly needed to surpass...

"Yes... let us dance until our last breath, Kanade!"

Was her own self.

-!-

"Tsubasa..."

Murmuring his niece's name softly, Genjuro let out a sigh as he witnessed her battle with Kanade. It was hard for him to watch as much as it was hard for her to go through, but he knew by this point that there would be no other way.

It was a damn ironic thing to experience, all things considered.

But he couldn't let that get to him. Clenching his fists, he looked towards the bridge at large. "Status report!"

"Things seem to have stabilized somewhat, sir," Tomosato told him.

"As much as they can in these circumstances, at least," Elfnein added quickly. To say that there was some sort of order to the chaos would be an overstatement, as all hell still broke loose out there. But now, at least the Adaptors weren't running around like headless chickens trying to find their footing. Every single one was doing something to contribute to the battle, which in the end was what's important.

"What's the status of the miasma?" The commander asked.

"So far, nothing seems to have changed," the homunculus answered him, clicking and typing away at her console. "It's still washing over the city, but it seems that some areas are less affected than others as if there are some empty patches that it still hasn't affected."

"What about the Adaptors? What's their status?"

More typing and clicking on her part lit up a screen on top of the large display at the front of the bridge, showing new data about the state of the Adaptors. "From what I gathered, it's affecting each of them differently. Miku-san and Tsubasa-san don't seem to be affected at all for one."

"Any ideas why?"

"In Miku-san's case, I'd say the Shenshoujing is neutralizing it automatically, while in Tsubasa-san's case it just doesn't seem to have any effect on her at all."

"I see, and the others?"

"I'm detecting heightened aggression in Maria-san, Kirika-san, and Shirabe-san, but for now that's all that seems to be happening. I just hope it doesn't make them go berserk; in St. Germain-san's case, I think her Lapis is also neutralizing it to the best of its ability, but it's not perfect," Elfnein explained.

"Damn, so much for that stability we wanted," he said, clicking his tongue. "What about Chris-kun? What's her status?"

The homunculus took a minute to answer, not really sure what to tell him. "Well, um..."

The display showing the battlefield zoomed in on the Ichaival Adaptor.

And as one their eyes widened in shock and amazement.

-!-

_(Play: Rip & Tear - DOOM 2016 OST)_

Maria never believed she'd ever find herself feeling sorry for the Noise.

But what her eyes were showing her was just beyond insanity, as the brutality was almost unfair to witness. and she could see as the previously mindless automatons were actively reeling away from her comrade as she tore through their ranks with nothing but her bare hands.

Maria couldn't really say Chris had gone berserk because that wasn't exactly the case. Her face was not darkened nor were her eyes shining a demonic red that signified the degradation into madness.

But if she hadn't already known what it looked like, then she'd be inclined to think otherwise.

Chris brought destruction upon the Noise and the beasts with reckless abandon. They surrounded her but were almost hesitant to attack. Every single target that entered her sight was irrevocably erased from the face of the earth with unparalleled barbarity.

Her heel smashed into the back of the knee of one humanoid Noise. It fell, but before it could strike the ground she grabbed its head with both hands and simply tore it out with a nasty sound that sent gooey ooze all over its comrades. Her teeth bared, she turned around and used the severed head to smash in another Noise's face in, causing it to fall over uselessly. Apparently gathering their courage, the enemies charged, but she was relentless in her assault.

She evaded them all by jumping above them, and landed on top of a beast, bringing it down to the ground on its stomach. Not giving it even a chance to try and get up, she crushed its head beneath her heel.

Another beast charged at her with both hands up and ready to claw at her, but the moment it tried to swipe she grabbed both of its wrists, stopping it in its tracks. Her purple eyes shone, and she raised her foot and planted it on the beast's chest.

And she pulled, the beast's arms groaning under the pressure. It shrieked in pain from the act, but she gave it no quarters. With one final burst of strength, she tore both arms from their sockets simultaneously, and the beast staggered back with both limbs lost. Without pause, she used one arm to swat the injured beast away and swiftly turned around to smash the other into another humanoid Noise that tried to ambush her.

A blob-like Crawler Noise leaped at her, but with no effort at all, she moved out of its path, and before it could land back on the ground she grabbed it and easily ripped it in half as if it was made of tofu. Tossing aside the useless scraps, she moved her head to the side as another humanoid Noise tried to stab her with its claw-like arm.

She immediately wrapped her own arm around the limb, holding it in place and punched its head off with her free fist. Before it could dissipate, she tore off the claw that served as its hand and stabbed a beast in the chest with it, stopping it mid charge.

Still keeping her hold on the claw, with a vicious move she tore it out of the side of the beast, ripping it in half through its abdomen. Not stopping her spin, she plunged the very same claw into the face of another Noise that dared approach, killing it on the spot. Before it could disappear she kicked the useless corpse away, and it crashed through several of its comrades before finally coming to a stop on the ground.

Another beast tried to ambush her, not realizing the futility of the act. Seeing it coming from a mile away, she swept its leg right from under it, and before it could even hit the ground she smashed her fist into its face. The added force from her punch caused its head to explode violently upon impacting the ground, rendering it immobile for the time being.

But she did not stop there. Immediately afterwards she grabbed the beast corpse with both hands by the legs and proceeded to smash said corpse into another beast at full force. Both exploded in a shower of black dust that washed over the area.

Carnage incarnate, that's what Chris was at the moment. Maria might as well be a lifeless statue in the eyes of the Noise and the beasts, as simply everything that existed in the large courtyard was solely focused on the rampaging Ichaival Adaptor. The pink-haired idol was completely forgotten, and her hair fluttered about in the wind as the enemy units she had previously been holding off completely ignored her in favor of her teammate.

It seemed the Noise did have some kind of survival instinct now if that's what they were doing. Their previous fear of Chris was now replaced by some maniacal attempt at taking her down by ganging up on her from all sides.

And somehow they were failing.

The savage cycle repeated endlessly. More and more of the Noise and the beasts charged at her, but they may as well be running into a meat grinder with how Chris was brutalizing them. Headless corpses and limbs were thrown in all directions, despite her only really killing them one by one. It was like they couldn't even try to get a good hit on her as everything they attempted resulted in them being gorily massacred and tossed about like trash.

So numerous were the fallen Noise that they began to pile up on top of each other. Standing atop the absurdly high mountain of bodies that formed in the courtyard, Chris held her ground as the enemies crawled up the sides in an attempt to rip her to shreds themselves. Perhaps they were getting this sudden courage from her remaining barehanded, counting on the fact that maybe they'll be able to pin her down and leave her helpless.

Unfortunately, that 'hope' was struck down instantly. Two beasts leaped up at her, one right behind the other. Eyeing them hatefully, Chris raised her hand up in their direction.

And the beast was impaled, stopped in midair by what appeared in Chris' hand. It was not a blade, or a spear, or any weapon akin to that.

No, it was a shotgun. Having materialized it as the beast dropped down on her, its forward momentum caused the barrel of the gun to gouge out its insides, piercing through its abdomen all the way to its back.

She pulled the trigger, and the second beast that had jumped her was mercilessly blown to pieces by the powerful concussive force. The impaled beast struggled, and in response, she ripped her weapon out and blew its head off with a second shot, then kicked the corpse down the side of the mountain.

Another beast tried to reach her position by leaping all the way from the ground at her. With a savage snarl, it tried to claw at her, and it was in turn grabbed by the throat before it could even get close enough to attempt to do so.

Chris' black-clad hand locked around its neck, her hold rigid and unyielding. In an attempt to escape, the beast grabbed at her arm and tried to swipe at it with its fingers, but it simply clung off the armor uselessly. She raised the beast higher in the air as her hold tightened, and it began to roar and shriek in pain.

In some weird undertaking to rescue its comrade, a different beast jumped her from behind. But without even turning her head or looking back, and with her gaze still on the beast she grasped by the throat, she aimed her shotgun at the approaching one and blew it to smithereens behind her back.

Simultaneously, she poured more power into her hand, and the beast's neck cracked, and its head tilted to the side lifelessly. She proceeded to throw the corpse down onto its approaching brethren, throwing several off the mountain. Cocking her shotgun one more time with just one hand, she aimed down the slope and began to fire.

And so the courtyard was filled with the smell of gunpowder and whatever the hell the Noise were now made of. The flashes of the shotgun's barrel illuminated the night and eviscerated the enemy units without mercy.

Maria could say one thing with perfect certainty: she was glad they didn't have guts or bones or blood. If they did, she wasn't sure she'd be able to handle the violence. While she was no stranger to any of those things, to see them pile up into their own hellish mountain would be far too much to handle.

But the lack of gore didn't help her in any manner.

Giant Noise decided to join in on the madness, surrounding Chris on virtually every side. But she was quiet as she continued to gun down the ones rising up the mountain, and that was perhaps the most disturbing fact Maria noticed. Her silence was scarier than everything else, which made her brutality all the more vicious.

As one they lunged their giant claws at her, attempting to pierce her from all sides. Their attempt immediately failed as she simply jumped above and beyond their range. Coming face to face with a Flying Noise that she caught by surprise, she planted her feet on it momentarily to change her angle and then shot off, blowing it to bits with the force of her momentum.

She landed atop one of the Giant Noise, and the impact caused it to lurch forwards and fall to the ground right on top of its comrades. With it now helpless, Chris cocked the shotgun and fired, and the increased spread shredded the Noise's head to tiny ribbons.

She raised the gun and fired again, shooting off another Giant's head. A lunge from a different one was evaded easily, and she grabbed the giant claw and pulled, causing it to lose its balance and stumble forward, right towards her. With a quick spinning kick, its head was destroyed and it was cast aside, dropping to the ground lifelessly.

Chris jumped away as more Noise and beasts tried to converge on her, landing back on top of the mountain of corpses she had created. Immediately more enemies began to climb its side, but she would have none of it. The first beast that made it up she grabbed by the arm and pulled, bringing it face to face with her in the air before blowing it to bits with her shotgun.

While she was distracted, another beast tried to slash her from behind, but she merely twisted away from its path. She quickly kicked it in the knee, destroying the connected leg completely and causing it to fall to its remaining one.

The beast shrieked, its mouth open wide. Seeing the opportunity, Chris shoved the shotgun into the open cavity, causing the beast to gurgle and choke on the barrel now lodged in its throat. It did not even have time to try and escape as she pulled the trigger, and the beast was blown to smithereens from the inside, the black dust evaporating in the air in its wake.

The shine in her eyes grew tenfold, the familiar berserk red slowly making itself known from the outside of her sclera. It was a slow process, Maria noticed, but one that was disturbing all the same.

Whatever it was that was going on here because of the miasma, it was a mixed bag, that was for sure. In some corner of her mind, she also felt the urge to just join in the fray and let loose, but unlike Chris, Maria wasn't one to give in to extreme emotions like she was.

It seemed like Chris grew tired of the boring old shotgun she was using. On the first opportunity crushed a Noise's head with the gun itself, then tossed it away to disappear in between the legions of enemies swarming her. It was starting to get boring to hunt them one by one, so it was time for a change of pace.

The first prey to fall victim to her new weapon was once again a beast. As it rose up the side of the mountain, she easily kicked it off just as it reached the peak. Aiming her new weapon at it while in mid-air, she fired, and a small metallic orb was launched at the falling beast.

Upon impact with the mindless creature, the orb exploded in an impressive fireball, vaporizing the beast instantly and blowing everything around it away from the blast radius. She jumped off the mountain in a single leap, avoiding the Flying Noise that tried to dive down on her from above. She stood in between the Noise and the beasts, and the blackened fake Hibikis growled at her loudly in an attempt at intimidation.

Only to be immediately silenced as Chris fired, again and again, her grenade launcher howling loudly. The explosions that followed ripped the enemies to shreds, both the Noise and the beasts completely unable to close the distance to their opponent. She essentially vanished inside the tremendous fireball that rose into the air, hiding her from the sight of the Noise and beasts.

Yet she continued to fire. The flames might as well be nonexistent as she simply walked through them, slaying those that tried to close the distance to her. Nothing was safe from her, and every single one that tried to approach was vaporized under a rain of fire and death. Shrapnel that lined the inside of the grenades ripped the enemies to shreds, pelting them with high speed and blazing hot steel fragments that sliced into them at the speed of sound, faster than they could even conceptualize.

Flying Noise dove in through the fireball in a courageous effort, trying to impale the Ichaival Adaptor. Yet, within the fire, something changed once again, and as one they were all gunned down by a rapid barrage of bullets that blew them away. And as the flames dissipated, Chris stood in place holding a massive chaingun in her hands that was easily three times her size.

And so, reminded of their folly, the Noise and the beasts once again began to back away slowly, once more fearing the fangs of the hunter before them.

Unbeknownst to anyone there, tiny patches of blackness began to cover her skin, and with the increased rage in her veins, she made her declaration.

**"Bring it."**

And she opened fire, mowing them down.

-!-

"That's what's happening with her," Elfnein said out of nowhere as the bridge watched Chris' rampage.

"This... this is—"

"In Chris-san I'm detecting a very drastic increase over everyone else. I think Maria-san shouldn't stay there for very long."

"Yeah... she might get caught in the crossfire at this rate. I never thought the berserk state could be a slow process instead of an instant one... and I'm not sure which one is better at this rate," Genjuro said with his eyes narrowed.

"It matters little," Adam interjected. "It is proving its worth, so make use of it while you can. There is little point in looking a gift horse in the mouth."

"A gift horse? That's what you're calling it?"

"Is it not? After all, she's slaying the Noise and the beasts without much trouble at all. In fact, I'd look into ways to make this a recurring event in the future as well... provided we live after tonight."

"That is not going to happen, and you know it," Genjuro said sternly. "You don't make the decisions here, I do. Leave your poorly thought out ideas to yourself."

The former leader of the Pavarian Illuminati fell silent with a huff. Genjuro turned back to the display and yelled out his orders. "We need to see what we can do about the Titan. Put up the distraction team on screen!"

-!-

_(Play: Blonde's Rage - Attack on Titan Wings of Freedom OST)_

"I SAID NO RISKY MOVES!"

Saint-Germain's shout might as well have been screamed to empty space. She jumped over wreckage and ruins in their escape from the Titan that was now blatantly chasing them through what remained of Tokyo. They had successfully lured it away to the other side of the city, but that came at a very big cost:

It was irritated now and was more than definitely trying to get rid of them.

Its humongous feet crushed the bare earth beneath without any trouble. Even partially standing buildings were kicked out of the way in an explosion of dust when it passed through them as if the Titan was treading through water. Its head darted about to and fro, trying to keep its sight on the two Adaptor currently circling it.

And Saint-Germain couldn't be more annoyed with them. The Zababa duo, despite their earlier proclamation, began to ignore her orders on a regular basis, completely forgetting what it was they were supposed to be doing in the first place.

It threw the pace off completely, and now she had to make up for their recklessness.

The two were swinging around the Titan's form, in the alchemist's own words, like a pair of monkeys. Shirabe's yo-yos serving as their anchors, the two constantly attempted to cut away parts of the Titan's form in order to incapacitate it.

And it was proving to be a completely useless endeavor. Its skin was just too thick and it was in general just too big for their weapons to do any significant damage. Yet they were trying anyway, and for that, she had to give them credit.

Unfortunately, it also placed them at greater risk, as right now they were nothing more to that thing than a pair of mosquitos that eventually it will decide to squish unceremoniously.

"Shirabe! Let's target the fingers!"

"Right!"

Having decided on their next course of action, Shirabe unhooked her yo-yo and allowed herself to fall with Kirika holding on to her. They descended through the air quickly, avoiding the Titan's gaze for a moment. It had its hands lowered by its side, giving them a clear view of their current objective; if they succeeded, they reckoned they'd be able to whittle that thing down slowly until it becomes unable to move.

Throwing her yo-yo forward again, it locked around the Titan's index finger. Immediately she reeled in, pulling both her and Kirika towards the oversized digit. Her partner prepared her scythe once more, and the Titan seemed to not respond to their violent actions against it as they got closer.

Once they got within striking distance, Kirika swung, and this time found success as the finger was sliced off at the base, releasing black smoke and promptly falling to the ground, throwing up dust in its wake. With their anchor to the Titan gone, they flew through the air behind it only for Shirabe to throw her yo-yo up again, hooking onto the next finger.

And so, they made their second pass, with the Titan apparently only reacting to their provocation once they sliced off the middle finger, releasing their hold on it again. Before Shirabe could toss her yo-yo again to the next one, the Titan kicked up, and the giant leg swept through the air towards them. Caught completely by surprise by the sudden move, the two were unable to respond or move out of the way in time to dodge it.

Only for Saint-Germain to once again tackle them out of the way, barely avoiding the kick with their lives intact. Soaring through the air, she screamed loud enough for them to hear her. "I SAID NO RISKY MOVES GODDAMMIT! STOP TRYING TO TAKE IT DOWN!"

Her voice was barely audible over the sound of the crashing and exploding structures around them, but Shirabe caught her complaint and responded in kind. "THEN WHAT DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD DO?! WE CAN'T LET IT DO WHAT IT WANTS ALL THE TIME!"

"OUR JOB IS TO DISTRACT IT! IF YOU ARE TOO ARROGANT IT WILL KILL YOU EASILY! STICK TO THE PLAN!"

Shirabe's response was to glare with her teeth clenched, a sight Saint-Germain found far too strange to be believable, considering her familiarity with the girl.

'_What is going on here? They weren't like this before.'_

The Titan's head slowly turned to the trio as it lowered its legs, and immediately began to turn around to begin its chase. It trudged towards them once more with heavy steps, shaking the earth every time it placed its foot down.

They landed back on the ground only to be forced to evade the next gigantic step, separating the alchemist from the duo once again. '_Damn!'_

No longer in hearing or speaking range with the two, she watched as once again Shirabe threw her yo-yo up with Kirika in tow, the blonde having her scythe brandished and ready for the next pass. The hand they were targeting was still within range, and so the yo-yo hooked onto the ring finger, triggering their next pass.

"What a useless act," Saint-Germain said to herself as she watched them. Because the two wouldn't listen to her now, she was forced to go along with their insanity and began to open fire on the Titan's head.

While her bullets might as well be like tiny pricks at its skin, it did serve to make the Titan try and reach a decision as to which annoyance it wanted to get rid of first. Having its fingers sliced off was apparently not important enough for it to remain focused on the duo, so once again it stood in place, doing a whole lot of nothing but receive attacks.

"If it didn't regenerate, then maybe it would have given us results," she finished for herself. Sure enough, the process had already begun by the time the duo reached the thumb. Slowly, black smoke began to leak out of the bases of the sliced off fingers and started to coalesce into their previous shapes.

The fifth pass by the duo cut off the thumb, but they apparently did not notice the other fingers reforming themselves. The giant hand moved, and suddenly the two found their vision darken as it began to close around them.

"Shirabe!" Kirika yelled to her partner, and hurriedly her partner threw the yo-yo up to grab anything it could find, again hooking around one of the horns dotting out of its head. Before it could squish them in its hold, the two were able to evade becoming human paste at the last second, the lack of a thumb to box them in allowing them to reel themselves up to its head.

Their feet planted against the back of the head, right between all the horns. The two nodded to each other, and Kirika immediately enlarged her scythe once more and swung, the polearm crashing against the hardened carapace with no result. She swung again and again, trying to pierce through in order to strike the brain that they believed rested inside.

But their efforts were futile, and the Titan raised its uninjured hand to scratch them away. The two noticed the approaching limb, and they clicked their tongues in unison before jumping off. Shirabe grabbed Kirika again and hooked her yo-yo around one of the fingers.

"Damn! We can't beat it like this!" Kirika yelled in frustration as they swung around. "There has to be a way to stop it!"

"Then let's arrest its movements!" Shirabe suggested. "Maybe if we can tie it up, we can make it immobile!"

"Sounds like a plan!"

With their course set, the two allowed themselves to fall to the ground, cratering the concrete beneath them. They looked at each other and nodded, and Shirabe handed over one of the yo-yos to Kirika. The two of them promptly split up and began running up the legs.

The Titan seemed to ignore them again as the duo placed themselves on opposite sides, flanking the Titan's feet from the outside. Wordlessly, the two fired their respective yo-yos to the other. A thin string extended from each, surrounding the Titan's legs from the front and back. Shirabe nodded to herself, and from the thin string many, many more extended, creating a gigantic web that rose all the way up to the Titan's knees.

The duo pulled, tightening the net around the Titan's biceps, trying to make it topple over. They pulled with all their might, and the strings groaned as they dug into the skin, their hold tightening all the more. Their only indication they were making any progress was the fact that the Titan's legs looked to be getting closer together due to their application of force. They grinned, and pulled harder, Kirika digging her feet into the ground while Shirabe dashed backwards, the wheels on her feet groaning against the concrete.

"Come on! Fall over!" Kirika howled. The feet were getting even closer, dragging on the ground. They can do this, they can—!

The Titan moved, and in an instant, the web of strings was cut without any resistance. The sudden loss of tension caused the Zababa duo to yelp and fall to the ground, their plan having failed completely.

"Tch—!"

The giant head turned to Kirika, and its entire body rotated to look down at her. She only had a moment to be surprised before it tried to step on her, but once again Saint-Germain tackled her out of the way in time to avoid being squished.

"What do I keep telling you about stop trying to beat it! It's far too big to topple over or defeat!"

"We have to try!" Kirika yelled defiantly. "If we can do this we can make it easier on Miku!"

"We are already doing just that! Trying to take this thing down is a wasted effort! I will not repeat myself again!" Saint-Germain bellowed to her, her tone no longer composed. "Listen to my orders or you will die!"

Kirika was left without any argument to give, but Saint-Germain's words fled her head entirely as the Titan stepped forward again, and she immediately pushed away from the alchemist to go to Shirabe's side.

'_Damn it! This has to be because of the miasma!' _Saint-Germain realized. '_It's making them act rashly! If I don't stop them they'll definitely die and our fates will be sealed! The Symphogears cannot be allowed to fall here!'_

Gritting her teeth, she charged forward, ready for the next time she'll have to push them out of the way of certain death.

By the time the alchemist was on the move, Kirika had already reached Shirabe's side.

"Shirabe! Let's try to take its vision away somehow!"

"But how? It doesn't have anything that looks like eyes!"

"I know, but we can at least try!" Kirika said with a raised fist. Shirabe's eyes widened for a moment, then she raised her own fist and bumped Kirika's, causing the two to grin. "Okay, then let's get up there!"

"Right!"

Grabbing onto her partner again, Shirabe threw a yo-yo up, the small circle wrapping around the Titan's forearm. Immediately she reeled up, and the two rose swiftly to the limb. Noticing them again, the giant being turned, causing the two to swing all the way behind its back due to the momentum.

Taking the chance they were given, Shirabe unhooked her yo-yo and threw it up, wrapping it around one of the horns on the head once again. Planting her feet against the Titan's back, the wheels on her feet roared to life as she scaled its length at breaknecks speeds, with Kirika already having her scythe prepared for the coming strike.

Upon reaching the horn the yo-yo was wrapped around, Shirabe continued onwards past it, and the two shot off high and above the Titan's head.

"Ready, Kirika?!"

"I was born ready!"

With her acknowledgment, Shirabe tugged on the string, locking it in place. The sudden arrest in momentum, together with the Titan's forward movement caused the two to whoosh right above it, arcing through the air all the way to its front.

Their aim was perfect. Holding onto Shirabe with one hand, and her scythe in her other, Kirika let out a loud yell as they closed the distance to where its eyes should be, confident they had caught the giant thing off guard. With the speed they had gathered together with their swinging force, they arrived at their target at speeds faster than sound, sonic booms screaming through the air in their wake.

And with all the force she could muster, Kirika struck.

The scythe shattered.

"Wha—!"

Having left not even a dent on the Titan's face, all the recoil from the blow rattled her weapon so much it broke into pieces, with the rest of the momentum causing her arm to shake violently. Not having expected to fail so suddenly, Shirabe was not prepared for the Titan to suddenly lurch forward. Due to her earlier action, the string connected to her yo-yo snapped, leaving the two helpless in midair.

And right in front of its open mouth.

The light began to gather in the cavity, and there was nothing the duo could do to avoid it in time. The glowing ball grew by the moment, and the two knew there would be nothing in their arsenal that would be able to block the blast.

They stared death in the eye, their faces illuminated by the sheer radiance the light gave off.

And it fired.

At that moment, something crashed into the two of them. No, it was more like something pushed them out of the way, and the duo only had a second to stare in shock at what it was as they fell to the ground.

Saint-Germain immediately raised her one arm in front of her, a high-speed chant escaping her lips. And just in time too, as just as the light was about to hit her, a magic circle sprung to life between her and it.

The blast impacted her impromptu shield head-on, causing the beam to fragment off into many different directions that struck the ground. Explosions roared in the distance as every location wayward blast caused an eruption like a volcano from the force.

"G-g-guuhh—!"

She struggled. Saint-Germain struggled to keep the shield active, pouring as much power as she could through her one arm. But it was painful as hell, as a shield of its magnitude was not meant to be channeled with just one hand. There was a reason why high tier alchemy was usually done with both hands, as a single limb could not possibly hold on long enough to make it truly effective.

Yet she banked on her power anyway. Fueled by the Cursed Eden Module, the light roared against her magic circle with the scream of a beast.

But it was not enough.

Her arm shook violently, blood erupting from her capillaries due to the tension running through it. Soon enough, a single tiny crack appeared on the surface of the shield, an adequate indicator that it would not hold for much longer.

She looked to where the two Adaptors had fallen, the two of them meeting her gaze despite the massive distance.

Her eyes told them everything before the shield shattered.

_"I leave it to you."_

And the alchemist was consumed as the light washed over her.

It continued onwards, striking the outskirts of the city before exploding in a massive fireball that sent gale winds in all directions, blowing apart what remained of the untouched part of Tokyo.

Kirika and Shirabe looked on in horror and screamed.

"SAINT-GERMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIN!"


	29. Chapter 29: Clash of the Titans

_(Play: She Rules the Battlefield - Fate Heaven's Feel OST)_

"This is fun, Miku! This is so fun! Are you having fun?!"

Miku's response to the demon's banter was to swing her fan horizontally, once again launching a wave of light in its direction. Hibiki dove down to dodge it and charged, her spear thrust forward to impale her opponent. Her opponent deflected the hit to the side, throwing it off course.

"So much craziness! So much chaos! This is how things should be!"

The corrupted Adaptor spun in midair to deliver an overhead kick, one Miku blocked with her fan. Her face deadset and resolute, she pushed off the leg and quickly aimed her fan forward, firing a barrage of light towards Hibiki. She promptly weaved in between them, making them all miss her entirely.

"Once the world burns, we can make a new one! Just for you and me!"

"Shut up!"

She was getting mighty tired of its rambling. Throughout their battle it talked non-stop, trying to sound as similarly energetic as Hibiki was.

But Miku knew better. She knew what it was trying to do, and right now she couldn't see that talk as anything more than a mask it was wearing in order to throw her off and confuse her. It was desperately trying to make her somehow believe its incoherent mumbling and mad words.

"Awwww Miku, always so serious! You really need to lighten up sometimes! Stop worrying so much and just let things happen!"

And of course, trying to somehow appeal to her conscience.

But it seems that the demon does not know more than Hibiki does, who was somewhat oblivious to the reasons why Miku worried so much in the first place.

Truly, Hibiki was never one to reflect on her own circumstances, much less other people's. That was her one huge glaring flaw, made horribly clear as the years passed as she continued to deny and run away from her problems. Just getting her to talk to her father was a challenge all on its own, as the girl had initially planned to wash her hands of the man forever and probably would have never tried to get in touch with him first.

It took a chance encounter for that to happen.

A coincidence.

A miracle.

And Miku hated depending on miracles. The maybes, the 'it could be possibles'. No, she was tired of such things. Tired of letting things just 'happen'.

That's what caused everything to go wrong from the get-go. That's what the Symphogears were in a nutshell.

Miracles that conveniently fell into the hands of the right people at the right time without any real input from them. Hibiki got Gungnir precisely because of that reason.

She had no reason to believe in them. Such a thing did not save Hibiki from the depths of despair during that dark two year period, nor would it be something that will save her now. No, the only way that she'll be able to get her back is through sheer unshaken and iron will, and to surpass even the might of humanity with her own two hands.

The only response she had to give the demon was to charge ahead, closing the distance in record speed as she struck out with her fan. The force behind her blow pushed Hibiki back, who managed to block with her spear. The two streaked through the air, caring about nothing except each other as the world raged and burned around them.

The spear began to boil once again at the point of impact, and this time Hibiki realized that her trick from before wasn't working as well as she had hoped. The rate of purification was higher than the rate in which the curses lined up the spear again, causing her eyes to narrow in contemplation about what to do next.

She had to be very careful as to how she engaged Miku in battle, that was for sure. The last time they had fought, she constantly caught her by surprise as essentially every inch of her body was laced with the curse-slaying power, making direct attacks on her much more difficult. She could not keep prolonged contact with her, because that would give her power the time it needs to burn away her own.

Quick, powerful blows, that's what she needed to counterattack her with. And with Miku not having even a bit of the divine power in her, she had no way to regenerate the damage she would be dealt. While Hibiki had no intention of killing her, she still needed to knock her out so she would stop getting in the way.

And destroy the Shenshoujing in the process.

Funny how it turned out that their real enemy was not each other, but rather the Symphogears they used.

Disengaging from the lock, Hibiki dove to the ground. Losing more and more altitude, she lowered herself to the same height as the many ruins around them. She glanced back, catching the sight of Miku racing after her at full speed, her body surrounded by the same white flame from before. She smirked and immediately took off ahead.

And so began the chase. Hibiki's own body was engulfed in the black fire as she weaved between the wreckage and the forces fighting below, careful not to crash into any of her own units by accident. She glanced back once again as she covered a large distance, and saw how Miku was forcefully barreling her way through everything, wreckage and Noise alike. The few that tried to target her were summarily blown to pieces by the sheer magnitude of her aura, leaving not even a tiny bit of a dent on her form.

Hibiki's eyes narrowed once again, and looking ahead she increased her speed, trying to shake her opponent off her tail for even a second to enact some sort of trap.

Without her noticing, Hibiki found herself on Lydian grounds, the school somehow still in one piece despite the madness taking place around it. Not a single unit, be it Noise or beast on either side was sighted in the area. Diving lower, she passed through the area of the dorms and began to sharply cut corners in an attempt to disorient her opponent.

She looked behind her once again and grinned at the fact that her plan succeeded. Miku seems to have lost her trail, and now she could—

Her sixth sense screamed. Her eyes darted around, trying to find the source and her opponent, yet her eyes caught nothing in her field of vision.

And then something brutally smashed into her midsection, sending her flying backwards and higher into the air. Shocked beyond belief that she was caught by surprise, she regained her balance and looked angrily towards the direction from which she was hit.

Only to find nothing.

"What?"

Something crashed into her back this time, throwing her forward with unparalleled strength. Her back burned, and she felt the armor covering it start to peel away slowly from the unexpected contact.

'_This is...'_

Only Miku could possibly cause such damage... but where was she?

All throughout the time she looked around, the sixth sense that the two shared towards each other rang loudly in her ears, alerting her to the danger approaching.

Yet... at times it felt like it was coming from all directions, while at others it was so faint she could barely feel it.

Another hit to her back threw her off, causing her to stumble forward through the air. She looked behind her, and once again missed whatever it was that struck her.

'_Tch, this is getting annoying!' _She said to herself, still trying to find out whatever it was.

And that's when the light beams came. Appearing from thin air in random locations, rays of light that most definitely originated from Miku's Armed Gear shot forth towards her rapidly. Hibiki was forced to dodge and avoid them haphazardly as she failed to understand where they originated from.

Despite herself, she found herself smiling. "Amazing, Miku! To think you could go invisible like that! I'm really impressed!"

Whether her conjecture was right or wrong she wouldn't know, as the her opponent was silent the entire time. The beams continued to appear from random directions, forcing her to stay on the move.

It wasn't a wrong conclusion to reach. The Shenshoujing, before it was used as a Symphogear, granted FIS' plane almost complete invisibility with its ability to bend light. It gave them free rein as to where they could appear, granting them a permanent element of surprise.

If it could do that to a target the size of a plane, then there was no reason it couldn't do it to a single person.

It was annoying then, and it was even more annoying now. A person was far more mobile in the air than a plane could ever hope to be, and that threw Hibiki off completely. Her eyes continued to dart around as she evaded the light, but she couldn't avoid it entirely. Several of the beams glanced against her armor, shredding it instantly from the brief yet sudden contact. While it regrew a second later, it was still a bothersome ability to face.

There was no knowing what Miku could spring up on her next after all.

'_Come on Miku, where are you?'_

Trying to find an invisible opponent in the middle of the night was more difficult than she ever thought it'd be. Miku would definitely not let herself be found so easily if she was satisfied with simply shooting her from afar. Now that Hibiki had a bit more of a grasp on her bearings, her opponent truly opted to keep her distance so she couldn't accidentally find her.

So how can she make her reveal herself?

Deciding to leave the Lydian airspace, for now, Hibiki suddenly took off in a different direction, heading into the city proper. She flew over the two clashing armies below, a smirk briefly lighting up her face as she noticed that the Alca-Noise were being pushed back easily, her own army of Noise and beasts absolutely crushing the opposition. It was barely a fight, as she saw, and the Alca-Noise were only able to destroy themselves on the enemy.

It was almost like the regular Noise in that regard. They would always die along with the humans they caught, and now it was the same deal, albeit very twisted.

Well, that's not what was important right now, as the invisible Miku was still hot on her heels as she could tell by the beams of light being fired in her direction. She weaved in between them as much as she could, but it was difficult to avoid them all, and once again several of them managed to strike her in unforgiving angles. It wasn't painful, but it was bothersome, and she knew for a fact that Miku was trying to wear her down.

While she'd like to say it was a useless effort, in this case, it was probably not. If she wasn't careful, Miku would be able to land a critical strike on her somewhere, and she had to be careful to not allow her to—

Ah.

So that's the way.

That's the way she'll flush her out.

Hibiki abruptly stopped her flight and quickly turned around to swing her spear behind her. The swipe failed to strike anything, but that was okay with her. It wasn't meant to hit anything anyway.

No, what she'll do is very simple.

Rather than go for close combat again, Miku continued to fire from far away. The beams became more numerous by the minute, and the rogue Adaptor quickly visualized her path through the air. Probably circling around her in a large ring, and occasionally changing her altitude to throw her off. It was a simple yet effective tactic, but one that had a big hole in it.

Mainly, the person at the end of it.

Out of nowhere, Hibiki stopped dodging. The final beam of light Miku fired her way struck her hand, causing the spear to fly from her grip. The corrupted Adaptor threw her hands back wildly in response, exposing her stomach and chest completely to the enemy.

And more importantly, the pendant that once served as the vessel of Gungnir.

She waited exactly one second before launching her surprise. There was no whooshing of the air nor any sound was even made as Miku rapidly approached, her invisible fan raised to strike the vulnerable pendant. With her target so exposed, she decided to capitalize on the golden opportunity.

Unfortunately, she realized too late that she was deceived.

Hibiki's hand shot forward, and somehow grabbed hold of her weapon.

"Got you."

And then her other fist smashed into Miku's stomach.

The Shenshoujing Adaptor was blown back through the air, disoriented by the strike that blew the air out of her lungs. With her concentration broken, the air around her shimmered as her invisibility dropped, allowing Hibiki to see her and watch her as she flew through the air. Immediately the rogue Adaptor teleported in a rush of black smoke and reappeared right behind Miku in the middle of her path.

And she delivered a back-breaking spinning kick, striking her opponent head-on. The hope bearer screamed in pain and was promptly launched towards the ground. Smiling at her handiwork, Hibiki slowly descended, waiting for Miku to come out of the cloud that rose up into the air.

Hibiki extended her hand to the side, calling the spear back to her grip. It dislodged itself from the rock it was buried in and streaked through the skies towards her. And just in time too, because as soon as the spear was clutched in her palm Miku rushed out of the cloud of dust with her fan upraised, and she yelled loudly, striking against the demon.

It was a heavy blow, far stronger than Hibiki had expected.

But that was fine with her. After all...

"I knew that wouldn't take you down," she suddenly said. Giving her no response, Miku clutched the handle of her fan with both hands and grit her teeth, pushing more power into the deadlock. Her back seared in pain, but she swallowed it down and ignored it, focusing only on what was in front of her. "That's right Miku, it's only like this that we can really connect and get along. Yes... only through the fighting can we really understand each other."

And she violently pushed her away. Miku's feet skidded across the ground, groaning as she was forced back. Hibiki flourished her spear, spinning it in her hand several times with a smile on her face. "Only you are special, Miku. There is no one in the world as special as you... and that's why I need to you sleep a bit. Don't worry, when you wake up, everything will be perfect."

The demon's words were said with total sincerity, Miku noticed. However...

"I won't tell you again; don't you dare speak using her voice, monster."

Hibiki's smile grew into a maniac grin. "Ah~ Miku, so stubborn, so harsh with your words. It really hurts me to hear you speak like that, but I know at the end of it all we can get along again because you're always shining so brightly. And I love it. So come..."

The spear came to a stop.

And she once again _moaned, _the sultry voice escaping her lips causing Miku to freeze. Putting a hand on her cheek, Hibiki said the following words in a lustful, twisted tone. "Drown me in your warmth, Miku. My _precious_ sunshine..."

A rush of unbridled rage ran through Miku's heart and mind.

With unparalleled fury, she charged towards the demon, renewing the clash.

-!-

"We've lost all signals of Saint-Germain!" A crew member yelled as all those on the bridge worked tirelessly due to the new developments. Every single one of them was delegated and responsible for giving immediate and accurate status reports about the fighters, as well as give updates on any changes on the battlefield that they must be aware of.

And unfortunately, it seems they finally have their first major casualty. The team responsible for the alchemist had lost all contact with her, and all life signs on their monitors showed them absolutely nothing; they simply had no data to give on her current status. Tomosato stiffened in her seat, gasping loudly enough for Fujitaka to look at her in worry.

Genjuro grit his teeth in frustration. "Damn it Saint-Germain, I told you not to die out there; we still need you," he said. "What about the Alca-Noise?!"

"They're still fighting sir, no change in their behavior so far!"

So their Alca-Noise army was still engaged in battle with the enemy. That was good since that relieved some pressure off the Adaptors, but it was still a losing battle. They were being destroyed far faster than any of them would have liked. It just turned everything into a matter of time before the tidal wave that was the enemy force would win and turn on the Adaptors. While Kanade's presence alone kept them away from her and Tsubasa, it was not the same for the rest.

It could only mean one thing: either Saint-Germain programmed them to continue fighting even if she died, or she somehow survived. But with the lack of data, he was more inclined to believe the former.

And that was very bad. She was far too valuable to lose at this stage of the battle, especially because of how fragile it was. Nothing was certain at the moment, as Miku's fight with Hibiki continued to escalate as the corrupted Adaptor just kept on taunting her constantly. The demon twisted the normal Hibiki's words in such a way that the newbie would no doubt get incensed by and attack recklessly.

It was devious, he had to give her credit for that. Throw your opponent off with nothing but your words, and they'll eventually drop their guard.

But that was very, _very _bad. Part of her training was exactly that; not getting worked up due to an enemy's taunting. Yet she was still falling for it, and honestly, he couldn't blame her. Hibiki was essentially being waved right in her face, just a little bit out of reach. Like a horse chasing a carrot, no matter how much she ran or tried to get to it, it would still keep remaining too far.

But... was that really the case here? Was it simply a demon pretending to be Hibiki? Something gave him the impression they were very wrong about her current state of mind, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

Although, Miku was handling herself fairly well at the moment, so they would focus on the others for now. "Tomosato! Give me a status report on Shirabe-kun and Kirika-kun!" He commanded.

No answer.

He stared at the officer, his eyes narrowing as he saw her staring at her console in shock and horror. "Tomosato!"

She was jolted awake by his second shout, and she blinked rapidly as she recomposed herself. "Y-yes!" She yelled, quickly typing away to bring up the relevant data. Fujitaka grimaced in sympathy from his console. "Both of them seem to be physically fine, sir! Ig-Alima and Shul-Shagana are still operational!"

Her strange lack of attention worried him, but he decided not to comment on it. He glanced towards the Ignite Timers, studying the very slowly decreasing counter. The numbers had previously jumped up again, and that caused him some concern. "Keep a close eye on those two. Now that their backup is gone, I want to see how they act. Their reckless tricks caused this to happen, and I want to make sure we can pull them out in case they start going berserk."

"But what about Chris-san, sir?" A different crew member asked.

"It pains me to say this, but leave her be for now," he answered, glancing to Adam for a moment. "We can't pull her out even if we want to; she just won't listen to us. Let her focus on killing the enemy units on her own, and have Maria-kun retreat. Have her investigate where Saint-Germain landed so we can have some confirmation."

"Yes, sir!"

The crew member went back to work. Meanwhile, Genjuro crossed his arms as he looked on, his eyes darting between the different screen on the display.

It was only going to get more difficult from here.

-!-

"Ah... Ah..."

The two looked on. The winds had died down, and all that remained was an eerie quiet that filled the air completely. The light had vanished, and all that was left on the impromptu battlefield was the two of them, and the enemy they were trying to defeat.

The Titan stared ahead to where its target had disappeared to. Having fired its light at the two pests, it understood that they were saved in the last moment by some other annoying rat that had gotten in its way. They had tried to strike it down, but they had failed to do any significant damage. It was simply too strong for the two of them, for they were mere bugs to be squashed beneath its feet.

And that's what they were now. Shirabe and Kirika could barely keep themselves composed as they realized what they had wrought. They tried to stop the Titan by any means necessary, yet their efforts gave them absolutely nothing. In fact, it only made things worse, as now they lost Saint-Germain, who had desperately tried to get them to act rationally.

Yet they refused to listen, stuck in their own little world and kept on their assault, not realizing how futile it was.

"Ah... Ah..."

That was the only sound Kirika could let out as she fell to her hands and knees. Her head facing the ground, her mouth was agape in shock, her lips quivering. Next to her, Shirabe lost strength in her legs and crumpled to the ground, her eyes simply locked ahead to where Saint-Germain disappeared to.

"What... have we done?"

No one had an answer to give her.

Unfortunately, they seemed to have forgotten they were in the middle of a fight. Noticing the two were still very much alive, the Titan _turned_ to them slowly, its eyeless head staring down at them. With the two now immobile, it brought up its leg above them, the giant shadow further darkening their vision.

It was then that Kirika finally realized the danger. Hurriedly shaking off her stupor, she looked to Shirabe who was still catatonic. Having no time to even call her partner's name, she rose to her feet in an instant and ran to her, picking her partner up and putting her on her shoulder.

And just in time as well. As the giant foot came down on the two of them, Kirika dashed as fast as she could to get away from its range. She barely cleared its length as it finally crashed down on their previous location, and immediately the ground shattered from the weight, sending shockwaves that threw rubble, debris, and wind around that swept Kirika's feet under her.

She was tossed like a ragdoll through the air, groaning all the while. She took a moment to look ahead of her path, catching sight of a concrete wall she was about to collide with. She swiftly adjusted Shirabe in her hold, protecting the her partner with her own body. Closing her eyes and bracing herself, she slammed back first into the remaining wall of an office building. She yelled in pain from the crash, and together the two fell to the ground, only for Kirika to spin in midair to once again put herself between the hard floor and Shirabe.

She crashed into solid concrete, screaming in pain for the second time. She inadvertently let go of her partner, and Shirabe rolled on the floor briefly only to come to a stop not too far from her.

Kirika found it difficult to breathe due to all the dust and smoke in the air. She coughed and hacked as she turned over, keeping her eyes on Shirabe as her vision swam. The Titan's steps grew louder as it approached, each of its massive feet destroying the earth it walked on without reservation.

At this point Shirabe stirred, struggling to lift herself off the ground. She called out, desperate to hear the sound of her partner's voice. "K-Kiri-chan..."

"Shirabe..." Kirika murmured with a broken tone. "I'm sorry Shirabe. I'm sorry..."

"Me too, Kiri-chan... I'm sorry..."

For some reason they could not explain, they were unable to stop the tears from spilling out against their will. Unbearable sadness filled their hearts, and all the while the Titan took another step towards them.

They felt the end coming. Left helpless in the giant's wake, their spirits fled them as the two cried and cried, unable to bring themselves to act in response even a little bit.

No, the only thing they could do was to extend their hands to each other, feeling the air for the other's touch. The ground shook and roiled, yet their hands still sought the other, dragging through the dirt.

And finally, they connected. Kirika and Shirabe tightened their hold, their small tiny bond as their vision blurred from the wetness in their eyes.

"Shirabe..."

"Kiri-chan..."

Silence.

A beat.

"This is... kind of annoying, isn't it?" Kirika suddenly said in annoyance.

A sudden change. The miasma around them stirred as if being churned by some invisible force that emanated from the two Adaptors.

"Yeah... it really is," Shirabe said in agreement, her voice evening.

Their hold tightened further.

The tears stopped running.

"This is really... really... really... making me mad."

"Yeah... it makes me very angry too."

"I don't want to just sit here and die."

"Yes... me neither. So I guess that means only one thing..."

"Yeah..."

A switch was flipped.

"**Let's make it pay for everything."**

The words were said at the same exact time. The grief suddenly fleeing their bodies in an instant, it was all replaced by a feeling the two were only vaguely familiar with, and only experienced it a handful of times throughout their short lives.

Anger.

Fury.

_**Rage.**_

They rose to their feet in a single synchronized movement, their hands still connected.

"So we do _that, _Shirabe?"

"Yes... let's do that."

The Titan stopped in its tracks as it stared down at them, the change in their demeanor puzzling even it.

They looked up to meet its gaze.

And their eyes shone.

"**UNISON!"**

Sparks of green and fuchsia light sprung to life around the two. The electricity danced wildly around them, striking down debris and clearing the area around the two in a humongous circle. Right under their feet, something akin to a magic circle grew and elongated, characters of a language unknown to modern man etching themselves into position inside of it. So big did it become that it now covered the entire area that was cleared away.

The sparks grew stronger, bigger, and wilder, yet within the very middle of the circle, Kirika and Shirabe stood unmoving, their eyes locked onto their colossal enemy.

-!-

"Massive amounts of phonic gain have been detected from Ig-Alima and Shul-Shagana!"

"What?!"

The display lit up, showing the duo Adaptors standing within the storm they had formed. Genjuro looked with wide eyes, his confusion obvious on his face. "What is going on?! What is the meaning of this?!"

"Oh, so this is what they're doing," Adam said with a hint of interest. Immediately Genjuro turned to him, looking for answers. The former head of the Illuminati continued. "I told you after all that the miasma can break reality. It can bring about outcomes that we cannot even possibly imagine; it also seems like it opens up the path to the primal origin a tiny bit more, which also contributes to making this possible. Now will be another prime example of that claim."

He smiled. "Now, let's see what the chosen of the Goddess of Kish bring forth."

-!-

The storm grew stronger, and gravity itself lost all influence around the duo, the giant remains of the former skyscrapers of Tokyo floating in the air with the weight of simple feathers. With every pass of the lightning, the debris broke and shattered. Raging winds began to gather around them, swirling in a twister of power and phonic gain that rose towards the sky. The ceiling of the night was suddenly illuminated by a combined green and pink glow that grew more brilliant as the seconds passed.

And rising from nowhere, as if from the belly of the Earth itself, was a lion's roar. It drowned out all other noise, its sheer majesty causing all fighters in the area around them to freeze and look on in awe. The magic circle began to glow with a radiance not seen in millennia, and wisps of light began to rise from its edges, making their way towards the two.

Yet Kirika and Shirabe stood, their expressions unreadable. They remained unmoving as the tendrils of light reached their position, yet what those tendrils sought were not their bodies, nor their spirits.

No, the tendrils reached for the shining pendants they held, touching them gently.

At that moment, a pillar of light exploded upwards from the circle, outshining everything in the city. All fighters now looked on at it, some with their eyes narrowed and others with a curious and confused gaze.

With an intensity of a super hot flame, the tremendous stream of constant blinding light gave the Titan pause, and so was Hibiki distracted for a moment as she glanced towards the glow, nearly being hit by a swift strike from Miku.

And then the light began to take form. Shrinking in some parts and elongating in others, it took on the consistency of clay as it shaped itself, transforming into something material and physical, a solid state with true mass and weight that trod upon the world.

As it gained cohesion, two voices rang out from within it in perfect synchronization, magnificent and divine.

"_**Our sword fells the mountains."**_ "_**Our sword scorches the winds."**_

"_**As rigid as the irons of the Earth."**_ "_**As unyielding as the bright blue sky."**_

The light vanished, and where it once had been now was a form that nearly rivaled the Titan before it, being a mere head shorter. Yet without a doubt, the newly born being was far more majestic.

And it was huge.

A feminine form covered in a mix of gold and brass armor, a light golden glow radiating from it freely. It gently touched down in the ruined cityscape, its gaze locked onto its rival giant. A quintet of eagle wings protruding from its back folded inwards as its lion's mane of golden locks fell freely to its thighs. Upon its head rested a crown shaped like the pinions of a bird of prey, and its eyes shone a mysterious and deep vermillion. Hidden behind those luminous orbs, inside of its artificial skull, were two hollow spaces resembling cockpits that housed the duo that had called it forth.

"_**Emerald blade, sever."**_ "_**Ruby blade, bind."**_

Bare feet crushed the ground beneath, adorned with nothing but simple golden anklets. Its skin was tanned a golden brown, yet still shone with a metallic sheen that revealed its true mechanical nature.

"_**All the Evils shall be sealed."**_ "_**Destruction shall be stymied."**_

"_**The rage of the Heavens beckons." "The screams of the Underworld unbound."**_

It—no, _she—_descended, the call of her blades bringing her forth in this day and age. A deity of protection made and manifested by the steel of relics, to face a god of destruction called down to bring the end.

"_**Offer your hearts, subjects of Babylon, for the divine defender of Kish descends. And her name is:"**_

And so, given form by her successors, the guardian goddess made her appearance.

"_**ZABABA!"**_

-!-

"A _mecha _Zababa?! Are you kidding me?!"

That was the only thing Fujitaka could say upon seeing what Kirika and Shirabe managed to summon. "How did they even do this?! Nobody said there'd be a Kaiju battle right in the middle of Tokyo! This is almost too much!"

His panic wasn't unjustified, they realized. "This... sure is new. Have they always been capable of something like this?" Tomosato asked with wide eyes.

"We knew their unison was the greatest of the Adaptors, but this just blows everything out of the water," Genjuro added, the corner of his mouth curling into a vestige of a smile. "To think we'd have something so big on our side... but we can't celebrate yet; it is _definitely _not enough, all things considered."

"That is true indeed," Adam commented, glancing towards Elfnein's console. "Let's see... composition... as I expected, relic steel and pure phonic gain held together by strings of god-slaying power. Hmmm, truly a fascinating result they've come up with; a very original use of the rage the miasma causes. Now, let's see how this titanic battle goes, shall we? The greatest unison against the manifestation of evil... truly a once in a lifetime show."

Genjuro grumbled to himself, curious about Adam's sudden change in attitude. '_I'm surprised he can stay so calm now, considering how he acted beforehand. But I can't focus on him now; we need to provide support to the Adaptors.'_

"Switch to combat mode," he commanded the crew. "Prepare the missiles to fire when ready. We're not staying out of the picture anymore. It's time we do our part in this battle too."

He looked back to the display. "Don't go overboard, you two. Remember what it is we're here for."

-!-

_(Play: All of You, Get Fired Up! - Gurren Lagann OST)_

The two gigantic beings towered over the city around them. Despite being only a head shorter than her opponent, Zababa stood resolute and fearless, her shining eyes radiating power and divine strength. The Titan, perplexed by the appearance of an enemy nearly its own size bent forward and screeched, the sound waves once again shaking the air.

It was an attempt at showing superiority and supremacy over its enemy, of proving who was the stronger of the two. For it had no ability to formulate words, and such was the only manner with which it could issue its challenge to the guardian goddess.

Yet she was not intimidated. Responding to the Titan's provocation, the goddess spoke, yet her mouth did not move as the words rang out in the same melded voice as before. "**Foolish god of destruction. Your endless path of ruin shall be allowed no longer; for by the might of the Heavens and by the edge of my blade, you will be purged from the face of the world."**

Even if the Titan could not speak, it could understand. Realizing its opponent was not going to cower in fear and die on its own, it responded in the only manner fitting one of its title.

A gigantic punch surged towards Zababa, tearing through the air at speeds much faster than it had ever shown to be possible. Physics were once again defied as it closed in on the goddess, intending to blow her head off with that one decisive strike.

However, it had greatly underestimated her. Her hand rose, and in a swift moved parried the fist to the side, throwing the Titan off balance. Each movement was much too fast for beings of their stature, and the earth shook with every small movement they made.

Yet the goddess cared not, and catching her opponent off guard, her right fist was launched towards the Titan. Unable to respond in time to her attack, it was struck head-on in the stomach. It screeched at the pain that it had not expected, and was promptly sent skidding back, tearing up everything below its giant feet.

Zababa beat her wings once, creating a torrent of wind that uprooted any structure not securely bolted to the ground. And then she charged, closing the distance to her opponent with an upraised fist. The Titan, still recoiling from the previous hit, could do nothing as the punch connected with its cheek with unbelievable force. It very nearly ripped its head off with just one strike. The tainted giant staggered back once again, crashing through the buildings beneath it.

"_You two! Keep it away from the city center! Take it down where you won't accidentally hit one of our own!" _Was Genjuro's command to the duo, hopeful they heard him.

Whether or not they did was unknown as they were busy focusing on the god of destruction before them. The Titan, now realizing that its opponent was no pushover, finally decided to take things seriously. It straightened itself and shrieked once more, and Zababa was more than ready to meet it.

In a rush of pure destruction, the Titan charged towards the mechanical goddess, quaking the earth with every heavy step. With its arms upraised, it closed the distance with a brutal tackle, trying to grab hold of her.

However Zababa raised her own arms to meet it, and the two's hands crashed into each other, sending destructive shockwaves through the city at large. Noise and beasts were tossed away like trash from the force, and the other Adaptors' were thrown off by the sudden blast of wind that nearly knocked them off their feet.

And so the two gigantic beings grappled with each other, trying to overcome the other. They pushed against each other with all their strength in an attempt to topple their opponent. Even though the Titan was bigger than its rival, Zababa was unrelenting. The duo within let out guttural shouts as they poured more power into her arms, pushing the Titan back.

In response, the Titan began to gather light in its mouth, deciding to try and blow the goddess away with its beam. Seeing what it was about to do, Zababa tried to disengage, but the Titan would not let her get away. It tightened its hold on her hands, keeping her locked and in the range of the destructive blast. Not willing to be blown away, the goddess reacted quickly and slammed her foot against the Titan's ankle, sweeping the leg under it.

The god of destruction buckled, its balance lost from her strike. Its grip on her right hand loosened just a tiny bit, and so the Zababa took the opportunity to retract her arm. The light continued to gather as the Titan kept its aim on her, so in a daring move she lashed out again. Her open palm struck its chin, slamming its mouth shut at the last possible second.

Unable to stop the light from firing, the Titan was helpless to react as it exploded inside its mouth. Smoke rose between its lips as its grip loosened, dazed from being struck by its own attack. Not letting the chance go unused, Zababa delivered a powerful front kick right to its stomach. Unbelievably, the Titan was lifted off the ground from the force, flying through the air despite its massive weight.

The Adaptors braced themselves as they saw the giant being come crashing down on the farther end of the city. Immediately a powerful earthquake shook Tokyo to the core, rumbling the ancient city's foundations. The streets cracked and folded, holes forming inside the city as the concrete and asphalt struggled to hold together under the massive stress.

Realizing her creation was being surpassed, Hibiki disengaged from her fight with Miku to fly towards the Titan to assist in its endeavors. Her brows furrowed in anger at the appearance of the guardian goddess.

But Miku wouldn't let her. Just as Hibiki was about to start teleporting away, her opponent's hand reached inside the smoke and roughly pulled her back. She followed up with a heavy strike from her fan that the corrupted Adaptor was forced to block.

"Tch—! You're being extra annoying, Miku!" Hibiki bit out through clenched teeth.

But the hope bearer was unshaken. "If you think you can get away from me, you're sadly mistaken! I'm not letting you escape! Your fight is with me!"

Hibiki clicked her tongue and righted herself in the air. "I'm getting tired of your denials, Miku!"

Forced back into battle with her main opponent, the corrupted Adaptor was not able to turn the tables on Zababa. The goddess made her way towards the fallen Titan, which screeched once more as it slowly rose to its feet, its hands and legs squishing Noise and beasts alike beneath them. As she walked, Zababa spread her hands to the sides, holding them out with her palms open.

In a flash of blinding green light, an emerald-coloured blade appeared in her left hand. Likewise, in a similar flash of red light, a ruby-coloured blade appeared in her right.

And so, the original Ig-Alima and Shul-Shagana manifested in her hands, and she closed her palms around the handles, dual-wielding her famous swords.

By the time the Titan had already gotten back to its feet, it barely managed to catch sight of the goddess swinging the green blade at it, and at the last possible second, it stepped back. Instead of gouging out its torso like she had intended, Ig-Alima only carved a shallow cut across the valley of its breasts.

Black smoke leaked out as the Titan shrieked once more, but this managed to remain steady on its feet, facing Zababa directly. It threw its head back and _roared _so loudly it blasted away the few clouds that had gathered in the sky. It _charged_ towards the goddess at a breakneck dash, its fist reared back to strike at her.

Seeing the blow coming, Zababa raised Shul-Shagana in the fist's path edge first, intending on eviscerating the limb. She held it lightly in her hand, expecting the obvious result.

Only for the two Adaptors in control of her form to be caught by surprise as the fist did not get sliced down the middle. The fist and blade clashed, sending oversized sparks in all directions. The recoil caused Zababa's arm to be violently forced back and staggered the goddess momentarily. Following up on its strike, the Titan attacked with its other fist, aiming for Zababa's head. Realizing her swords won't be able to cut into its limbs so easily, the two Adaptors forced the left arm to move, causing the punch to collide with Ig-Alima.

And so began an exchange of blows of titanic proportions. Fists as hard as diamonds crashed against the two blades repeatedly, denying Zababa of an opportunity to cut her opponent into pieces. However, neither was the Titan able to land a blow on the goddess, the emerald and ruby blurs in her hands crashing against it with all her might.

Taking advantage of the fact Zababa was pinned in place by the clash, the Titan once again gathered light in its mouth, understanding that she will not be able to stop it without allowing herself to be struck.

There was another moment of sudden surprise for the two Adaptors, but Kirika and Shirabe knew how to respond to its tactic. Slightly loosening her grip on Shul-Shagana, Zababa allowed the Titan's next blow to launch the blade from her grip. The ruby blade spun through the air and lodged itself on the far end of the city.

With her right hand now empty, and the Titan's fist extended forward towards her, the goddess grabbed hold of its wrist just before it could pull its arm back. Tightening her grip as much as possible, she pulled the Titan towards her with all the force she could muster, causing it to stumble forward awkwardly.

It kept its aim on her head as the light continued to coalesce, but having already taken into account the time it takes it to fire, Kirika and Shirabe acted quickly. Willing Zababa's leg to move, the goddess once again swept the Titan's feet from under it. Despite tumbling down to the ground on its side, it stubbornly kept its gaze locked on her head, unwilling to allow her to escape unscathed.

The light reached its peak. Realizing they won't be able to avoid taking damage, Shirabe and Kirika stepped to the side as much as they could just as the Titan fired. The beam screamed through the air, but luckily for them it only managed to glance the top of her head, melting through the crown of eagle wings and continuing on towards the sky.

The blast contained enough power, it reached escape velocity, piercing through the atmosphere in a straight line and out into space, consuming an entire satellite in its wake.

Kirika grimaced slightly, having felt the heat of the light coming too close for comfort to her position within Zababa's head. But with its last gambit having failed, and now down on the ground on its back, the Titan was helpless to react to anything else the goddess might have in store.

All of a sudden, the scene took on a much different turn. With Zababa upright with a sword in hand, she gazed down at her downed opponent with a hateful glare. She raised her one remaining sword Ig-Alima above her head with both hands, its light shining throughout the city and bathing the sky in an otherworldly dark green glow.

The battle had ended, and now was the time for the execution. With no time to respond to her strike, the Titan could only screech in defiance.

There was only minimal resistance. Ig-Alima came down, slicing through the air, and viciously cleaved through the Titan's neck with a single slash. It proceeded to crash into the concrete beneath and crater the ground in an explosion of rubble and black smoke.

A momentary silence fell between the two gigantic beings. With a forceful yank, Zababa tore Ig-Alima out, and the two Adaptors watched impassively as the Titan's severed head rolled to the side, confirming its death.

Genjuro took the opportunity to once again relay orders through their still functioning earpieces. "_That was fantastic, you two! A job very well done! I'd let you celebrate, but I must ask you two to see if you can close the hole it emerged from! We must stop the spread of the miasma as soon as possible!"_

Kirika and Shirabe once again did not verbally answer him. They merely looked towards each other and nodded, and turned around, leaving their slain opponent behind them. Zababa beat her wings, flapping them behind her rapidly as she rose into the air and proceeded to make her way to her new destination.

-!-

Maria leapt over the wreckage of the city, surprisingly finding herself free of pursuers as she headed to the point HQ indicated. She was quick to oblige their request seeing that Chris was doing fine on her own, despite her dubious state of mind. Maria herself knew that she should leave the area before she got caught in the crossfire, but now she had a mission to accomplish as well, putting her farther and farther away from her wild comrade.

Chris' overwhelming madness drew the enemy units to her like moths to a flame, clearing parts of the city completely and alleviating some of the burden on the Alca-Noise.

Still, for all the good it's doing, it's also dangerous, as she could lose her mind any second now and go completely berserk. But, HQ said to leave her be, and so Maria did as she was told; she was tired of just standing around and doing nothing after all.

And so she continued, studying the Noise and beasts that were scampering under her with a watchful eye as they charged towards Chris' location. Only one or two bothered to even glance her way, but even with her injury, a single opponent wasn't anything special and was easily defeated.

Removing her dagger from the chest of a black beast, Maria only had a second to wonder about the strange sound filling the air before she saw a _massive _winged form fly overhead, darkening the sky with its humongous shadow. Her widened eyes followed it as it soared, and she held on for dear life as it landed on two feet in front of the hole in reality.

It took her exactly two seconds to understand what was going on. "Shirabe... Kirika..."

Her two juniors were inside that thing, that she knew for a fact. She heard something from headquarters about them summoning some giant of their own, but she never imagined it would be a large mecha in the shape of a winged being.

She clenched her fist, concern filling her to the brim. Her worry was so great that she felt the instinct to just go to their side to check on them, even if they were piloting that thing right now. She just wanted to make sure they're fine, as she also knew that they had engaged the Titan in combat.

But if they were here now, that meant...

A small smile graced her face. "_You two... have really grown. Mom would be so proud...'_

She let out a breath, and turned back to her objective, continuing to leap around debris and cutting down any enemy that tried to get in her way.

Soon enough, she landed in an area close to the mall she usually frequented. The massive building was a mere shadow of its former self, having been destroyed during the battle a month ago. Now it was a smouldering crater, the Titan's light having blown the little that remained of it to smithereens. There were a few piled on blocks of concrete scattered all over the place, truly a representation of just how much everything was flattened.

As a result, Maria could not help but feel a tad bit pessimistic. Her mission was to inspect Saint-Germain's crash site and try and find anything solid about her state of being, as the sensors in headquarters couldn't make heads or tails of anything at the moment. The sheer amount of energy and power being thrown around scrambled them completely, and so a hands-on investigation was required.

If anything remained of the alchemist, then it probably was a pile of dust under one of the many mountains of rubble.

"If I'm already here, I might as well take a closer look," Maria said to herself. Jumping to conclusions won't help them in any way.

She walked slowly through the ruins, looking around, trying to catch a glimpse of anything in particular that stood out to her. She looked down into the crater where the mall once was, peering over the edge to its center. In the very middle of it, there was another pile of rubble, but to her, it seemed to be too small to ever have a full body hidden underneath it.

'_Maybe something did survive...'_

Deciding to investigate further, Maria slid down the side of the crater, letting the momentum carry her all the way to its center. Once there, she sheathed her dagger and carefully studied the pile, touching it cautiously. Seeing nothing was happening from her gentle touch, she used both hands to move the biggest piece out of the way, slowly but surely undoing the pile to reveal what was beneath it.

Which was nothing.

"Shouldn't have expected much..." She mumbled to herself.

She was hopeful for a moment, but her spirits fell at the lack of any solid findings. A lock of hair, the gun, heck maybe even a limb would be enough for her... but there was nothing, meaning that maybe she really was vaporized into atoms.

Sighing, Maria turned around and jumped, foregoing climbing the incline. Her back stung from the act, causing her to wince momentarily. It was less painful than before, but it was still bleeding a little bit. She didn't have any time to take care of it and as a result, it hampered her movements more than she would have liked.

She landed and instantly realized she was not alone.

Where did they come from she didn't know, but all of a sudden she found herself surrounded on all sides by a contingent of Noise and beasts. There were a lot more than she could count, the beasts at the least numbering in the several dozens while the Noise themselves were probably over two hundred.

She grimaced. While she knew she'd be able to take them all down at any other time, right now she was still injured, and therefore handicapped. Not only that, they were all powered up.

Which was very, very bad for her. She had banked on them ignoring her completely, but her luck seemed to have run out.

And now she was alone, separated from her allies.

She could try and face them, but then she'd eventually get overwhelmed, that much she knew. Escape was the only option... but how viable was it? Would she be able to make it out?

She unsheathed her dagger, holding it before her in a reverse grip as her eyes darted to and fro between the enemy units.

A single beast at the front of the formation roared.

And all at once the tidal wave came crashing down on her, the army rushing towards her from all directions simultaneously. She gripped her dagger tighter and held her ground, ready for the clash.

Only for a gunshot to ring out and blow away a significant portion of the Noise right in front of her. Taking the opportunity, she charged through the opening, avoiding them just as they crashed into each other where she had previously stood. Now behind the formation, she took the chance to glance in the direction the shot had come from.

And smiled.

-!-

_(Play: Bipolar Nightmare - Nier Automata OST)_

Zababa landed a small distance away from the giant hole in reality with a crash, shaking the earth beneath her. She stared into the open void, watching carefully as the black smoke continued to leak from within it. The inside was such a deep pitch black that the two Adaptors weren't sure there was even an inside at all, despite it apparently connecting to the Treasury of Babylon.

However, that did not matter in any shape or form. Dismissing Ig-Alima from her hand, the goddess walked towards it, the swirling darkness making no motion to try and stop her on its own.

But then something struck her from the front, causing her to stumble backwards slightly. Regaining their bearings, Shirabe and Kirika stared ahead to see what it was that knocked them off balance.

"You really think I'd let you get away with this?" Hibiki said, floating in front of Zababa's face with her spear in hand. "Get real, you two."

They glared at her, instinctively desiring to strike out against the corrupted Adaptor.

But they knew it would be a waste of time because someone else was already on her way to intercept her.

Miku crashed into Hibiki from the side, once again forcing her attention back to her. The two flew through the air and out of Zababa's path, and the two pilots glanced towards Miku's direction, silently wishing her good luck.

With that particular obstacle out of the way, the goddess once again approached the hole. She raised her arms and grasped at the edges of it that separated it from the space around it as if she were holding some gigantic incorporeal door.

Phonic gain increased once again as Shirabe and Kirika poured more power into their giant construct, and Zababa began to pull the two edges together. There was no visible expression on her face, but within her, the two Adaptors grit their teeth at the effort.

Zababa's arms shook, and sparks flew in all directions as she struggled to close the hole by force, and it was at that moment they felt something strike at Zababa's feet. Looking down, Shirabe saw as various Noise and beasts were starting to claw and strike against the foot, trying to topple the goddess over.

"**Useless."**

With a simple movement, the enemies were sent flying through the air. Focusing back on the hole, Zababa resumed her endeavor. The black void was resisting her attempts to seal it shut, but they could see how it was slowly becoming smaller as Zababa's hands came closer and closer together.

"**With this—!"**

And then the warning came.

"_INCOMING FROM YOUR LEFT!"_

Instinctively turning Zababa's head to the left, Shirabe and Kirika caught sight of what was being referred to only when it was already too late.

They weren't sure how they didn't hear it coming, but they had no time to be surprised as the Titan suddenly tackled Zababa, tearing her away from her attempts to close the hole. The goddess was lifted off her feet, and due to the momentum from its leap, the two giant beings flew through the air, the Titan growling all the while.

They finally crashed into Tokyo Harbor, throwing huge amounts of water into the air and creating waves that washed away anything that was too close to the shore. The bay was like a small puddle to the two giants due to their size, and having been caught by surprise, Zababa found herself pinned down right under the Titan. It screeched right in her face in a tone the two Adaptors could swear was mocking.

And insanely enough, their opponent had straddled the goddess, locking her in place and rendering her unable to move. Striking faster than they could react, the Titan smashed its fist into her face, causing the two Adaptors within to groan as their cockpits shook violently from the blow.

Then came another punch from the left. The duo screamed as they were rocked from side to side, trying to keep hold of themselves lest they'd be flung all over the small space they inhabited.

Then another from the right. The Titan kept on delivering hard blows to Zababa's head, disorienting the two Adaptors more with every punch. The metal skin groaned and screeched as it resisted the god of destruction's fists, yet even it had a maximum limit of what it could withstand.

The area around the goddess's right temple slightly buckled inwards, causing Shirabe's cockpit to suddenly decrease in size as it nearly crushed her within it. Sparks flew about her, causing her to yell and scream in pain.

In a panic, Kirika lashed out with Zababa's left hand, stopping another punch from connecting. She grit her teeth as she held back the fist, but with another roar, the Titan raised its free hand to strike at where Shirabe resided once more.

Only to be shocked as a group of six missiles collided with its back, exploding upon impact and raising massive fireballs into the sky. Caught unawares, the Titan was thrown off by the unexpected barrage and shrieked in pain, abandoning its attempts at striking Zababa.

"_PREPARE THE SECOND VOLLEY! FIRE ON MY MARK!"_

Genjuro's support fire proved to be highly effective. Taking the chance while it was dazed, Zababa shoved the Titan off her with her now free right arm. It fell into the bay on its side, and she rolled away from it so it would not try it again.

Regaining its composure, the Titan attempted to lunge at the goddess again. Just before it could the second volley Genjuro launched impacted its head, eliciting another painful shriek from it.

"_YOU TWO, GO! THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!"_

Not bothering to even try and argue, Zababa rose to her feet and immediately dashed towards the hole, not caring for the destruction she left in her wake. Reaching it quickly, she resumed her attempts at closing it, this time the two Adaptors putting out more force than before. Shirabe breathed heavily, still recoiling from the earlier pain, but pushed it aside to concentrate on her objective.

The opening had regained its earlier size while they were occupied, so they had to start all over again. It once again resisted their attempts, Zababa's arms shaking wildly at the reactive force. This time, however, they found much more success, and the hole closed more and more with each push they gave it.

But the Titan was not done just yet. Having shaken off the confusion caused by the missile fire, it caught sight of its opponent and immediately began to gather light in its mouth once again. It rose to its feet as it did so, and ran towards the defenseless goddess.

Due to their efforts, Shirabe and Kirika did not have enough time to move out of the way of its attack, having been too focused on closing the hole.

But they had no need to.

Something once again exploded, but this time nothing struck or crashed against it. No, just as it was about to step with its left foot, the entire area of its ankle suddenly erupted in a ball of fire, severing the foot at the base.

The sudden loss of balance and friction with the ground caused the Titan to trip, falling on its side. Just then the light fired, and it missed the goddess by a wide margin, streaking through the air and colliding with a faraway hill.

Before they could even try and ask who had assisted them, a voice they thought they'd never hear again rose above everything in their ears.

"_DO IT NOW! FINISH THE JOB!"_

The two could not contain their shocks. A small screen appeared on each of their displays, showing exactly where the voice was coming from.

"_THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE!" _Saint-Germain screamed. "_TAKE ADVANTAGE AND SEIZE VICTORY!"_

They could tell she was forcing it, considering her current state. She had miraculously survived, that they noticed, but not without injury. Blood leaked from everywhere, covering her hair, head, face, chest, stomach, legs, and arms. She was in an incredibly bad shape, her Faust Robe barely holding itself together. What's more, they could see she was pressed against several solid blocks of steel and concrete, and was unable to walk at all.

Her arm still worked, but they could see how her hand shook as she held her gun upraised, having used it to detonate the tiny caliber she had planted inside the Titan's ankle. Her arm fell to her side, no longer having any strength to keep the gun raised. Yet she still looked up straight at them, and the two could feel her gaze bore into them.

She trusted them to get it done. She put her life on the line to save them, and even after she was injured and left broken and bleeding she still managed to get them out of a pinch in the last second.

Shirabe and Kirika clenched their fists tight, and smiled. Turning back to the hole before them, there was no longer anything outstanding enough to get in their way. With Hibiki far too preoccupied with Miku to stop them, and the Titan now unable to stand, they were now free to close the hole.

With reinvigorated passion, the two in unison yelled out a mighty roar, and for the first time Zababa's mouth moved from its neutral expression to one of pure determination. Fighting against the unnatural forces of the void, Zababa's arms rattled continuously, yet she overcame that hardship and channeled even more power into her hands.

And so, slowly but surely, the hole in reality began to close. The black smoke continued to pour out as much as it could, but now with its path starting to shrink it was funneled and reduced as a result.

The Titan, unwilling to allow such a thing to occur, crawled towards Zababa, dragging the earth beneath it along its path. It was not too far from her, and so was able to clamp its hand around her leg, trying to throw her off balance.

But just one hand wasn't enough. Realizing what it was trying to do, the goddess planted her feet and poured more power into her arms, trying to close that final distance. The Titan shrieked and grabbed her other leg as well, and anchoring its remaining foot pulled on her with incredible force. Shirabe and Kirika felt Zababa's feet being dragged under them despite all their efforts, but choosing to focus on the hole, they continued the massive undertaking.

In response, the Titan tried to fire its beam once again, angling its head upwards to aim at Zababa's back. However, having anticipated the move, S.O.N.G HQ had already launched another volley of missiles. Before it could gather enough power to fire, the Titan was struck again, the explosions consuming it in their fire. With the grip on her legs now loosened, there was nothing left to try and interrupt her.

And so, with one final monumental push, Shirabe and Kirika roared loudly. Zababa herself joined in on the chorus, and together, the three finally finished the job. With a sound not unlike thunder, Zababa slammed her hands together, the dark void finally disappearing from the world in an explosion of black smoke and dust. Recoiling from the follow-up shockwave, the goddess staggered forward uneasily and promptly fell to her knees, exhausted from her ordeal.

-!-

Genjuro pumped his fist. "Yes! They did it!"

A victory. They finally managed to turn the tables on the enemy and deprive them of a very important strategic advantage. With the hole closed, no more miasma and potentially no more enemy units could come through it, thus making their only targets the ones already existing in the city.

It was still a lot, but they now had a finite number they could keep track of. And with the other holes throughout the world already having closed the moment they appeared, there were no more pathways to the Treasury that were currently available for Hibiki to use, unless she decided to open another.

Which Miku wouldn't let her do, that was for sure.

And as an icing on the cake, Saint-Germain was still alive, even if she was heavily injured.

All in all, things were looking... better, so to say. Tsubasa was still engaged in battle with Kanade, and it seemed to be pretty even at the moment from his perspective. The only troublesome one was Chris, who was still ripping the enemy units to shreds; she was still slowly going berserk, but he hoped that with the miasma gone, it will—

"It's not quite over yet," Adam suddenly interjected. "I know what you're thinking, but we cannot celebrate just yet."

"He's right. The miasma is still in the air all over the city; it's not gone just yet. We only managed to stop anymore of it from flowing in," Elfnein added in.

"I'm well aware," Genjuro responded. "But we'll take what we got. This should lighten our load considerably, and Shirabe-kun and Kirika-kun can focus on taking down that giant."

It was just pure fighting from here on out. All they had to do was overcome their opponents and that'll be the end of it.

But still... his intuition told him that something was going to catch them by surprise yet again.

What could it be, he had no way to know... but for now, they had to stay on guard.

-!-

The dust cleared as Hibiki rose back to her feet. She clicked her tongue as she noticed Zababa successfully seal the breach in reality, then hurriedly turned to look back at Miku, who floated in the air above her a small distance away.

"That wasn't very nice, Miku. Now I have to do that all over again."

"You're not going to be doing anything," Miku responded coldly. "I'm done asking. I'm _taking _Hibiki back from you, _demon,_ and you can't do anything to stop me."

"And you just keep going on about that, aren't you Miku?" Hibiki answered back with a frown. "You're really hurting me by saying that you know, calling me a demon. I thought you of all people wouldn't do that, after everything we've been through together."

Miku narrowed her eyes, not at all swayed by her words. All she could hear in her mind was how this _thing _wearing Hibiki's skin was attempting to confuse her and get her to drop her guard.

But she wasn't going to be deceived again. Never again.

"I've been through things with _Hibiki, _not _you._ You're just pretending to be her and trying to get in my head. I'm not falling for your tricks again, no matter what you do. You can't change my mind about that."

They stared at each other across the small distance, not saying a word in response. The only sound that filled the air was Zababa falling to her knees behind them, throwing up dust and dirt in the air and causing the two's hair to flutter in the wind.

Hibiki's demeanor, having been nothing short of arrogant and disturbing until now, suddenly took a strange turn.

Gone was the shit-eating grin that came with the overwhelming power she wielded and further twisted by the curses that muddled her mind. Gone was the high and mighty attitude that looked down on them all like bugs to be played with and then squashed underfoot.

No, Miku saw it with her own two eyes. The moment the black flame gained a furious tinge in it, and the chaotic storm of colors that covered her frame. She could feel in her mind how the curses spread more, as if trying to exert more influence on their host.

And yet, they still tried to manipulate her and her emotions. "So even you would just mark me as a killer, is that it?" Hibiki murmured, her head downcast. "Even you... even you would look at me with those eyes?"

It was a tone laced with what Miku assumed was sadness, but she refused to believe it. After everything the demon pulled so far, she wasn't willing to surrender to emotion.

"I thought... I thought you of all people would never deny me. I thought you of all people would always support me."

Her hands clenched tightly.

"You really... you really turned against me didn't you, Miku? You really... you really want to be just like everyone else."

Despite being resolved to not be swayed, Miku found herself taken aback and confused regardless. The manner with which the demon was speaking... the way it was presenting its words...

No. She wouldn't fall for it. It was trying to trick her, that's all.

There's nothing else it could be. She had a clear enemy to defeat and she would tear through everything in her way to get to it.

She would get to what waited on the other side, no matter what she had to sacrifice in the process.

Even her own self.

"Fine then," Hibiki said, raising her head. "If that's how you want it Miku, then fine. I'm done playing around. If you're going to deny my right to exist... then I will deny yours too."

Miku's eyes widened at the bold statement. Hibiki continued, uncaring for her opponent's surprise. "I didn't want to hurt you Miku, but you're giving me no choice now."

And the black flame exploded upwards, creating typhoon winds that nearly blew Miku away. She raised her arms to cover her eyes, feeling them stinging from the sheer power of the wind. She felt her mind shake as her concept screamed and raged at the strengthening of its nemesis, and her Symphogear felt as though it was shaking from the exposure.

"**The hell I went through... I'll make you understand every single second of it."**


	30. Chapter 30: Cursed by You

_(Play: Song of the Ancients - Nier Automata OST)_

A barrage of silver daggers burst forward, impacting the Noise and the beasts as they tried to approach. Having decided to go on the defensive due to the alchemist's current state, Maria continuously held back the horde closing in on them. However, her efforts yielded very few results, as they kept on coming in droves despite her attempts to bottleneck them through a narrow path between two collapsed structures.

Behind her, Saint-Germain lay propped up against a crumbled wall, her entire frame bleeding, bruised, and broken. She let out hackneyed breaths as she tried to stabilize her condition, unwilling to die due to blood loss just yet. She had already suffered such injuries in the past, so something like this should be nothing new to her.

It was still very unpleasant though. But unlike before, this time she was not alone.

"We... we must retreat," the alchemist breathed out just loud enough for Maria to hear her above the chaos. "We must... regain our bearings... Find a more strategic location to defend..."

They were sitting ducks in this open area. It was only a matter of time until Maria would get surrounded again and be overwhelmed.

Acknowledging Saint-Germain's suggestion, Maria threw one last barrage of daggers at the enemy units, then immediately backpedaled. Hurriedly dismissing her weapons, she bent down and picked up the alchemist with two hands, immediately jumping away just as several beasts crashed upon their location.

They soared through the skies as Maria continuously leapt away. Weakly raising her gun behind the Adaptor's back, Saint-Germain fired repeatedly, attempting to shoot down any pursuers haphazardly. Her arm screamed in pain from every bit of recoil the gun caused, but she grit her teeth as she continued.

"Don't push yourself!" Maria yelled. "You need to focus on healing yourself! You can do that, can't you?"

"Yes," the alchemist answered weakly. "But it will... take time, and I don't know how long. I also need to... concentrate while doing so. It's... a difficult process..."

"Damn," Maria bit out, landing atop a pile of rubble and immediately jumping away again. "Alright, I'll try to buy you as much time as I can. I just wish I didn't have this injury..."

Maria nearly yelped in surprise as Saint-Germain stopped firing and suddenly put her hand on her back. She felt a sharp pain run up her spine, nearly causing her to stumble upon the next landing. "What are you doing?!"

"Keep on retreating," the alchemist merely said, focusing on channeling her energy. "I will... heal your wound to the best of my ability... we can't... have something like this slow us down..."

"What... but what about you?! You need to take care of yourself first!"

"There is no point... in doing so now. It is more important... to get you back to full fighting shape beforehand... It will be meaningless to focus on myself... if your injury causes you to fall..." Saint-Germain murmured, pouring more energy into her healing spell.

Maria felt as the aching on her back began to dissipate, the constant itchy sensation fading little by little. Whatever it was Saint-Germain was doing, it was definitely helpful. She already began to see results as the next leap was much higher and farther than before, finally putting more distance away from the chasing enemy units.

'_Where can we go? What will be a good place to bunker down in?'_

As if reading her thoughts, the alchemist spoke up as she continued healing her. "The harbor... will be a good place to defend... the enemy can't... enter a body of water... so we can at least... keep our backs safe as we hold them off... we can request for additional support... from H.Q while we're there..."

Maria grit her teeth. Saint-Germain made a good point, and one she was quick to start implementing... but that wasn't what she was focused on at the moment. No, what bothered her was the fact that she seemed to be getting weaker as if the healing process was putting an even bigger burden on her than before. Her words were spoken with more pauses in between them, clearly showing to Maria just how much she was struggling.

Taking a sharp left from where they were, Maria headed towards their new destination. "Commander, do you hear me?!"

"_Loud and clear, Maria-kun! We've heard Saint-Germain's request and we'll do our utmost to assist you! We will provide you with all the help we can!"_

"Good... that's good, thank you."

That took care of that. Now to just get there in one piece.

The Noise and beasts from earlier, as well as many new ones, were still hot on their heels in the chase. With the wound no longer as bothersome, Maria managed to successfully evade them and get away from their attacks, without any significant close calls.

The final bit of pain that rose from her back vanished, and Saint-Germain's hand slid off of her comrade's back, hanging limply behind her. Noticing the sudden silence that fell upon the alchemist, Maria called out to her in a panic. "Saint-Germain?! Are you alright?! Saint-Germain!"

Stirring slightly from her words, the silver-haired woman spoke up weakly. "I'm... fine... focus... on... getting us... to the designated... area... once... we're there... I'll rest... a bit... my... apologies..."

"You can apologize later! Get a hold on yourself! We still need you!"

"I... won't die... so easily... I... will trust that you... will defend me... until I can... assist you... again..."

Maria was taken aback by her words but nonetheless found herself smiling. "I see, then I won't let you down. It's the least I can do to thank you."

It was Saint-Germain's turn to be surprised. "Thank... me? I... haven't done... anything worth... being thanked for..."

"You helped those two," Maria answered. "And you saved them, time and time again, without caring what happened to yourself in the process."

"I... only... did so... because they are... more valuable... than me... in the larger picture... we cannot afford... to lose even one... of the Symphogears... while I'm more... expendable... you need not... worry about... me..."

Maria couldn't find a way to respond to the alchemist. Before she could dwell on the thought further, Saint-Germain suddenly yanked on her arm to the left. She was moved out of the way just as a Flying Noise tore through the space they had occupied just a second before.

Maria landed, and her eyes widened as the beasts converged on her location instantly. Forcing all the strength she could into her legs, she jumped above them all just as they struck. She groaned at the near miss, gritting her teeth as she continuously avoided their attacks.

Before long, she reached the entrance of the harbor, the area still in the same state it had been when Chris had defended it. The concrete floor was wet now too, having been flooded completely during the giants' altercation.

'_Almost there.'_

She had no real manner in which to funnel or curb the advance of the enemy units. They would tear through buildings like they didn't even matter, so trying to somehow stop them in their tracks wouldn't give her any sort of advantage. An open space with their backs to the sea would be the most effective way for her to deal with the invaders, as they wouldn't be able to get the drop on her and she'd have vision of all the ones coming towards her. It was less than optimal, but it was the only choice she had at the moment.

"_MARIA-KUN! INCOMING!"_

Genjuro's warning came barely a second after she heard a loud whooshing sound over her head. Immediately understanding what it was, Maria charged forward as fast as she could, leaving the enemy units in the dust in her wake. Just before they could try and close the distance, a missile impacted the middle of their formation.

It exploded mightily, a large fireball rising into the sky as the invaders were mercilessly slaughtered, the concussive force blowing them to smithereens. However, Maria was unable to completely avoid the follow-up shockwave and braced herself as much as she could.

But then a barrier came to life between her and the blast zone, stopping all debris and force from sweeping her off her feet.

"Saint-Germain! You can't!"

"There... is... no... time to waste..." the alchemist bit out through clenched teeth, her arm raised behind the Symphogear Adaptor, the shield she had conjured wavering and shimmering in the air due to her lack of power. "You must..."

The arm dropped, exhaustion settling in on the woman. The barrier fell soon afterwards, having fulfilled its purpose of protecting the duo.

"Saint-Germain?!" Maria exclaimed in alarm, noticing the rapid degradation of the alchemist's state. The silver-haired woman gave no reply, her response coming out as quickened breaths, her power having reached dangerous new lows. "Damn it!"

It was out of the question to expect HQ to retrieve her now. With the Noise right on their doorstep, the submarine would get attacked instantly the moment it would surface, and so Maria found that she had no way to help the alchemist.

She swallowed down her concern as she heard the beasts growl behind the wall of fire the missile had brought with it. She took the opportunity to carefully lay Saint-Germain down, placing her back against one of the few remaining pieces of the railing that remained in the harbor.

Now that she got a good look at her, she could finally see just how badly she was injured. She was bleeding from everywhere and her energy reserves were extremely low, putting her in a life-threatening situation. Without said energy to help her recover her wounds, the only thing keeping her alive right now was the very broken Faust Robe barely covering her body completely.

'_Just surviving must have been a miracle,' _Maria commented to herself.

She turned around, facing the beasts and the Noise that have started to come through the barrier of flames. Once again equipping her dagger, she furrowed her brows as she prepared for their charge.

But just before that, she spoke up once more. "Saint-Germain... whatever you do, never think you are expendable. I dare say... that we can say we are friends now. And friends... are never expendable."

And she met their charge with one of her own, a defiant roar tearing its way out of her throat.

The dazed alchemist angled her head towards the chaos, her vision blurry and her mind muddled. And yet, she had heard her words.

'_Friends...?'_

Two smiling faces rose up in her mind, waving to her from a distance. Joining them was a stubborn woman with short blue hair, sitting by her side.

'_I... see...'_

A warm feeling began to fill her heart, a feeling that she had not felt in a very long time. Unwilling to let it dissipate just yet, she kept a hold on her consciousness, focusing on restoring her strength. She may be defeated, but she was not gone just yet.

'_So this... is what I've been missing... wasn't it, Cagliostro... Prelati...'_

And holding onto that feeling, she anchored herself to the mortal plane, watching with bated breath as Maria fought against evil.

-!-

_(Play: Dark Skies - Metal Gear Rising OST)_

Kanade's feet dragged across the asphalt as she was pushed back again. Following up on her attack, Tsubasa closed the distance to her in an instant, her sword impacting against the raised spear again and again.

"Much better Tsubasa! Much much better!" The redhead exclaimed. The fight really had it ups and downs, what with Tsubasa's resolve wavering here and there. But now, Kanade was sure that her former partner finally got herself together completely.

Tsubasa may have not noticed it herself, but Kanade did: the way the corner of her mouth upturned into what seemed like a smile when the hole in reality was closed. When that happened, their fight had paused for a short moment to marvel at the duo's success, but quickly got back to their own fight, now on a new level of intensity.

And Kanade immediately found herself with a slew of new wounds along with it.

Kanade thrust forward, forcing Tsubasa back and away from her range. Going on the offensive, she charged, bringing down the spear down on the blue-haired idol.

But Tsubasa blocked it magnificently. Flipping over, she deflected the spear away with the blades on her feet, and now with her hands on the ground, she spun, cleaving her way through the air towards her former partner.

'_**REVERSE RAKSHASA'**_

Kanade knew the innate danger this technique posed, and so immediately jumped away from its range. However, Tsubasa was relentless, her legs spinning rapidly as she made her way to Kanade. It was faster and stronger than ever, and the swordswoman was sure of its power. It was incredibly basic, yet it proved its worth to her time and time again.

It only had two real weaknesses, both of which she knew how to cover perfectly.

But Kanade also knew what they were, and so knew for a fact that Tsubasa would take them into account and try to lure her into a trap.

There was something akin to a mind game between the two fighters at that moment. Tsubasa closed in on her former partner at blinding speeds, and Kanade was initially stumped at how to respond to it.

So she answered in the most blatant and insane way she could: she charged right in.

There was a look of total shock on Tsubasa's face as Kanade entered the range of her technique. With her legs spinning so quickly, there would be no doubt Kanade would get eviscerated instantly upon contact.

But the redhead had other plans. Putting her spear in the path of Tsubasa's legs, a loud crash rang through the area as the spear exploded into a thousand pieces from the sheer force behind Tsubasa's strike. With the physical barrier between them destroyed, there was nothing now to the idol from achieving her victory.

Until the moment she had to vocally gasp as with nothing but her hand, Kanade put a stop to the spin. Her armoured hand grasped Tsubasa's lower leg just below the calf, ending the technique in an instant due to its massive drop in speed due to destroying the spear.

The redhead smiled, and with a strong heave threw Tsubasa into the air. The blue-haired idol spun wildly, taken by complete surprise. Deciding to take advantage of her confusion, Kanade jumped up to follow her, materializing another spear in her hand to strike true.

But Tsubasa was not defeated just yet. Twisting in midair, she managed to deflect the blow by throwing her sword at the spear, causing it to be thrown off course. With her gambit having failed, Kanade was repulsed and fell back down to the ground, Tsubasa following right after. Seeing the opening, Kanade rushed in, intending to cut her down as she was coming down.

Only to be caught by surprise as Tsubasa managed to avoid the fatal strike with expert maneuverability, weaving around the powerful slash and landing back on her hands, the blow having only managed to cut a tiny bit of the tip of her ponytail. Before Kanade could pull back the spear, Tsubasa leapt and flipped forward, rising above Kanade momentarily with one leg higher than the other in position to deliver a powerful axe kick to her head.

And so she swung her spear in a wide arc above her, intent on slicing her former partner in half.

At that moment...

There was a loud crash as once again her spear was repulsed, and she could only stare with wide eyes at what had done the deed.

It was so crazy she was amazed Tsubasa had managed to think it up on her own. At the moment she was about to hit her, the sword she had previously thrown came back down and instantly connected to her heel. It turned her previously insane maneuver into one that caught the redhead off guard. Sent staggering back from the blow, she was unable to completely avoid the following barrage of strikes that Tsubasa sent her way.

Her opponent landed back on the ground with the empty foot. With the one that had the sword connected at the heel, she struck rapidly, her leg a blur as a storm of wild cuts made their way towards Kanade. She barely managed to raise her spear as a shield in time to block the majority, but still many of them grazed her sides, carving more injuries into her fake flesh.

"K-kuh—" she let out, held down by the hurricane strikes. She tried to retreat away from their range, but Tsubasa followed her, hopping on her one leg to close the distance Kanade managed to put between them. "That's... pretty good, Tsubasa. Which one of the old man's movies did you watch to think this up?"

Tsubasa smirked in response, and she spoke up, her voice rising above the noise. "None at all! Uncle's hobbies..."

Planting her one foot forcefully against the ground, she finished off her combo with a powerful lunge. "Are not to my tastes!"

The sword pierced through the spear's red core, shattering the relic gem into a million pieces. Kanade was thrown back, once again skidding across the ground to the other end of the street. Tsubasa raised her leg, and the sword disconnected from it, falling back into her awaiting hand. With her offensive finished, she stood steadfast before her former partner, a small smile gracing her face.

She watched as Kanade lowered the spear and studied its destroyed core carefully, clicking her tongue. "Oh man, that's gonna suck."

"Hm? What's wrong Kanade? You can't tell me you've lost the will to fight," Tsubasa responded, finding her question slightly ironic considering what had happened in their fight so far.

Kanade laughed. "Nah, not that. It's just that this spear won't work so well with the core gone y'know? Can't do much with it like this. Gonna need to make a new one."

Tsubasa blinked and looked curiously as Kanade smashed the spear against the ground. The Armed Gear exploded into shards that quickly dissipated, leaving her unarmed. Tsubasa briefly thought of taking advantage of the opening but threw that thought way as Kanade immediately materialized a new one in her hand, its core in one piece.

"That's much better!" She exclaimed. She entered her stance, facing Tsubasa head-on. "But wow Tsubasa, I'm getting more and more impressed and excited every minute! You come up with the most insane stuff, I gotta admit."

"Only as insane as you would have made them," Tsubasa grinned.

"Pfft, copycat," Kanade said with a laugh. "Alright, then let's keep going!"

And the clash renewed.

-!-

_(Play: Welcome to Hell - DOOM 2016 OST)_

A graveyard.

That was what the very heart of the battlefield could be called at the moment.

Noise and beasts swarmed in from virtually all sides. Left, right, up, down. No matter where one would look, they blocked out the light of the moon entirely, their sheer number so overwhelming it could not possibly be comprehended. Even with the pathway to their dimension having been closed, it did not stop their onslaught nor did it weaken them in any manner.

And yet, they still came upon an obstacle. A major one, in fact, in the form of one Yukine Chris. Clad in the Cursed Eden form of Ichaival, the Ichaival Adaptor was a one-woman army, her power so ridiculous the only true match for it was Hibiki herself.

However, she couldn't care less about her right now.

She had prey to hunt right in front of her, and she would cut them all down until not even one remained, and their bodies littered the giant courtyard to its entirety. With every second another was added to the mix as Chris blew them away with the full might of her completely overpowered arsenal.

The chaingun she had used to mow them down earlier was replaced by something that packed a bit more of a punch. It could only be described as a laser cannon, and she held it with both hands faced towards the oncoming wave of enemy units. They were incredibly numerous, but in the face of her assault, they were simply sheep to be slaughtered.

The cannon fired, and a teal-coloured beam of light erupted from its tip. It instantly blew through and away all the Noise and beasts it was aimed at, the blast penetrating through them like a paper door. Noise parts and black smoke rained down on her in droves, and she licked her lips in anticipation.

They growled, shrieked, and scuttled towards her in a mad rush. Yet she continued onwards, unabated and unconcerned by their attacks and simply continued to blow through them with her increasingly more devastating weapons. They couldn't even close the distance, much less land a strike. Now that she was no longer held down by the need to defend anything, she was free to go as wild as she desired.

She fired again, and once more tore a clean hole through their disgrace of a formation. In an attempt to blindside her, Flying Noise dove down on her from above by the hundreds, trying to put a stop to her rampage.

But then the compartments on her hips opened up without her even needing to do anything. From within them, a barrage of missiles and bullets shot outwards at supersonic speeds, putting a stop to the Flying Noise' charge before it could even truly begin.

No blind spots from any direction. The looming form of a Giant Noise reached out towards her from behind, and her response was to twist on her heel, avoiding its claw grip entirely. Before it could pull back to try again, or even attempt to escape, its life ended when another beam of light tore through it and eviscerated its bottom half completely.

And then a beast finally managed to make it all the way to her in her momentary lack of focus. Or at least, that's what the beast thought. Its claw screamed through the air towards her back, intending on piercing through her with one blow.

But then its folly was made apparent.

It clanged off. The claw that was previously shown to be able to injure an Adaptor simply clanged off Chris' back as if it was made of steel, the dark patches covering it completely negating its strike. There was far more of the black covering than before, and now much of the naked skin had already melded with the rest of the Symphogear.

And the change in her demeanor was apparent as well.

Chris could only see one thing now. Only one thing was on her mind, everything else having fled the coils of her reason with every blackened spot that appeared on her skin. The beast did not even have time to be surprised before the gigantic laser cannon smashed into its frame from above, squishing it like tofu due to its massive weight. Black dust filled the air, and Chris breathed in, the cursed air flowing into her lungs.

There was a small moment of silence between the girl and the army around her.

And then she _roared,_ the sound of her voice quaking the air around her. The Noise and the beasts stumbled from the intensity of the soundwaves, the bellow of pure destruction disorienting them completely.

She planted a single foot forward and tossed the laser cannon aside.

In her hands, _something _appeared. From what those in H.Q could tell, it vaguely looked like a gun. It had a trigger and a barrel, but it was so ridiculous bulky it could barely even be called that. Otherworldly green light shone at its very center, and Chris aimed it right at the center of the enemies' formation.

The barrel shone with an emerald light, and Chris howled.

"**EAT THIS, MOTHERFUCKERS!"**

And fired.

'_**DOOM SLAYER'**_

A large green orb of energy erupted from the weapon's barrel. Almost immediately, all the Noise and beasts surrounding her were blown to smithereens as it passed next to them, green jets of electricity swinging out and striking everything they could touch. The superheated core continued onwards, its path of destruction unstoppable. Every enemy it touched with its tendrils of lightning exploded into a shower of guts and dust that left none standing.

Like a second sun in the night, it barreled through everything it came into contact with. It proceeded to detonate upon striking a crumbled wall at the other end of the courtyard, vaporizing everything that was in its area of influence.

A quintessential red carpet was spread out before Chris from the aftermath of her attack, the remains of the enemies she downed spread out before her. Their entire eastern flank had been completely annihilated, leaving one of her sides free completely of enemy attacks.

Then, she _turned around_. Unwilling to let her fire again, the Noise and beasts charged with reckless abandon.

But they were too late.

A second emerald orb exploded towards them, and they like the rest were reduced to atoms. This time, it continued its travel through the air and towards the open sea, and Chris flashed a savage grin as her view of the ocean was once more unobstructed. The green orb eventually popped out of existence on its own, as its supply of enemies to kill had been reduced to nothing.

The giant weapon whirred, as if it was relishing in the mayhem it was causing. Steam and energy escaped its frame as it seemed to _breathe_ in line with its wielder, and both were thirsty for more.

More destruction. More killing. Exterminate everything without end, until nothing remained.

The blackness continued to spread, now covering part of her face. Her previously purple eyes now shining with a deranged red hue, she pointed her weapon towards the next cluster of enemies.

And with a roar, fired again.

-!-

"Are you okay, Kiri-chan?" Shirabe asked her partner. It took a moment for her partner to respond, but soon enough her face graced Shirabe's display as she answered.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she reassured. Just for a tiny moment their insurmountable union had been broken following their forceful closure of the hole in reality, and will definitely return in due time. For now, they were checking on each other, making sure they were both alive and well. "We did good, but we're not done yet."

"Yes," Shirabe responded, her eyes narrowing. After all...

Their enemy was still very much alive.

In the time it took the two Adaptors to regain their composure and will Zababa back to her feet, the Titan had done so as well. Its destroyed foot had regenerated, and it had shaken off the distraction caused by the missiles. Zababa turned around, staring at her opponent with the same even and expressionless face as before. With her primary objective complete, there was only one thing left to do.

Take the Titan down.

It screeched loudly once again, intimating its humiliation of defeat at her hands. Wordlessly, Zababa summoned her blades again, and they shone with the same ruby and emerald light. She charged in, swirling the air as her giant frame passed through, and she swung Shul-Shagana in a massive horizontal cleave.

The Titan responded by smashing its fist against its edge, careening it off course. Not stopping her assault, she repeated the action again with Ig-Alima, and once more the Titan deflected it away. But despite its blocks, it still found itself being pushed back by her mighty strikes, holding back her swings with careful accuracy as to not let her blades cut into it again.

The two Adaptors knew for a fact that nothing short of total dismemberment will be enough to take the Titan down. They had cut off its head and it still managed to come back, so the only solution was to erase it so completely not even the black smoke remained.

But how were they going to do that? Unfortunately for Kirika and Shirabe, they currently did not have anything so magnificent and overwhelming. Neither of the two Adaptors sported any sort of technique that could blow away opponents to kingdom come. They relied on their lightning-fast reflexes and bag of tricks to take down their targets. They didn't have a convenient super blast of energy to solve all their problems, and that very same design flaw transferred over to Zababa as well.

So it came down to basically one thing: keep it at bay until Miku achieved victory, which shouldn't be too hard considering they currently have the upper hand. The two giant beings' strength was very nearly evenly matched, but Zababa had the advantage in intelligence. She had two brains working in tandem within her after all. The Titan was essentially nothing more than a black beast but on a humongous scale, making things a bit easier for the two.

And if they must, they'll cut it down to pieces time and time again.

Zababa spun, both blades screaming through the air towards the Titan. Realizing the power behind her strike would be too much for it to block outright, it stepped back as much as it could to avoid the slash.

The blow missed, but the shockwave left behind in its wake was more than enough to disorient it further, the air having been turned razor-sharp from the speed. She kept up the pressure and stabbed forward with both blades. In response, the Titan held its fists in front of it, and the two tips crashed into its knuckles, forcing it back even more.

It slid across the ground as it held back her lunge, and Zababa poured more power into her arms in an attempt to pierce through its hands. Seeing that it was not working as she wanted, she quickly disengaged and closed the distance, instantly swinging down on its extended hands with Shul-Shagana. It stepped back, and she continued with another wild swing that forced it to tilt its head back to avoid.

Whatever its level of intelligence was, Shirabe and Kirika realized that it was smart enough to understand that trying to hit them with its light again would prove suicidal. It instead decided to focus on close combat rather than try to blindside them.

It was definitely waiting for something, but they were not about to let it get its hopes up. Zababa followed up with a swing from Ig-Alima which the Titan deflected with its fist again. The repulsion forced Zababa's hand back, and the giant being took the opportunity to strike at her head.

However, she moved it to the side, the fist grazing against the location in her head Kirika was positioned in. Dropping both blades, the goddess grabbed the Titan's extended hand by the wrist and pulled, once more causing it to stumble towards her awkwardly. Now with her opponent off balance, she called the two swords back to her hands and went on the attack.

The Titan was too close to her to avoid the swing completely. It righted itself in the last possible second and attempted to escape, but was dealt a grievous blow as the two blades cleaved through its midsection, tearing deep into it but not quite bisecting it.

It staggered back and roared in pain, and Zababa kept up the assault, taking advantage of its suffering to unleash a fatal blow. The twin blades came down in an X shape, and carved into the Titan's chest mightily, tearing into its frame once again in rapid succession.

It stumbled back even more, and now in far too much pain, it fell to one knee, rubble shooting up into the air as its leg met the ground beneath it. It growled loudly and raised its head to screech in her face once again.

But there was no mercy from the guardian goddess. Once again standing above her opponent, she swung her blades down for the execution.

-!-

_(Play: Vague Hope - Nier Automata OST)_

Hibiki's ferocity increased tenfold following her dangerous declaration. Attacking with no end in sight, Miku grit her teeth as she blocked and deflected the wild swings she delivered, barely able to keep up with the pressure.

Even if Hibiki wasn't well versed in wielding a spear, and even if the concept she held was inferior to Miku's, the difference in skill was still very apparent. She had taken the fight fairly lightly beforehand, but now it was on a whole other level.

An insanely powerful overhead swing tore Miku out of the sky, launching her at breakneck speeds towards the ground. She hurriedly flipped over, floating just above the concrete.

Only for her eyes to widen when Hibiki appeared in front of her and swung, and Miku could do nothing but be struck in her stomach, the spear somehow not gouging her insides completely. She was thrown to the side, grinding against the concrete on her shoulder. Hibiki teleported above her, and in a last-ditch effort, Miku rolled out of the way just in time to avoid being pierced through the head.

She flipped back up to her feet and fired a barrage of violet bolts at her opponent, who once again raised her spear as a shield to avoid being damaged by them. The beams blew holes in the spear's construction, but the curses lining it quickly restored it to its former shape.

With smoke rising from the reformed holes, Hibiki held her spear by her side. "How does that feel, Miku?"

She charged again, and her opponent could barely prepare her fan in time to block the aggressive blows. The spear crashed against her fan with the sound of an explosion, time and time again.

She was once again hurtled through the air to the other side of the wreckage they had found themselves in. She quickly took to the skies in order to avoid being pushed around, and Hibiki was hot on her heels.

She barely avoided a crazed thrust by twisting above it, and now upside down, she fired her barrage, again and again, aiming for Hibiki's wrist. It struck true but failed to get the corrupted Adaptor to drop her weapon. Righting herself in the air, Miku spun in time to parry another lunge to the side.

Only to be blindsided when she was caught by the face again. Hibiki tightened her hold, and at supersonic speeds dove towards the ground. Miku struggled against the palm squeezing her head, but her grip was akin to iron, unbending and unbroken.

Her attempts to escape were interrupted when she suddenly felt herself slam into concrete, excruciating pain shooting up her spine. But Hibiki wasn't done yet, and continued the gruesome carnage by dragging her opponent through the dirt. Miku's head ground against the bare earth, the only thing stopping her skull from shaving away being the protection of her Symphogear.

"That's how it felt when I was pushed down flights of stairs day after day!" Hibiki screamed. She then threw Miku into the air, who was now disoriented and could do nothing in response. Hibiki teleported above her and struck with her spear, hitting Miku's previously injured side with a violent swing. Miku's spine nearly snapped as she streaked through the air, crashing into the concrete below.

She groaned painfully and was once again forced to roll out of the way as Hibiki stabbed towards her. She missed her by a mere inch, ripping the earth beneath her apart. Dislodging her spear as Miku attempted to get back to her feet, Hibiki continued.

"That's how it felt when I ran through the streets, trying to escape from bullies that wanted to beat me, and how it felt when they finally succeeded."

She again charged, and Miku could do nothing as she was kneed in the stomach. She doubled over as all air was forced out of her lungs, leaving her breathless. Looking down on her with disdain, Hibiki grabbed Miku by the hair and lifted her head up to stare her straight in the eyes.

The spear came up and was pressed against her throat.

"And that's how it felt that one day when I nearly lost my life just by going to the closest convenience store. That's how it felt when a strange man I didn't know assaulted me, putting a knife to my throat," she recounted with a tone laced with fury. "And that's how it felt when he stared me in the eyes with all his rage, screaming at me how it was my fault. How it was because of me his daughter died, and how he was going to make me pay for taking her away. That was what the thirteen-year-old me experienced just out of therapy."

Miku's eyes widened in shock. So shaken was she that she was left unable to respond, both physically and mentally, and so she was thrown across the rubble, her back slamming into one of the many piles. Hibiki trudged towards her, her revelations coming nonstop.

"It was with those very eyes you're looking at me with now. The same ones that everyone looked at me with; whether it was Tsubasa, or Chris, or Maria, or Kirika, or Shirabe, or anyone else. Those were the very same eyes every single person I met for the first time looked at me with. They only saw what they wanted to see, completely ignoring reality because they only cared about themselves."

Miku rose to her feet uneasily, trembling. She raised her fan and fired her beams, but they did nothing due to Hibiki using her spear to swat them away as she walked towards her.

"I hadn't done anything to anyone, yet in their eyes, I dared to live. I dared to exist instead of someone they thought deserved it more. And all they saw in me was a killer. That's what I was, nothing more than a killer in their eyes, a murderer that took away people important to them. An idiot and a fool who screamed about wanting to make a happy world they couldn't be happy in, and I was the closest and easiest target they could take their frustrations on."

Every beam that Miku fired was easily deflected, despite its superior property. In pain and now bleeding, she couldn't completely focus on pushing as much power as possible into them, and so Hibiki easily ignored them.

"A happy world? What a fucking joke. Why should I try to make something like that when all I ever experienced was hell?! Why should I give a damn about anyone else when the only thing I was given was hatred?!"

And she charged once again, swinging at Miku with all of her might. The Shenshoujing Adaptor put the fan between the blow and herself, and she could feel the spear hit with the full force of Hibiki's contempt and suffering behind it.

"I convinced myself to believe in a lie because it was easy, because there was nothing else I could escape to! And yet, all I was given was nothing but curses! My dad making me depend on a stupid phrase he himself couldn't even believe in, and Kanade forcing her idiotic ideals on me like I cared about them at all!"

Miku was speechless and could offer no response.

"But you already knew that, didn't you Miku? Or at least, the majority of it. Yes, you of all people stayed by my side, giving me the push to continue onwards despite everything. And yet, what did I gain from that? All I ever saw since that day was more death, more destruction, and more hatred; I tried to ignore it all, tried to brush it all away, using songs and excuses to make myself believe that I was doing what I really wanted. Yes, that's what you did. You cursed me by letting me live, by making me believe there was something worth living for. But now, you also look at me with those eyes... so tell me, is there anything left in this world I should care about?! Is there anything important I should give even half a shit about?!"

Another crushing swing that swept Miku off her feet struck her, and she was sent stumbling back, barely able to keep herself standing.

"If you want to become like everyone else so much, then fine! You say this isn't what I wished for?! Well it sure as hell isn't, but I don't give a damn now! I'll make everyone's wish come true, just like they wanted, and become the killer they always wanted me to be! One by one I'll massacre every person in the world, just like they expected me to! And I'll start by getting rid of the hope that lights the way, just like how I was given hope that was mercilessly crushed by others!"

It was unbearable.

That was the only thing that ran through Miku's mind.

The physical pain was trivial at this point, for what she was hearing was far, far more soul-crushing. Her heart was crying, shattering from the sound of Hibiki's anguish.

She tried. She really really tried to convince herself it was the demon talking, that it was trying to deceive her like before.

But...

That excuse became flimsy.

"You're the only one who ever mattered, so I'll do you a favor and spare you the horror of seeing the world end. I'll send you into an eternal, restful sleep, so you can dream forever about those so-called 'happy days' you talked about while I raze everything to the ground. You deserve at least that much, for everything you've done for me."

It was pain beyond anything she could ever believe possible.

The sound of Hibiki's voice that had always spoken so gently to her, that had almost brought warmth to her life, now cursed her name. The full, unbridled extent of her suffering, the depths she had no knowledge of, tore at her from the inside.

The gentle fists that had been clenched tightly for the sake of the world... were now being wielded against it as they were filled with anguish.

Her blows were painful, but they could not compare to her words.

She thought... she thought she knew her. She thought... that she fully understood.

And now, on this battlefield, Miku realized that she understood absolutely nothing. Her boasting to Maria more than a month ago had now become nothing more than a lie, something she made up in an attempt to sound sincere.

Another hard blow from the spear flung her fan away from her hand, and following that a punch connected with her stomach. Spittle flew out of her mouth, and she was promptly brought down to her knees before Hibiki, who looked down at her.

Miku coughed, trying to regain her composure. She half expected Hibiki to execute her right there, but instead found that no finishing blow came to behead her.

She raised her head, her vision blurry, and met Hibiki's gaze.

"This was always destined to be the eventual result. This is what happens when someone is pushed too far, taken for granted for everything that they are. Once they are no longer useful, they are cast aside. That's what happened to me, and I know it will continue to happen no matter what I do. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of being used by others so they can feel better about themselves."

She raised her free hand into the air, putting a finger and thumb together.

"This result, Miku... was inevitable."

And snapped her fingers.

Dark energy exploded out of her form, darkening Miku's vision as it spread in all directions.

All the Hopes of this World once again screamed in Miku's ears, wary of their nemesis' intentions. However, with her fighting spirit drained, Miku could do nothing but watch.

-!-

The pit of horror in Genjuro's stomach grew all the deeper as he watched Hibiki do something they hadn't seen before. Waves of black light spread out over the ruined city, and they all looked with bated breaths as they waited for something to happen.

To hear Hibiki speak such words was a bigger heartbreak than he thought he could ever feel. To hear such a deep loathing for the world at large was not something he had ever expected to come from someone like her.

Yet now, in hindsight, it made all the sense in the world.

And yet, he did not have the luxury to dwell on that.

"Commander, Chris-san's condition is deteriorating further!" One crew member yelled out to him.

He grit his teeth, and with the response he gave, he silently begged the girl for forgiveness. "There's nothing we can do about that now! If we make it out of this, then we'll have Miku-kun blast her! Ichaival can be considered a lost cause for now, so leave her be! We have to continue assisting Maria-kun as much as we can!"

Yes, it didn't really matter at this point. If they won, then Chris could be reclaimed by sacrificing her relic. He was fine with that outcome, for in her current state she was much more effective at eliminating the Noise and beasts than ever before.

And so was the same with the others. In the end, it didn't even matter if they won or not; all they needed to do was to hold their own enemies at bay until Miku achieved victory.

But now, looking at the battle in its current state, he felt every vestige of hope get drained out of his frame. His heart sank as he watched Miku fall to her knees, unable to keep herself up under the assault of Hibiki's cries.

Yet he wanted to hold onto something. He wanted to hold onto the hope that was Miku's determination, her unequaled desire to get Hibiki back, despite the severe circumstances. That even though she heard such horrifying words, that she'll be able to pick herself up and return to the fight all the more invigorated.

But what would be the cost? It seemed to him that at this point that he would have to resort to his worst fear: sacrificing the Adaptors for the sake of victory.

And so, he steeled his heart, just like he had done many times in the past. Visions of many soldiers that had died due to his commands passed by his eyes, and returning to that mentality from many years ago, Genjuro forced his raging heart to calm forcefully.

"Tell engineering to pick up the pace. We can't let up on our barrage even for a moment."

"Sir! The engineers are already working at max capacity! They can't do more!"

"It doesn't matter," he responded coldly. "Either we all die here or only a few do. So long as we can keep firing the missiles, we'll do so by any means necessary. That's an order."

There was nothing the crew member could say in response.

It was then Elfnein's voice tore through the bridge, more alarmed than ever before. "Something... something strange is happening!" She yelled.

He looked to her at once, studying her carefully. "What is it?!"

"T-the miasma levels... they're going down! No, it's like... it's like it's being condensed into something else! Look!"

With a few rapid presses, she transferred the information to the main screen. Genjuro turned back to it, and his eyes narrowed at the strange calculations.

What she said was true. The overall miasma covering the city was slowly disappearing. Instead of blanketing over the entire area, it was being relegated to smaller yet numerous spots, as if it was being collected there on purpose. Now there were a large number of darkened circles that dotted the city, several of them close to the Adaptors and some very far off from their locations.

But what was it? What could it mean?

It was then Adam spoke up.

"Oh no..."

It did not go over Genjuro's head. He immediately turned to him. "What is it? What do you know?"

"This... is very bad," Adam said, clenching his teeth. "I remember seeing something like this once, and it's not good for any of us. The tables we have worked so hard to turn... are now being turned back on us. This, together with the girl's defeat, might mark the final nail in the coffin for us."

"What?!" Genjuro asked in shock. "What are you talking about?!"

"You'll see right now. It's not even a secret at this point; however, be ready for something unlike anything you've ever seen before, for now, the true horror begins."

-!-

Chris' next shot with her fearsome weapon tore through the Noise ranks once again, reducing their numbers even further. They still kept on coming in droves from all corners of the city, and so they seemed to be endless, even with the hole gone.

She turned around swiftly, punching a beast's head off with the back of her hand. She grinned, and from the direction it came, she fired again, the green orb once more obliterating everything in its path.

It was proving to be a true blessing, this thing. Crushing the enemies without a care in the world was a liberating feeling she hadn't felt in a long time. Going so wild was a pleasure she never had the luxury of experiencing.

And now, it seemed that the fear of death was once again instilled in the Noise and beasts, as they no longer charged at her recklessly. They decided to hang back and surround her on all sides save for her eastern flank. That was fine with her, as that definitely indicated that they were—

Something was different.

Immediately on guard, Chris turned to the uncovered flank, facing away from the army of Noise and beasts that she had mercilessly engaged in battle. She looked towards the empty area, her red eyes squinting as she caught sight of something that was... strange and out of place.

A dark cloud hung low, a fog of blackness obscuring her vision of whatever was in that area beforehand. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before, and it immediately put her on edge. Her hunter instincts flared wildly, and she raised her weapon in the direction if the fog, anxiously waiting to see what would happen.

And then her eyes widened.

Because she saw people.

They limped towards her haphazardly, their steps making no sound as they traversed the distance towards her location.

No, now that she looked closely, they weren't actually people.

However, they were something very close to that.

The humanoid shapes seemed to have their entire body be made of nothing but what looked like liquid darkness. They dripped nasty and disgusting mud with every step they took, and several seemed to even collapse and melt into puddles as they walked. But they were so numerous that it didn't matter, and Chris could tell for a fact that whatever they were, they were NOT friendly to her.

That was all the confirmation she needed. Aiming her gun at the approaching anomalies, she fired the green orb. It made its way to them unabated, and the green jets of lightning zapped the pseudo humans head-on. Each one struck was instantly liquified as it made its way into the fog only to then promptly collide with a solid structure and disappear.

Chris grinned. Yeah, they don't stand a chance against her—

All thoughts of victory instantly fled her mind as the melted beings reformed as fast as they had been vaporized, regaining their original shapes instantly as if they were never destroyed at all. As they got closer and closer to her, Chris could start hearing a low moaning sound coming from their direction that increased in volume with every step they took.

Thinking their survival to be a fluke, she aimed her weapon once more and prepared to press the trigger, only to be blindsided when the beasts standing behind her suddenly surged forward in their huge numbers.

Yet... they weren't aiming for her at all. Instead, the beasts seemed to ignore her existence completely and only went towards the strange liquid humans that had spawned completely out of nowhere. They charged into their ranks, and the horrid creations did nothing except continue making their way to her, completely uncaring for the black beasts now mingled in their midst.

And then...

They took a bite.

It was so abnormal she couldn't even speak.

The beasts, for some strange and incomprehensible reason, began _eating _the liquid abominations. The humanoid shapes seemed to be absorbed into the beasts with every bite, but even with that, their numbers did not seem to dwindle in the slightest. They continued limping towards her without care or thought, and the black beasts simply chewed and drank them as if it was a matter of course. There was no hesitation or concern on their part, and they simply did what came to them naturally.

It was morbidly fascinating, but Chris knew that whatever was going on, it was definitely not good for her. Unwilling to let them continue their strange ritual, she tightened her grip on her weapon's trigger.

At that moment, two things happened at once.

The first, a beast moved. She wasn't sure which of the many was it, but that didn't matter.

Second, her weapon _exploded_ in a shower of metal shards as said beast's arm pierced through the entirety of its construction with one blow. Caught completely by surprise, Chris stumbled back by the sudden loss of the weight in her arms. She immediately planted her feet and struck out with a punch towards the beast's face.

Only to find herself careening backwards. She was thrown through the remains of a building as the beast's punch connected with her stomach faster than she could even react. The structure collapsed on top of her a second later, covering her in debris. Blanketed with dust, she dug her way out and stared out to where she had stood barely a minute before, perplexed at the sudden increased power of the beast.

Before she could contemplate further, that very same beast blurred towards her instantly. It closed the distance in a flash and slammed its fist into her face, sending her barreling down the side of the rubble. She tumbled over and over again painfully, only to rise to one knee at the end of her roll.

"What the fuck—"

BOOM!

Something cracked. Coming at her faster than she could register it, the beast's fist struck her cheek at full force. She felt her jaw dislocate from the blow, and she was once again thrown back violently.

"G-guh..."

'_What... what the hell is going on?' _She wondered.

The sole beast advanced on her.

'_Why the hell is it so strong?!'_

-!-

_(Play: Breach - Fate/Stay Night OST)_

Maria had to give Saint-Germain's recovery speed a tip of her hat. Only a few minutes truly passed since she put her down, and already the alchemist was speaking up again, albeit very roughly and with many pauses in her sentences.

Which turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as the moment she began to speak Maria found herself alarmed.

"Some...thing... is... coming... be... on guard..."

The cryptic warning only served as a prelude to what came a moment later. The black beasts suddenly disengaged from their position within the enemy army's formation and dashed backwards, heading towards something Maria could not see behind the wall of Noise. All she could hear was a low moaning sound somewhere in the distance.

And accompanying it was the sound of chewing, something that sounded severely out of place at this time.

"What... what is happening?"

Saint-Germain's eyes widened in an instant.

"SHIELD!"

Maria didn't even bother to try to be surprised. Acting purely on instinct, her triangular defense bloomed to life in front of her.

And just in time too, as a beast slammed into it with full force, causing the shield to shatter instantly. Maria stumbled back from the recoil, caught completely off guard by the blow.

"Wha—"

Saint-Germain made a split second decision.

Her hand met the floor beneath her, and a magic circle came grew on it rapidly. Before the beast could attack again, it suddenly found its movements slowed down considerably as the makeshift barrier sprung into existence between it and Maria. Taking the opportunity to retreat, the Airgetlam Adaptor jumped back to stand by the fallen alchemist, who was now channeling power again.

"Saint-Germain, what are you doing?! What is going on?!" Maria asked incredulously.

"Something... changed..." she said painfully, still maintaining the slowing barrier with the little energy she had left. The beast, along with several of its compatriots attempted to reach the two through it, but the effect the slow had on them was surprisingly effective, holding them at bay for the moment.

When Maria looked back up, she narrowed her eyes at the now empty spot in the Noise ranks and looked with confusion at the... _things _that limped towards them from behind. What's more, she gasped as she saw one of the beasts meatily and hungrily chew into one of them, tearing huge chunks out of its frame and swallowing right after.

"What... is that?"

"Clu...clustered...curses..." Saint-Germain breathed out. "The... miasma... became... them... condensed... the beasts... are... using them as... a power... source..."

"What?!"

That raised more questions for Maria than it answered. She couldn't make any sense out of what Saint-Germain said, and quite frankly she wished she didn't understand. Just seeing those... things that looked like people being consumed like prey in the wildlands almost made her want to hurl.

It was a grotesque scene made all the more absurd by the fact that said consumption made the beasts stronger than should ever be allowed.

"U-urgh..." The alchemist groaned in pain, her tiny supply of energy draining all the more with every second she kept the barrier running. "We... need... to... retreat... again..."

Before she could finish that sentence, a loud whooshing sound rattled the air above them again. Hurriedly Maria raised her shield once more, protecting the two of them from the oncoming blast wave. A second later, a missile exploded right in the space between the Noise and the humanoid shapes, sending a tower of fire and smoke high above.

Listening in to the comms as the wind and flames battered her shield, Maria held on.

"_Confirmed hit!" _A crew member announced.

The dust settled, and now completely out of power Saint-Germain's arm went limp, the barrier dissipating in short order. Maria looked on nervously, unsure of what to expect.

The Noise seemed to have been completely destroyed, which was good. There weren't exactly that many of them in the first place, so it made things a bit easier on her. The beasts were numerous but didn't break the one hundred mark, which was also good.

But in the aftermath of the missile hit, Maria looked on in shock to see that the vast majority of the beasts survived. Not only that, but the strange humanoid things were also completely unharmed, unfazed by the blast and simply continued limping their way towards her.

"What..."

"_No effect?!"_

Maria looked to Saint-Germain for an explanation.

"What is going on?!" She asked in a panic

And the alchemist breathed heavily again, barely able to answer. "They... are..."

-!-

The two combatants disengaged once again, jumping back to the two sides of the street. Kanade smirked once again, holding her spear in a ready position. "You know, if I knew I was gonna die, I probably should have asked you to do this with me in the first place."

Tsubasa huffed in response. "You were always the wildest of the two of us. For that reason, I find myself hardly surprised; although I must admit the thought never once crossed my mind. It was never something I even tried to consider, for our partnership was far more valuable to me than any prospective fights we could have had."

Kanade chuckled, finding herself amused by her answer. "Y'know, I feel the same way. But still, some things you only get to experience once, so you gotta make sure to take the opportunity when you can. It's a damn shame really, that I get to have it only when I have one night to live it."

Tsubasa had nothing to offer her in return. It was indeed, even in her own heart, a damn shame. She had wished that Kanade was truly alive again, but knew that such a wish would never come true.

Just seeing her again like this was enough for her. Even if it was just for one night... she'll spend that night with her until she disappears.

"Okay, no more depressing mushy stuff," Kanade suddenly declared. "Let's get back to things!"

Tsubasa nodded. "Right!"

And just as Tsubasa spoke, Kanade charged towards her in blinding speeds, her spear upraised. Ready to block the blow, the idol placed her sword before her as a shield, prepared for the exchange.

Only to be caught by surprise as Kanade slid to a stop at the halfway point. Tsubasa looked at her with wide eyes, confused by the sudden halt in her charge.

But nothing was more confusing than the manner in which her opponent's eyes narrowed, staring at something Tsubasa could not see behind her. She could not help but speak up in response. "Kanade?"

"Tsubasa," The redhead said cautiously. "I know this will sound weird, but I need you to come over here."

"What?" Tsubasa let out. "What are you—"

"She can't be serious..." Kanade mumbled to herself, clenching her teeth. "Look, things just took a bad turn. We might have to pause our dance for a bit."

"What? What do you mean?"

Kanade raised her spear, pointing it at something behind Tsubasa. "Because of that."

Puzzled by her former partner's words, Tsubasa turned around to look at what Kanade was referring to.

And promptly all thought processes ceased due to what she was seeing.

Humanoid shapes that seemed to be made of liquid limped towards the two of them from the far end of the street, a low moaning sound accompanying their appearance. Tsubasa took a step back on reflex, wary of these unknown beings that had appeared completely out of nowhere.

"What... are these things?" She said in shock, backtracking even more.

Kanade kept her spear raised, her eyes narrowing as her gaze remained locked on the approaching humanoids. "They are a fucking bad idea, that's what they are. Geez, I don't know what's going on over there, but I guess the missy is really fucked in the head now."

Tsubasa looked at her incredulously as she made her way back, eventually finding herself standing by Kanade's side. "What? What are you talking about?"

"It's a bit difficult to explain, but the best thing I can say is that they're kind of like ghosts... or zombies... or whatever else that is messed up in this world," the former Gungnir Adaptor said, watching the aforementioned beings close in. Her eyes kept on watching them carefully until the moment she turned her head to the side, spying something else that began to approach. "And it looks like these things are giving our friends here plenty of courage too."

Tsubasa followed her gaze and saw how several black beasts began to surround the two of them on all sides, rising from behind the cover of the rubble that littered the area.

"Kanade, what is—"

"Okay, I got a better word for those things: wraiths. She made the miasma take actual, physical form, using the leftover grudges of people that died in the past. What's more," she said, pointing to the beasts. "These things can consume them to become stronger. But that's even worse because the wraiths can't actually be destroyed. The best advice I can give you right now is to buckle up because the ride is just starting now."

"Kanade..." Tsubasa murmured. "But...why are you telling me this? I thought—"

"I want to beat you at your best, Tsubasa. And these things... yeah, they're just gonna give us all a very bad time, especially since we can't kill them. Also, don't let them touch you in any way, especially with the little toy you got working right now."

"The little toy..." Tsubasa repeated to herself, raising her sword as both the beasts and the so-called 'wraiths' closed in on the two of them. "You mean...the Cursed Eden Module?"

"Whatever that thing is called, yeah," Kanade confirmed, her eyes darting about. "Listen, I'm gonna help you out. I don't like these things, even if I'm technically on the missy's side. Let's do this like we used to, Tsubasa. I guess fighting together for a bit won't be too bad either."

"Kanade..."

What kind of strange circumstances did they just find themselves in? A minute ago, they were about to clash for the hundredth time, but in the span of a few seconds, everything turned on its head the moment those wraiths appeared. Kanade seemed to be extremely cautious of them, much more than she did than the black beasts.

It made her anxious, which was something she did not expect to be feeling at the moment.

"Very well, then let's do this like we used to," Tsubasa said, standing by her former partner's side.

"That's more like it," Kanade said with a smile. "Listen, she basically clumped that nasty stuff all together in this fucked up form that makes less sense the more you look at it. Don't think about them too hard, because just the thought will make you wanna die."

"I... see..." Tsubasa answered, finding it difficult to truly comprehend what Kanade was talking about. "You said I shouldn't let them touch me, but why is that?"

Kanade crouched low, prepared for the clash. "Because they'll fuck up your shit in more ways than one..."

-!-

Another full swing nearly decapitated the Titan, the giant being barely able to avoid the blow in time. Zababa kept up her assault, slashing and aiming for its limbs. Its fists crashed against the edges of her blades, deflecting them to the side, but it was a futile effort on its part.

Zababa was stronger than it at the moment, that was an unmistakable fact. The Titan could barely hold her back as it continuously staggered and stumbled, evading fatal blows by the skin of its teeth.

It had managed to avoid being beheaded again earlier by leaping to the side, destroying even more structures in its wake. Having been deprived of their victory for the second time, Shirabe and Kirika vowed to not let it escape again.

Shul-Shagana and Ig-Alima were swung together again in an X shape at the Titan's chest. In response, it quickly raised its fists in front of it to block the blow, and the two struggled against each other, Zababa attempting to slice through its hands with nothing but pure force. It tried to push her off, but the strength behind the strike left it unable to do anything in order to throw her off.

Shirabe and Kirika pushed further, as much as they could. This was the golden opportunity. They could not let it escape again—

Suddenly, a warning sign lit up both of their cockpits. Hurriedly checking out what it was, the two's eyes narrowed as they noticed it was indicating something strange was happening.

'_ALERT: POWER DRAIN'_

"What?"

A diagram of Zababa's body appeared next to the warning, and a red flash highlighted her feet. Kirika narrowed her eyes and quickly activated the outside cameras to understand what the hell was going on.

What met her sight was astonishing.

What looked like a huge amount of liquid humans were congregated around Zababa's feet, and one by one each of them bit into her frame, their teeth sinking into the metal making up her feet.

"What the heck are those things—"

A groaning sound forced her attention back to their opponent. Her eyes widened in shock as the clash suddenly became much more even, the previously struggling Titan now managing to force Zababa back little by little. The blades, shockingly, could no longer keep the pressure on it.

"Wh-what?!"

Any other sound of surprise was cut off as the Titan violently pushed the goddess back, causing her to nearly lose her balance and backpedal. Taking the opportunity to strike while she was defenseless, the Titan's fist roared forward, and hurriedly Zababa raised her blades to block the blow.

And the two Adaptors could only watch with dumbstruck expressions as the two legendary swords shattered into pieces, the ruby and emerald shards raining down on the ground below.

"What the heck is going on?!"

-!-

"You have got to be joking."

"I'm not, that's precisely what they are," Adam explained. "This is what happens when someone with nearly infinite power shapes something according to their twisted mind."

Genjuro could barely believe it. The advantage they had worked so painstakingly hard to gain was summarily stolen from them in a single move on Hibiki's part. She simply raised her hand, and all of their hopes were dashed as she brought these ungodly abominations into existence with a single thought.

"This... this is messed up," Sakuya could only say in horror. "These numbers... I can't even make sense of them at all! And what the beasts are doing... that's just..."

"It's like even something as mundane as her eating habits were twisted beyond belief," Tomosato added. "They way they're eating them... it's almost exactly like she does it..."

"This is very bad," Genjuro said through clenched teeth. "What is the status of the Adaptors?!"

The answers came in rapid-fire.

"Chris-san is being pushed back!"

"Zababa's swords were destroyed!"

"Maria-san is barely able to hold her ground!"

"Tsubasa-san and Kanade-san have teamed up, and are turning on the wraiths!"

"Miku-san is unresponsive!"

It was hell.

There was no mistaking it; this is what hell looks like.

"How... how can such things exist?" He could only ask in bewilderment.

"Because that's the might of All the Evils of this World. You could even call them the returned souls of the damned. The grudges of the past have taken on a physical form and will continue to absorb curses and grudges into themselves by any means necessary. That is why Zababa is losing power," Adam told him, building upon what Kanade had said.

"The god-slaying power that makes up her form... is being drained..." Elfnein murmured. "What... what are we supposed to do?!"

Adam huffed and looked to her from the corner of his eye. "Isn't it obvious?"

She met his gaze with wide eyes.

"We pray for a miracle."

-!-

"U-ugh..."

How many times was she kicked and pushed around like this so far? She couldn't even begin to count.

Hibiki was relentless. She didn't stop even for a second, and Miku now failed to even make a dent on her.

She didn't understand why. How? How was it she was losing so badly now?!

"You're probably wondering why you're losing, right?" Hibiki suddenly said, catching her by surprise with her apparent mind reading. "It's written all over your face. What did you think Miku? That a month or so of training will be enough for you to close the gap? Please, you know it's not that simple. It doesn't matter how strong the concept you have is; my divine power is just too much for you. Last time I didn't want to fight you, but now is different."

Another punch slammed into her opponent's stomach. "I'm done holding back, even on you. You're so stubborn, just like me, so that's the only way you'll understand."

Miku was sent flying back again, and she rolled on the ground helplessly. She could feel her head split open despite the Shenshoujing's protection, and blood flowed down her face as she tried to rise back to her feet.

"That's right," Hibiki continued cracking her knuckles. "It's always about the fighting, always about the death. That's what the Symphogears were for, and that's what we're here for. We fight, we kill, and we stop caring. I'm tired of it, and I know you're tired of it. But people will never stop fighting, and never stop hating. So this is the only way the world will understand: by destroying everything they hold dear and making them see the hell that I saw."

She trudged towards the fallen Adaptor with heavy steps. "I'm sorry it has to be this way, Miku. I didn't want things to end up like this, but just like how you had no problem fighting me back then for the sake of what you believed, then I too won't hesitate."

Miku had to deny her. She had to deny her.

She had to deny her. She had to deny her.

But... the world had already done that on its own.

So if she did it too... then who would be left to stand by her side?

'_I can't... let it end like this...' _

She could vaguely remember someone telling her something, but she wasn't sure where or when. It was a strong, yet hopeful voice, that she did remember... but not what was talked about.

But it didn't matter. She had to... She had to...

Despite herself, she rose to her feet uneasily. Holding both hands before her, her fan materialized back into her grip, and she stood facing Hibiki defiantly.

"I won't... give up. I'll... take... Hibiki... back..."

The words left her mouth in a weak tone, yet still determined.

She gripped the handle tighter, and memories of sunshine filled her mind.

And she recited the oath she had made to herself, using it as a foothold.

"I'll take back... our happy days... no matter what..."


	31. Chapter 31: Sunshine's Requiem

The ceiling rocked and shook from the tremors. The many people now hiding in the shelters huddled together; with families, couples, and children holding onto each other for dear life.

Nobody really knew what was going on, as the usual alarm signifying the appearance of Noise having caused everyone to scramble for safety. And so they did, and even the residents of Chiba's local hospital were forced to evacuate their sick and wounded in order to safeguard their lives.

Yes, nobody knew exactly what was going on above their heads.

Except for a single family that had once been a fractured tragedy.

Harumi sat together with her mother and husband in the corner of the shelter, Ogawa standing by them and watching over them. He spoke to his receiver while the three waited anxiously for an update, wondering what were the specifics of the chaos.

It was still hard for the woman to completely digest what she had heard from the man, even a month after she had been informed. It was so impossible for her to believe that Hibiki was fighting against the Noise and other supernatural threats as a member of S.O.N.G.

She knew first hand the hardships her daughter experienced, and how those hardships had drastically changed all of their lives. Due to this, she believed that Hibiki would rather be too traumatized and too afraid to ever even come into contact with them.

Yet that thought was summarily snuffed out when she discovered that her fate had been sealed at that exact event. The idol died, and Hibiki inherited her power, gladly putting her own life on the line for the sake of others.

Long gone was Harumi's disbelief in the supernatural as the Noise proved to be the major point of contention for that mindset.

Her entire world crumbled under her feet, and now she found herself in limbo, torn between what to feel and what to think. And yet, she held onto some measure of hope; as Kazanari Genjuro had told her, they would never abandon Hibiki no matter what happens, and she was inclined to believe him.

She wanted to believe in him and in the ones who were doing their hardest to save her. She didn't know who exactly it was, but she had a vague feeling in her chest that at least one of them was familiar.

It was just a matter of getting the confirmation, something she was waiting to receive from the agent that had been assigned to them.

"I see, very well," Ogawa said into his receiver, causing Harumi to look up at him from the chair she was sitting on. "Then, I'll do what I can on my end. Ogawa out." With a click, the call disconnected, and the agent turned to the woman.

"Well, what's happening?" She asked him.

The frown on his face caused a pit in her stomach to form. "Things are... not looking good at the moment. It's becoming more and more dangerous every minute, and they lost the advantage they had gained."

Listening in on his words, Akira and Kiyoko also sported concerned expressions. The injured man's head went downcast, and he stared at the bandages currently wrapped around his abdomen. "This is my fault," he said somberly. "I did this. I caused this to happen."

"Akira..."

"I already know. What I did hurt her in ways I didn't even try to understand, and this is how she's paying me back. She's right, I really am a coward," he continued, bringing up an arm to touch the stomach area Hibiki's steel tip nearly gouged out. Before he could keep on dwelling, Ogawa spoke up, interrupting his words.

"That may be so, but it's just a single thing among many others," the agent told him honestly. "There are many factors at play here that we don't understand, and even those in headquarters are having a hard time truly coming up with an explanation at real-time. The Adaptors are struggling now against the opponents they are facing because once again she managed to catch them off guard."

Harumi buried her face in her hands at his words, her heart shattering from every sentence he spoke. "Oh, Hibiki... my sweet darling, why did this have to happen to you?"

There wasn't anything anyone could say to her. Sharing in her pain, Kiyoko put a hand on her daughter's shoulder, her heart breaking in two as well. She looked to Ogawa, searching for answers. "Will you at least tell us... who it is that is fighting out there? Who are the ones who are trying to get her back?"

Ogawa's eyebrows raised at her question, yet he remained quiet. He already told her all he was allowed to, as names aside from their own daughter's were still classified information.

Kiyoko's gaze begged him for an answer. "Please."

Ogawa bit his lip as he stared to the side, unable to truly decide what to tell them. It was then that Harumi, whose mind has been raging up until now, swallowed down her sorrow and spoke up again.

"Miku-chan is there, right?"

Ogawa's head immediately turned to her with his eyes wide. He hadn't said anything concrete or even confirmed anything, but somehow the woman had discovered the one secret he quite frankly didn't want her to discover.

But as they say, motherly instinct is a force to be reckoned with. Harumi didn't even look up at him as she continued. "She is, isn't she?"

The agent let out a breath and answered. "Yes."

"I knew it," Harumi said, let out a bated breath. "Miku-chan has always... supported her and us despite everything. Her mother and father... always helped us whenever we needed it, but she was the one who always came over to keep Hibiki company. She was always there for her, even when I thought that she too would abandon her at any moment. I tried to warn her that associating with us any longer would be dangerous, but she refused. She always... always... stayed by her side."

The woman choked on her tears, the sobs rising again from within. Kiyoko put a hand on her back in comfort. She looked to Ogawa again. "What is Miku-chan's role in all of this?"

"She's... she's the one facing her directly," he answered, and he watched sadly as Harumi's sobs intensified. "She... should never have been involved in the first place, but when we ran out of options... we had no choice but to turn to her."

"Hibiki... Miku-chan..."

"Please tell me," Kiyoko continued. "What do you mean?"

He breathed out again. "After a particular set of circumstances, Miku-san also obtained a Symphogear with a very specific set of abilities that directly counters what Hibiki-san has. That, combined with their bond, was something that we believed would be enough to finally bring her back."

Akira could only hold his own face in his hands as his mother-in-law kept on grilling the agent for explanations. "And this is all still happening because of what you told us?"

"Yes," Ogawa answered plainly. "Make no mistake, Miku-san and the others are doing all they can to save Hibiki-san. They're fighting very hard right now, for her sake above all else."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Because she's important to them, and to us. It was as the commander told you: should push come to shove, they have no problem putting their lives on the line for the sake of this goal. That is their unifying cause, and what I believe in the end will bring about victory. So please, I ask you to have faith in them," the agent said, crouching down to look at them at eye level.

"And you'll tell us everything that is happening, right?"

"Yes, I will. That is what I've been instructed to do, and quite honestly... it's what I want to do as well," Ogawa said with a slight smile, surprising the family with his personal opinion. "Your way of life has already been disrupted and ruined enough by our mistakes, now and in the past. It is our responsibility, both as an official government department and her superiors to compensate you for our shortcomings."

His shoulders relaxed, and his gaze turned gentle. "But more than that, it's because we want her to always have a place to come back to. You're her family, and regardless of what happens you're irreplaceable to her, and she's irreplaceable to us. You deserve our full support, now and in the future."

Harumi's shoulder shuddered once more. "Hibiki... she has done a lot, hasn't she?"

And he nodded. "Yes, far more than we ever expected. That's why I will ask you again, please don't lose hope. Please believe that we'll make this right."

Harumi breathed in and out, unable to formulate some sort of response to him.

Only one thought-one hope filled her stormy mind, and she held onto that foothold with all her strength.

'_Miku-chan... everyone... please, save her...'_

-!-

_(Play: Solo - Dynasty Warriors 8 OST)_

Maria had never fought so hard in her life.

Every single move she made was defensive in nature as she continuously spammed shields, hurriedly and panickingly trying to stop the beasts' attacks from connecting. From the very first one that destroyed her shield, along with Saint-Germain's explanation, Maria knew that it would be impossible to go on the offensive.

They were so strong and so fast she was having an extremely hard time keeping up with their movements. Their minds remained simplistic and animalistic, however. That gave Maria the option of luring them into specifically created openings so they would target those areas, which in turn she'd turn to defend immediately.

But it was intense as hell. There were just too many of them to keep up with all of them, not to mention the wraiths were also slowly advancing on her and Saint-Germain. Their limping was slow, but they were something she couldn't possibly ignore.

All of that she was doing in order to keep the attention on her so the weakened alchemist wouldn't be targeted. So far she had succeeded, but she knew for a fact that it was a temporary measure that will very soon fall apart.

All of her talk about telling Saint-Germain she isn't expendable, and yet here she was sacrificing herself for her.

Well, that's how things have turned out. She didn't know what the state of the battle at large was, but unfortunately, she didn't have the luxury of knowing either. The total focus on the task at hand did not allow even a tiny distraction.

Again and again, they came and struck. Foregoing using her dagger completely, she had materialized barriers that took on the form of square shields, using them freely to block the beasts' attacks. The power they held was so overwhelming, however, that every single shield she summoned was destroyed in one blow. She was forced to alternate between the many different opponents she was facing at once. She was surrounded, but at least Saint-Germain wasn't under attack herself.

The alchemist looked to the struggling Symphogear Adaptor and focused on restoring her power. She was grateful for the opportunity to do so, and as a result, worked as fast as she could in order to both heal herself and restore her energy.

It was easier this time too, because of one very simple reason.

"The Alca-Noise have fallen," she said to the comm. "All units have been destroyed. There is no longer anything to keep the enemy units occupied."

It was simply a matter of time. From the moment she had summoned them she knew they were on borrowed time. Now that the beasts have increased in strength, the Alca-Noise numbers dwindled faster than ever before, and right at this moment, she sensed the last one being destroyed.

Their army had been routed, and now the rest of the enemy units will focus on the Adaptors and herself.

Yet, she had to keep holding on.

And for some strange reason, even with the reduced burden, she felt her energy restore much faster than she had anticipated. She had already managed to close some of the more minor wounds and was now working on the more major ones.

She didn't know the reason, but she had no time to dwell on it.

And as Maria fought against the horde, a single gem in Saint-Germain's possession glowed slightly as she recovered.

Even if it was hard to watch her be tossed about.

Maria yelled, pushing against the blow of a beast on her right. Her shield exploding once more, she twisted and summoned another, moving it in the path of another powerful lunge. And again, the shield shattered, and she ducked under a maddened swipe that sliced through the tips of her hair.

She gritted her teeth, and as she lay low she brought another shield above her, the fist of a beast slamming into it at full force. She nearly lost her balance from the heavy strike, and another beast took the opportunity to launch a back-breaking kick.

She barely avoided it by stepping aside and quickly turned to block another blow. The barrage was intensifying, and sweat poured down her face in huge amounts as every muscle in her body struggled to keep up with the pressure. Her biceps burned with each blow she blocked, and she could feel her bones rattle from every recoil she experienced.

It was like she was in some sort of crazed trance, keeping up a dangerous dance of total destruction around her. The shield fragments barely even had time to fall to the ground before another joined them, and the air around her was filled with particles of light that somehow worked in her favor.

Her protection was being destroyed so fast that the remains were blinding the beasts for a fraction of a second, and as a result, gave her a much needed breathing room.

The dance of death continued.

And she found herself quickly losing her footing.

She blocked a blow from the front, and so another took the chance to strike at her. She was not able to completely avoid its strike, and the claw grazed her side, digging into her skin. She groaned at the sharp pain but nonetheless deflected the next one that came from a different one.

'_I need... to put some distance.'_

It was only the first injury in the exchange, and yet she knew that many new ones will come in short order. Taking a mad gamble, just as another one of her shields was destroyed she jumped as high as she could, barely evading the lunges that were aimed at her.

Several of the beasts jumped up after her at blinding speeds, and she was once again forced to summon another shield to block it. It struck and using the momentum from the blow she allowed herself to be launched away from the center of their formation, stopping them from surrounding her completely.

It had no real meaning, but the only way to keep fighting was to periodically change her position in order to at least throw the beasts off.

It was almost amusing, the cycle of power. At first, just one managed to overpower them, but then they received the Cursed Eden Module and surpassed them. Now, once again the beasts stood on top, and unlike last time the Adaptors were all separated from each other, severely limiting their options.

And as she continued to defend herself and her charge, Maria's mind wandered to one thing.

'_Come on Miku, you can do this.'_

-!-

_One strike after another. _

_She was like a hurricane, relentless and unforgiving. Each blow delivered with all of her might, and all she could do in response was try to block._

_Try to avoid._

_Try to deflect._

_Try to deny._

_But no matter what she did, she could not hold up against the assault._

_The spear was a blur, and her fan was barely holding itself together in the face of its strength. For all intents and purposes, she should be dead by now, and that was what her opponent promised to deliver._

_And yet, she refused to fall. Not here. Not like this._

_Because in her heart were memories of sunshine..._

_And an oath she swore to uphold. _

-!-

Kanade's spear screamed through the air, slicing through another wraith that had gotten too close for comfort. While she knew that they were unkillable, it was better to cut them down when possible so they wouldn't be as annoying.

Not that it really helped in anything, considering their other opponents.

Tsubasa deflected another lunge from a beast to the side, her blade sliding against its arm. She slashed at its head, but with amazing agility it jumped back, avoiding taking any damage entirely. Before she could try and chase after it, another one dove down on her, and she too was forced to abandon her assault in order to avoid being cut to ribbons.

Looking back and noticing her former partner struggling, Kanade clicked her tongue. She disengaged from the wraiths, swinging her spear at them one last time and sending out a shockwave that sliced them in half. A large portion of the advancing wraiths melted the moment they were cut, the cursed liquid making up their form staining the ground beneath them.

Just as another beast was about to ambush Tsubasa from behind, Kanade stabbed forward, piercing it through the back. It growled loudly at the pain, however it still remained in one piece. It grasped at the long weapon protruding from its middle, and began to pull, reigning the redhead in.

Her eyes widened as she stumbled forward, and the beast turned to swipe at her head. She released her hold on her spear and ducked, allowing the strike to pass above her harmlessly. She quickly grabbed hold of the handle and pulled the spear out just in time to avoid being struck by a different beast that nearly crashed into her. It slammed against her spear with both of its claws, and she was sent skidding backwards, carving up the ground in her wake.

Interestingly enough, she found herself back to back with Tsubasa, who decided to make a comment about their situation. "This is... far more intense than I anticipated."

"Yeah," Kanade said with a huff. "They're no joke anymore. We really need to find a way to get rid of them or we'll get wrecked."

Their eyes darted to and fro as the beasts surrounded them. "Do you have anything in mind?"

"Not at the moment, but I'll try to come up with something."

Not the most reassuring answer, but Tsubasa was hardly surprised. This was how Kanade operated every time: stab things until they die.

To be fair, it was quite an effective strategy, if a bit rough in execution. However, this time just stabbing things wasn't going to work, so they must find another way to overcome them and not turn into beast food along the way.

With a loud roar, the beasts charged en masse. Holding their ground against the horde, Kanade and Tsubasa deflected the initial blows, dancing around the following ones with expertise. Covering for each other's back, they turned on the spot, their backs not disconnecting for even a moment.

It was a nostalgic feeling, Tsubasa had to admit. To fight together with Kanade like this after so long...

She was afraid she might suddenly wake up and realize it was all a dream... and in a way, it truly was. A single night that made real endless possibilities, it truly was akin to a dream. She just wished the circumstances would be a bit better, but she had no reason to complain right now.

It was strange to be feeling like that now, she realized. They were surrounded by many empowered enemies and were quite possibly going to die, yet she found a measure of happiness anyway.

'_To soar again with both wings... is truly an indescribable feeling.'_

Kanade's brute strength shone through again, as a single swipe of her spear crashed into the abdomen of four beasts at once and blew them away. However, just temporarily getting rid of four was not enough, as for each one she took care of, another came to take its place and immediately resumed the attack.

She struck another, throwing it back; but in the small window right after her attack, a beast took the opportunity to swipe at her. Kanade realized she won't be able to escape being injured this time, and prepared herself for the pain, clenching her teeth in anticipation.

Only the beast to be impaled in the head by a black and blue blade from out of nowhere, surprising the redhead. The perplexed expression then quickly turned into a grin, and taking advantage of the opening she decapitated it with a single slash, and then kicked the body away from her encirclement.

Without even turning back, she called out to her former partner. "Thanks for the save there, Tsubasa!"

"Thanks are not needed!" Tsubasa responded back with a shout. Swinging quickly, she deflected aside a beast's strike that came straight for her. "Why are they attacking you as well?! I thought they were on your side!"

"Who the hell knows! Maybe the missy doesn't like me anymore!" Kanade yelled back half-jokingly. She wasn't sure exactly why the beasts turned on her, but at this point, it really didn't matter. It wouldn't do anything to try to talk to them or to her anyway; she knew that right now she wouldn't listen to anyone.

Whatever the case, Kanade had one thing she needed to focus on: not dying to these things, and making sure Tsubasa didn't die to them either.

Which is why the moment she saw a beast come and try to ambush her once partner from the side, she thrust right above her shoulder, stabbing it in the throat. Tsubasa seemed surprised for a moment but then took the chance to slice the beast from shoulder to hip, causing it to crumble to dust.

"My thanks, Kanade."

"Don't mention it!"

And she turned back to her own opponents, leaving her back to Tsubasa.

The battle increased in intensity with every second that passed, and both Adaptors could feel the sweat starting to drip down their brows. Blinking once due to a stray drop, Tsubasa nearly missed an attack from her left. Hurriedly putting her blade in its path, the beast struck violently and powerfully against her blade, pushing her aside and separating her from Kanade.

"Tsubasa!" The redhead yelled but found herself unable to help her as she was quickly surrounded. She struck wildly in an attempt to get to her but was unable to break the encirclement.

Now alone, Tsubasa too found herself surrounded, and the same beast from before kept on pushing against her, causing her to backpedal more and more with every blow it sent her way. Its claws were nothing but blurs in the night, and she tried her hardest to make sure to catch them just right, predicting where it would try to strike next.

However, a mostly mindless opponent never had real strategy or style, therefore making it unpredictable.

'_How fitting.'_

Strangely enough, she found that no other beast was trying to ambush her as she was being pushed back, causing her brows to furrow in confusion and concern.

That is until she realized exactly where she found herself.

'_Shit!'_

Cursing inwardly, she berated herself for falling for such a trap. Having been completely focused on the beast attacking her, she failed to notice that she was in fact being herded to a specific location: the midst of the wraiths.

The beast kept on its assault, not allowing her to regain her bearings for even a second. It struck powerfully, and she was forced to block the strike that began grinding away against her blade. She grit her teeth, the effort causing her muscles to ache.

Locked down by the beast's assault, she was unable to respond in time as the wraiths approached her. Coming from the side, one of the liquid humans grasped at her arm, its grip slimy and revolting. She tried to pull away, but it proved surprisingly powerful despite her attempts to shake it off.

And then she screamed when it suddenly bit into her arm, sending pain up her nerves.

"TSUBASA!"

Kanade's shout echoed throughout the area, and no longer playing around she increased her effort, powering through the formation with nothing but brute strength. The beasts attempted to hold her off, but she ignored them and let herself be struck, their claws delivering glancing blows against her frame.

Against all the overwhelming odds, Kanade managed to reach her former partner. The beast attempted to turn on her, but she quickly punched it in the face to shake it off and then sliced through the wraith from above.

"K-kuhh..." Tsubasa breathed out through clenched teeth.

"Shit! Tsubasa, we gotta move!" Kanade yelled to her. Her once partner checked her arm for a moment, a strange numbness suddenly overtaking it. She gritted her teeth again, and now holding her sword with one hand she followed after her former partner, getting away from the wraiths as fast as possible.

Kanade led the way, once again using nothing brute force to tear through the beasts. "Tsubasa! You alright!?"

Tsubasa swung at an attacking beast. However, she was shocked to find that despite striking true, her blade failed to cut through its frame as it should have.

"What..."

And then she was hit in the stomach and thrown across the street, her back slamming against a pile of rubble.

"Ugh—!"

Kanade clicked her tongue and roared. "You goddamn bastards!"

Forced to change directions again, she quickly made her way to her former partner, weaving in between strikes once more. Her body was littered with wounds, and she now sported many more holes where her fake flesh should have been. But she brushed it off, and kneeled down by her once partner.

"Tsubasa!"

"K-kuh... these things... what have they done?" She asked, looking at her arm once again. It wasn't like the wraith had done any physical damage. In fact, her arm was in one piece and uninjured, but for some reason a weakness she could not explain filled her frame. "Why do I—"

"These fuckers aim for anything with curses in it," Kanade interrupted her. "They swarm to it like bees to honey. That's why I said you should watch out."

"Damn it..." Tsubasa let out, forcing herself to her feet. Unfortunately, in the time the two were conversing they were once again surrounded, and the two's eyes darted to and fro in between all of the enemies.

"This is going to get ugly," Kanade said ominously. "Goddammit, this is exactly what I didn't want to happen."

"Kanade..."

Tsubasa agreed with her wordlessly. Shaking her arm once, she grasped her blade with both hands once again, her fingers slightly shaking. "We must push forward."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

With those words uttered, the beasts charged once again.

And the two met them head-on.

-!-

_Beams of light were fired repeatedly, striking against her opponent's frame. Yet, they lacked the power she required, and as fast as the damage was done it was reversed, leaving her opponent unfazed._

_And in return, she was struck once more, an armored fist planting itself in her stomach. Blood flew out of her mouth as she felt her internal organs getting squished under the blow. She was launched across the wreckage, crashing into another barely standing building, leaving a huge indent on its outer wall._

_She fell to her hands and knees, and coughed up blood, painting the ground beneath her red. Her opponent taunted her, deriding her attempts at fighting it._

_She chose to ignore its words. Clenching her teeth tightly, she planted her fan in the ground for support, slowly rising again to her feet. Breathing heavily as her opponent advanced on her once more, she again raised her fan in defiance before it._

_She couldn't allow herself to be defeated. Not here. Not like this._

_Because in her heart were memories of pure light..._

_And an oath she swore to uphold._

-!-

With her blades destroyed due to the Titan's strike, Zababa had no choice but to meet it head-on in unarmed combat.

However, due to the efforts of the so-called wraiths the two Adaptors learned about, the fight was now much more even. Blows that Zababa was previously able to effortlessly avoid or deflect now actually struck, denting the metal making up her frame.

Her movements were slowed, her defense was compromised, and her attacks weren't as effective as before.

"Tch—! These annoying things!" Kirika exclaimed, once more willing Zababa's legs to move as she tried to shake away the wraiths encroaching on her feet.

They were like leeches or mosquitoes. They refused to let go despite her many attempts to throw them off, causing her to lose her focus on the important fight happening right in front of her.

The Titan struck again with a powerful left hook, and Zababa raised her arm to defend against it. Her entire frame shook mightily as she was thrown to the side, the blow causing her to stumble over several city blocks.

"We won't be able to win like this!" Shirabe exclaimed, a thought that Kirika instantly agreed with. Deciding to try a different strategy, Zababa beat her wings, the wind tearing apart the ground beneath her as she slowly rose into the air. If they couldn't beat it at close range now, then maybe they could try something from a distance—

The Titan moved, and the two's eyes widened when they saw it coming faster than they could register it. It grabbed Zababa's legs before she could rise high enough, and with a strong heave slammed her back into the concrete below. The whole city shook as she impacted the earth, instantly causing a massive crater to form right under her.

Both Adaptors screamed in pain as they were tossed about in their cockpits, and several alarm sounds rang out around them as damage reports quickly filed into their displays.

But the Titan was not done yet. It planted its foot in her stomach, pinning her to the ground, and with both hands grasped the wings on her left side.

With a single, powerful yank, tore them out of their sockets. The eagle feathers crumbled to dust into its grip, now separated from their main body. Kirika and Shirabe let out blood-curdling screams as sparks filled their cockpits.

And it was not done quite yet. Releasing the featherless mechanical wing, the Titan repeated the action with the other side, grasping and tearing them out of her back. The two Adaptors within lost consciousness for a moment from the overwhelming pain, and the Titan screeched as once more the feathers crumbled away.

It tossed away the remains of the wings and looked down at the defenseless goddess trapped under its foot. Willing her hands to move, Shirabe and Kirika attempted to get the foot off of Zababa's stomach, trying to gain some distance from it.

But it was a futile attempt. The wraiths draining away her power, Zababa was no longer able to muster enough strength to throw it off. Staring down at her, the Titan turned slightly, and with its foot still planted in her stomach, it reached for one of her legs. Grasping the limb with both hands, it _pulled_.

And in a shower of sparks and metal, tore the leg off. Zababa's attempts to fight it off faltered as the two Adaptors within barely held themselves together. Yet the Titan still did not stop, and throwing aside the leg it repeated the action once more with the other.

It screeched once more. Now seeing its opponent downed and not fighting back, the Titan reached over with both hands, and with a strong heave raised the defeated goddess above its head.

Grasping her with one hand on her neck, and the other in between were her legs once have been, it began to pull. The metal making up Zababa's frame groaned and screamed, and more sparks filled the two Adaptors' cockpits to the brim.

The Titan's screeching filled the air, and little by little the metal began to give way. The links within snapping one by one, Zababa's abdomen began to be torn in half, and the two Adaptors within could do nothing to oppose it.

Shirabe, with one eye open and the other numb from the pain, found she could do only one thing in response in order to save herself and Kirika. Clenching her hand, she lifted the cover off the button on the side of her cockpit.

And slammed her fist into it with all the force she could muster.

A rush of air suddenly filled her cockpit and Kirika's as the two were ejected from their seats. With Zababa's head dangling downwards, the two were launched towards the ground at breakneck speeds.

Yet her sight remained locked on the goddess.

She watched as the Titan let out a triumphant roar, and with a final strong pull, Zababa was torn in half in the middle, raining metals shards down on the ground below.

The two Adaptors crashed into the concrete a small distance away. Groaning painfully, Shirabe dislodged herself from the wreckage she landed in, her eyes scanning her surroundings for any sign of Kirika.

"Kiri-chan!" She yelled. As if on cue, a pile of rubble nearby rose as Kirika dug herself out weakly, nearly collapsing from exhaustion and pain.

"Shirabe..." She could only murmur. The two rose to their feet uneasily and made their way to each other as fast as they could, their legs still rattling from what had just occurred.

Grasping for each other's hold, their hands joined as the Titan dropped Zababa's two severed halves, the remains of the goddess impacting the ground. With the two Adaptors no longer within her to pilot her and her body destroyed, the goddess began to disappear into motes of light.

And just as she vanished, the Titan located the two, staring down at them with its eyeless face. It screeched once more, the air screaming and forcing the two to cover their ears as their brains shook from the sheer volume.

They could do nothing as it loomed over them, and took the first step towards the two downed Adaptors.

-!-

_She was knocked away again, her legs nearly giving way beneath her as she steadied herself uneasily._

_She fired another beam of light, but with one eye closed due to the blood flowing over it, her aim was off and she missed, the ray striking the ground in a puff of smoke._

_She fired again and again, yet found herself missing every single shot despite her best efforts. She clicked her tongue and forced her visor down on her eyes in order to correct her aim._

_Yet her attempts were denied as a punch struck her visor head-on, once more shattering it into pieces and throwing her back. She was launched into another wall, crashing through it and bouncing over the ground repeatedly._

_One of her bulky knee guards cracked, several of its parts flaking away into the wind. She pushed herself off the ground with all the strength she could muster, but before she could raise herself fully she was kneed in the chin. Her jaw nearly shattered from the blow, and once again she was launched backwards, her fan falling from her hand._

_Her vision swam as her face met the ground, and her eyes fluttered weakly as she tried to keep hold of her awareness._

_She couldn't allow herself to lose consciousness. Not here. Not like this._

_Because in her heart were memories of joyful smiles..._

_And an oath she swore to uphold._

-!-

"**GRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**

Her bestial howls echoed throughout the courtyard as she struck out against the beasts, her hands-now claws tearing through the air towards them. Reason was lost, for her mind slowly began to be consumed by the berserk state encroaching on her.

Yet she could not care about that.

The beasts she was fighting responded with the same ferocity, and the wild clash was like a fight between lions. Unrestrained and animalistic, the two forces crashed against each other with reckless abandon, neither one willing to budge an inch.

And yet, Chris still found herself being pushed back.

She knew what was it that made the beasts stronger, that was obvious, but there was nothing she could do about it. Thought processes ceased as nothing but rage filled her, and her form was nearly completely pitch black, only the right side of her face still remaining untainted.

Two punches collided, and she was the one that was sent flying back. She skidded to a halt on her hands and feet, taking a primal stance and then promptly leapt forward, roaring all the while. She pounced on the beast that screeched back at her, and the two enemies swiped at each other. Both strikes found purchase, yet Chris was inflicted with the deeper wound.

She grimaced and jumped back, ignoring her wound completely. Blood dripped down to the floor from her chest, but quickly sealed itself shut.

She was in a bad situation. Not only was she losing in a contest of strength, but she was also outnumbered completely.

Yet, in her current state she could not bring herself to care about that.

She reared her head back and howled again, the darkness slowly starting to cover the untainted part of her face. At that moment, she was jumped from all sides, and reacting wildly she swiped her arms in all directions, intent on tearing them all to pieces right there and then.

But she was far too outmatched. A swipe sliced into her back, and a punch connected with her face. Sent reeling back, another punch found purchase in her stomach, and once more the Ichaival Adaptor was launched through the air.

She flipped, landing on her hands and feet again. She growled like the beasts, and her eyes shone with the berserk red color brightly.

It would not be long before she lost her mind completely.

Yet, in her current state she could not care about that. All thoughts fled her mind in an instant, and all she could bring herself to do was to jump back into the fray, claws extended outwards as she began what she considered her final battle.

-!-

_A multitude of mirrors flew out of the compartments on her knee guards. Numbering two dozen in total, they floated in the air around her, firing beams of light at her opponent without end._

_It only managed to hold the enemy off for less than a second before she swiped her arm, and a wave of blackness erupted from it. The beams firing from the mirrors could not hold out against it, and the first dozen were instantly destroyed without much of a fight._

_She decided to retreat to get a grasp on her surroundings. She floated off the ground and took off in a straight line, trying to put as much distance as she could between the two of them. She glanced back once, seeing what remained of her mirrors being destroyed by another wave of darkness._

_She looked forward again and increased her speed, her vision slightly red from the blood that stained it._

_Only to let out a silent scream as a fist smashed into her back, causing her charge to stop halfway and slamming her into the ground. She bounced off like a ragdoll, and as she hung in the air momentarily she was once again punched in the stomach, and she heaved as she was once again launched through the air._

_She rolled on the ground, her muscles screaming in pain and her bones rattling from the force. Rising to one knee, she barely had time to put both arms before her to stop another punch from connecting with her face. She felt something crack in her forearms as pain shot up her arms, and she was knocked backwards, her feet skidding against the ground. Her arms fell limply by her side, each tiny movement causing her more pain than she ever thought possible._

_She breathed in and out, the air causing her lungs to burn. But she gritted her teeth regardless, rising to full height once more_

_She couldn't let her body break. Not here. Not like this._

_Because in her heart were memories of hearty laughs..._

_And an oath she swore to uphold._

-!-

"Z-Zababa has been destroyed!"

"Chris-san's mental state has nearly reached total berserk!"

"Tsubasa-san and Kanade-san are being overwhelmed!"

"Maria-san can't hold out much longer!"

The reports were nothing short of horrifying. He could not bring himself to speak as he watched as one by one the Adaptors were being beaten, and there was nothing left they could do to help them. The missiles stopped being effective against the beasts, and the wraiths were just plainly unkillable. What remained of the Noise still hung around the area, but they were now a mere afterthought in comparison to everything else.

What more, Saint-Germain's announcement only served to bring their spirits lower. Their army had been defeated, and their greatest fighters were no longer able to hold the enemy at bay.

But all of that paled in comparison to the last report.

"Miku-san is no longer able to keep up!"

Miku was losing. Miku, the one who they hoped would be able to turn the tides on Hibiki was no longer able to keep up with her. It would have been fine if she was able to achieve victory, but her loss would mean one thing: the final fall of their last hopes.

With her defeated, there would no longer be anything or anyone left in the world that would be able to stop Hibiki. With the army of beasts on her side, and the Titan still around as a symbol of total destruction, she'd become unstoppable.

The state of the world at large wasn't all that good either. He had ignored it until now, but the reports were no longer something he could brush aside: international armies were losing ground, and the casualties nearly reached a million at this point.

In a single night, nearly one million people died, the vast majority being soldiers who put themselves on the line in order to protect civilians. Yet not all of them were successful, as several cities both small and big were already overrun by the beasts and the Noise.

And yet, even those people were nothing but sacrifices in order to ensure Miku's victory. But considering her current state...

That one million will eventually become seven billion.

He clenched his fist tightly, the frustration nearly overpowering him. "What the hell are we supposed to do now?"

"I suggest we withdraw," Adam said matter-of-factly. "There is nothing more for us to attempt here."

As much as he wanted to argue, Genjuro couldn't bring himself to speak. Noticing the commander's silence, Adam raised an eyebrow and continued. "No, I guess running away is meaningless either way. We can no longer win even if the Symphogears throw their lives away. It matters little if we escape to sea, for the entire world will eventually be consumed. She'll open more holes to the Treasury and the miasma will envelop the planet, slowly corroding it until it becomes a barren rock of curses and evil."

He had raised this hypothesis in the past, and at the time it sounded too ludicrous to consider real in any shape or form.

But now, that possibility was not only very real, but might soon become an inevitability.

And there was absolutely nothing they could do about it.

The former head of the Illuminati chuckled. "How ironic. The Custodians' greatest creation, humanity, ended up being what would eventually result in their downfall; and in a manner that was quite unexpected indeed. There is nothing they can do against the god-slaying power now, and as such, they'll be massacred. I wonder if we'll stay alive long enough to witness their demise."

Despite his harsh words, those on the bridge could not help but adopt his defeatist attitude; their spirits dropped, and one by one the endless typing came to a halt.

And looking through the display, they could only bear witness to the end of the world.

-!-

'_Happy days'._

_What did that particular pair of words mean to her?_

_Should someone ever bother to ask her that question, her answer would be unequivocal:_

"_Everything."_

_And that would be it, for with just that answer they would know exactly what she was referring to. The comfortable quiet that accompanied the dawn, the muffled sizzling of food on a pan, the running of a shower head, and the whirling spin of a washing machine._

_The ruffling of clothes as she put them on, and the slight hum of a melody leaving her lips. Such simple and mundane things were her happy days, even the frustrating ones such as an undone pile of homework, or a loaf of bread that had gone stale while they weren't looking._

_Yes, those were her happy days._

_The smiles, the laughter, the sorrow and the tears that every person experiences in their lives. The march of time, and the ever changing scenery in their daily lives._

_The world? Nah, that wasn't even close to being important. She couldn't see them, she couldn't hear them, and she could not sympathize with them. All she truly cared for was the small share of happiness that belonged to her._

_And shining brightly in the center of it all..._

_Was a smile she swore to protect._

_And so, she carried in her heart the memory of those happy days._

_Along with an oath she swore to uphold._

-!-

_(Play: Crumbling Lies - Nier Automata OST)_

Her legs shook as she attempted to rise to her feet again. Using her fan once more as a crutch, Miku kept herself standing with willpower alone, all other vestiges of strength having fled her body. Her Symphogear was in tatters, her body bleeding and broken, and her vision was marred by blood and dirt.

In comparison, Hibiki was unscathed and untouched. The facsimile of Gungnir that she was wearing was still sporting its unmarred shiny black, and she advanced on her injured opponent with heavy steps.

"Miku, please stop fighting," she told her with a tinge of pity. "I don't want to hurt you more than I already did. It breaks my heart to see you like this, but you know that you brought it upon yourself. I said time and time again that I'm not holding back, and yet you still try."

Miku breathed in and out, rubbing her eyes with her forearm to try and clear her sight. "But I know why you're still fighting. I know you well enough to understand, but you need to know when to quit, Miku. Just like that day that you refused to let go of my hand; and just like back then, you don't have a choice anymore. Some things are meant to happen, even some you don't like. You're going to have to accept that, Miku."

The irony of that statement coming from her did not pass over Miku's head. However, at the moment she had enough trouble breathing, much less speaking.

Gathering up what remained of her strength, she ignored her opponent and took to the skies. She rose through the air, climbing higher and higher above the abandoned concert hall. She grit her teeth as the wind battered her, yet she paid it no heed as she tried to put some distance between herself and her, attempting to think up another strategy.

But it was far too late, and far too useless.

Hibiki simply teleported in her path, and Miku was helpless to do anything in response to the blow that came. Having decided to discard her spear earlier to better control her strength, Hibiki was now unarmed and in her most dangerous state.

She spun in place, far too fast for Miku to catch, and a second later her leg smashed into her midsection. Blood once again flew out of her mouth, and like a ragdoll she was thrown back, streaking through the air.

She did not have even the tiniest bit of strength to try and soften the landing. Leaving sonic booms in her wake, she crashed onto the stage with the force of an explosion, the abandoned hall empty save for herself.

Looking down at her from high above, Hibiki narrowed her eyes before she began to float down slowly towards the stage. She knew it was purely a coincidence that Miku landed there, but the bittersweet memories related to this place were indeed affecting her more than she realized.

From the wreckage at the other end, Miku stirred from within the pile of metal and concrete. Pushing a heavy piece off of herself, she uneasily climbed out and was able to take only a few steps forward before she fell to one knee. She stared at the floor, watching with morbid fascination as blood and saliva dripped from her mouth freely.

She was in incredibly bad shape, and she knew it.

But still, she refused to give up.

Even as her body screamed at her for rest, she pushed herself to two feet. She stared ahead at Hibiki, who stood across from her on the other side.

No words were exchanged between the two for a heavy minute, simply looking into each other's eyes over the fairly long distance.

Until Hibiki spoke up, raising her hand to point at a location somewhere in the ruined audience stand. "Do you see that rock over there, Miku?"

Caught by surprise, Miku's eyes widened. Almost by instinct, she moved her gaze to follow where Hibiki was pointing, catching sight of just another piece of wreckage in the expansive hall.

"That right there is where I was hit in the chest by Gungnir's fragment. It was right there that Kanade-san told me to never give up on life... and it was right there that I saw her die, with Tsubasa holding onto her crumbling body."

Miku _stared_, looking upon that particular spot as if it was an entirely different planet.

"That was where I died," Hibiki continued. "And that is where I was born again. That is the place I lost my old self, and was replaced by what you see now."

She lowered her hand, and Miku's gaze was forced back to her. "Looking back on it now, I realize that Fine had the right idea," the rogue Adaptor said, shocking Miku to the core. "People really can't understand each other, and it has nothing to do with any Curse of Balal or the moon or anything like that. There will never be understanding, and there will never be peace. So long as people exist, they will continue to hate and spread their curses, seeing nothing but themselves. That was the first thing I learned after that day, and now that is what I'm going to solve here and now."

Miku's legs shook, barely holding up anymore. She fell to her knees, her eyes locked onto her loved one across the stage.

Her eyes burned, and she felt her vision blur not due to blood, or sweat, or dirt.

But by tears.

"Goodbye, Miku. If it can come true... I hope we can meet again... after the darkness."

A phrase that hammered down the final in the coffin.

And with it came the unbridled sorrow.

To see Miku cry was always a scene that broke Hibiki's heart. No matter the context or the circumstances and regardless of how they felt towards each other, there was no sight more heartbreaking than to see the tears mar her face.

To see how her shoulders shuddered, and to see the drops fall to the floor. No matter what stage in life they may be, there was nothing that crushed her more.

Yet, now it was a necessity, as everything else had been. She knew that now the other Adaptors were being defeated. Zababa has fallen, and her Titan had emerged victorious. The beasts were unstoppable, the Noise bent to her will, and the wraiths draining every last vestige of cursed power that may be left to oppose her.

There was nothing left for them to do. Their hopes crushed and their last resort on her knees, broken and crying, there was no future for the world that had deliberately shunned its greatest hero.

There were no more words left to be said now.

Hibiki waited. Letting her closest friend shed her tears, she did nothing as she waited for them to stop running, not willing to strike her down at such a vulnerable state.

Miku wheezed, sobbed, and cried loudly.

'_It's my fault.'_

That was the only thing that ran through her mind at that moment.

'_It's my fault.'_

The regret she had harbored deep inside burst out to the surface.

'_It's my fault.'_

It was all-consuming now. The secret wish she had harbored in her heart was now the only thing that defined her:

To never have invited her to the concert in the first place.

For it was from that day that everything changed and went wrong, and led to this point in time. It mattered very little to her that the world might have been destroyed in the process, for she never cared about that.

She did not want Hibiki to go through this torture, to have to realize the world was such a wretched place. She wished that it would never have come up in the first place, that she would have never told her about it.

That was all she wanted.

To go back to those days, and live out their happy days.

Despite herself, her head rose slowly, desiring to look upon her loved one's face for one last time. Though the tears kept falling, she just wanted to burn that final image into her mind, to go down fighting with her face in her heart.

And she looked, and the emerald green eyes stared back at her.

At that moment...

_Something twinkled in the night sky._

Her head rose higher as if by reflex, wanting to understand what it was that suddenly shone high above her. She tilted her head up, staring into the dark night as if in prayer, and simply looked on as it remained as such.

And then, as if on cue, the twinkle returned.

_Streaking across the sky._

Everything stopped. Her tumultuous heart, her raging mind, and her aching body, everything simply ceased to work and move, and her eyes widened, her pupils now as big as saucers. Was she seeing things? Was it her mind playing tricks on her? She didn't know. But now, seeing that final light shine in the sky, she entrusted her all to it as the memories rose up to the surface.

-!-

"_Hey Hibiki, would you like to see the shooting stars with me?"_

"_Heh?! Really! Of course I do!"_

_-!-_

"_I'm sorry Miku, that I couldn't come with you like I promised."_

"_It's fine, Hibiki. I know something came up. We have another chance, so it's okay."_

"_Thank you Miku, I knew you'd understand. You're my sunshine for a reason after all!"_

-!-

"_I'll stop it somehow," she had said._

_Miku wanted to stop her. To tell her that she doesn't have to take on that burden. And yet, staring at her unwavering back, she could not bring herself to speak._

_She turned back to them. "I'll be right back," she said with a smile. "So don't give up on living!"_

_Leaving behind those words, she soared into the sky, leaving Miku to watch her go. What was the meaning of those words, looking back at it now? What sort of emotions and burdens weighed down on her mind as she said them?_

_And what sort of fate did she expect herself to meet up there between the stars?_

_There was nothing she could do except watch her go._

"_Hibiki..."_

_On that day, she heard a song. A beautiful yet sorrowful song that rang out loudly in her heart._

_She sang it, up there, for the defense of the many. Putting herself in harm's way, she stopped the calamity with all of her strength._

_And on that day, the shooting stars that followed were more beautiful than she had ever seen before._

-!-

"Ah..."

It all became clear.

"Shooting stars..."

A pair of words said as a lifeline that she held onto to this very day. The remains and fulfilment of a promise that she had dearly wished to keep.

She remembered it, the way she felt as she stared up into the sky, watching as the moon fragment exploded into many tiny shards that streaked across the sky.

_Just like the one now._

Coming to her like a ray of light, serenity filled her to the brim. She could not explain it, nor could she describe it in any manner that would make sense to others.

Hibiki's eyes narrowed as she watched Miku rise to her feet. The tears had abruptly stopped, as fast as they came, and she looked on with confusion and concern as even the constant shaking that had plagued her ceased completely.

Watching her from across the stage, Hibiki saw as Miku's form changed. Gone was the nerve-wracked and broken girl that had stood up against her against all odds. Gone was the sorrow and despair that had come over her upon losing her ground.

The only thing that marked Miku's expression at that moment was a peaceful gaze that betrayed no other emotion.

Yes... she remembered it now, what was it that was said to her time and time again. What was it that she had forgotten, and what she unconsciously pushed away in all her resolve.

She hated the Symphogears. She hated S.O.N.G. She hated Gungnir.

And she hated the demon.

But the demon was no longer what she saw. Even if her body was clad in the corrupted and twisted version of its original... and even if her heart was tainted and its darkness was set loose upon the world...

There was only one person who stood before her now.

"Hibiki... it's been hard, hasn't it?"

A simple question that sent Hibiki into shock. "Miku, what are you—"

"_We will give our lives for her sake."_

"All this time... this is what you really felt, what you really desired..." Miku continued, as if in a trance. "But I didn't want it to become a reality... and I held you down because of my selfishness..."

Hibiki could articulate no response to her, and could only remain silent as she continued to speak. "I'm sorry, Hibiki. I'm sorry that I forced this burden on you. I'm sorry... I couldn't be there when you really needed me. I'm sorry... I couldn't take away your pain."

"_We must not fight out of hatred..."_

It was so obvious now. She had allowed her hatred and resentment against Gungnir to cloud her heart and mind, and that was what had empowered it. That was what set Hibiki off, for Miku could not see her as anything but the demon she swore to defeat.

But now... the words that Saint-Germain said to her... and the words that Tsubasa told her... finally came to the forefront of her mind.

"_But out of love."_

For now, the desire to save her outweighed everything else in the world.

And now... Miku will save her with the last thing she had left to give.

"M-Miku?!" Hibiki stammered, caught completely off guard. Miku's hands were by her sides, and her eyes took on the normal, vibrant green shade that she always saw upon waking up every morning.

"I'll do so now..."

A small smile graced her features, and Hibiki found herself left breathless.

"Let us go, Hibiki..."

For if she desired to just let go of the world...

Then Miku was more than glad to join her.

"Let us go... together."

Everything stopped. As if time itself was frozen in place, Hibiki looked with wide eyes at the sudden change in scenery. All sounds of battle from outside the stage had been shut away completely, leaving only the two of them in the ruined hall.

A red shine from Miku's pendant drowned out all other light.

And with the first step she took forward, she sang the song she had heard that day.

"_Gatrandis babel ziggurat edenal"_

The girl walked forward, her strides gentle, barely touching the ground beneath her feet.

Hibiki was paralyzed, her entire body refusing her orders to move.

It was a song, unlike any other, and one that had been engraved into the very core of her heart. It was by this song that her life was saved... and by this song that a life was burned away in exchange.

"_Emustolronzen Fine el balal zizzl"_

A song that decried the crime committed by a long-gone priestess that wished for love, and how that love brought about humanity's ruin. A song that is sung with one's life on the line, and the final performance that one gives for the sake of someone else. The final offering to their hearts.

A swan song.

"_Gatrandis babel ziggurat edenal"_

Despite them using it multiple times in the past, and despite the fact that Hibiki's own Armed Gear negated the harmful effects of it, she had always found herself mesmerized by it. For it was one that was engraved upon her at the brink of death. A song that brought hope and sorrow all at once, and a song that promised certain death, one she had sung for the sake of the world.

Miku stood right before her, stopping within arm's reach. She looked up into her love one's eyes, the green glow from them no longer eliciting any fear from her. Her expression oh so kind as Hibiki's was twisted in pain, her body not moving an inch.

The gentle girl raised her arms, and for the first time in a long time... finally held the one she loved in her hands, cupping her cheeks tenderly.

And now, it would be the final time she'd do so.

Hibiki gasped.

"_Emustolronzen Fine el zizzl"_

A powerful light shone from between the two.

And the world vanished in a flash.

-!-

The alarms blared in headquarters suddenly, catching them off guard. Startled by the abrupt loud sound, Genjuro shouted out his orders. "Status report! What is going on?!"

Something had changed in the battlefield. They had reprogrammed the alarms to not activate if a danger appeared, for it was the norm during a fight like this. It was done so the crew would at least not be unnerved by the light and the sound.

But the fact that it activated now meant something new happened.

He waited for an answer from someone, but no one on the lower parts of the bridge had any to give.

It was then that Tomosato gasped loudly, putting a hand over her mouth in shock. "Commander... it's... it's... it's a Superb Song signal!"

The sheer shock and horror that filled the crew members to the brim could not even be vocalized. Staring at his subordinate with wide eyes, Genjuro yelled out again. "WHAT?! FROM WHO!?"

Her eyes did not leave her console's screen for even a moment as she registered the source. "Shenshoujing!"

His chair, the one thing remaining in one piece on his station, flew out from under him as he stood up suddenly, staring at the large display before him.

"Miku-kun... is this... what you really want?"

He wanted to scream. He wanted to shout and to try and stop her. Yet... what good would it do?

Even if she could have heard him, it was already too late. Just like the Ignite Module, a Superb Song was something that could not be stopped until the moment it was finished.

But unlike the Ignite Module, only one fate awaited the one who used it.

The sound from the outside finally reached the inside of the bridge.

And together, they heard the final song of the gentle sunshine.

-!-

It mattered not who was on the battlefield or where they were. Even in the face of death, they all stopped every act they performed in order to turn their heads to the source, hearing the familiar lyrics of the song.

They all knew who it was that sang it. They all knew under what circumstances she had done so.

Yet, their hearts cried out in sorrow. The light rose from the ruined stage, illuminating the night sky like a second sun. It grew, and grew and grew, and all beings made of the curses of mankind recoiled in fear from it, ceasing all actions.

Staring up at the rising glow, Saint-Germain smiled weakly.

-!-

_She was being blown away._

_As if caught in the heart of a hurricane, the powerful winds threatened to tear her apart bit by bit. No, in fact, they were already doing so, as she felt parts of herself flake away and be shed by their source._

_She could barely hold her ground against it, and she stared into the very center of it, the bright light at its core blinding her almost completely. She raised an arm to try and preserve her sight, but it was completely useless to resist._

_If she stayed here any longer, she'd be vaporized until there was nothing left. The smartest course of action to take would be to simply leave, to run away, to turn back and never look back again._

_Yet... she couldn't. She couldn't leave, and she couldn't run. As much as she wanted to, as much as her mind was screaming at her to do so, her heart refused to allow it._

_Because within that light was something more warm and beautiful than anything she had ever laid her eyes on, and she was not willing to let go of it so easily._

"_U-ugh—!"_

_Her one free arm struggled to rise in the wind. Yet she pushed all the strength she could into it, the armor covering it slowly but surely being eroded as she brought it up more and more._

"_I can't..."_

_She wasn't going to just let things end like this._

"_I won't..."_

_Her eyes widened as a fiery resolve filled her frame._

_And with a single, forceful move, reached forward._

"_I WON'T LET YOU GO, MIKU!"_

_Her hand touched the light._

_And she was consumed whole._


	32. Chapter 32: Oath of the Shooting Star

...

...

...

...

RING!

No reaction.

RING RING!

"Hnngg..."

RING RING RING RING RING!

"Ugh, shut up..."

RINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRING—

She turned over, and her hand came down atop the alarm clock, stopping its incessant beeping. She groggily opened her eyes, the sight of the familiar ceiling filling her vision. Turning her head slightly to the right, she squinted her eyes at the light coming from the window, focusing on the small LED display of the clock.

"7:30..." she said to herself.

Another morning.

Throwing the covers off herself, she sat at the foot of the bed and stretched, letting out small moans as she felt various joints pop and crack. She rose to her feet, giving one last look at the alarm clock before turning to the door.

She headed downstairs, careful as she went down the steps. Taking a left, she went straight for the place both her parents should be in right now.

Entering the kitchen, she spoke up softly. "Good morning Mom. Good morning Dad."

Her mother, who was cooking by the stove, turned slightly to her with a smile. "Ah Miku, good morning. Breakfast is almost ready."

She responded with a small smile, and went over to the table, taking a seat next to her father. The man was reading a newspaper with a cover page of something about an economic boom in Europe or something or another, but she couldn't find it in herself to care too much. Once she sat down he tilted it down slightly to meet her gaze. "Good morning Miku. School again today I suppose."

"Yeah," she replied. "I should get results for the test I took a few days ago."

"That's great. I expect the best of the best, you hear?" He said with a laugh, and she chuckled slightly. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he reached into his shirt pocket. "Oh, by the way, Miku. I won these tickets at a raffle at the company. It was free so I thought I'd take a shot, and who would've guessed that I managed to win."

She tilted her head slightly in confusion as she was handed the aforementioned pair of tickets. She looked them over, blinking rapidly at the shiny gloss they had to them. She studied them a bit further, taking note of the name of the band that was shown on them.

"Tickets for a Zwei Wing concert?" She asked. She had heard of them but never listened to any of their songs.

"Yes. I don't know much about them, but one of my coworkers says that they're the hot new thing right now. Says his daughter won't stop rambling about them."

"Is that so..." She said softly, staring at the tickets with a curious expression.

"Breakfast is ready!" Her mother exclaimed. Deciding to think about them later, she put the tickets to the side as her father folded up the newspaper, clearing the table for the food.

It was the usual breakfast with eggs, ham, and toast, yet despite the simplicity, it was still a treat to eat. Her mother made the best food after all.

Before starting, however, there was the usual ritual.

"Thanks for the food!" The three said in unison and began to consume their meal.

All the while, Miku glanced to the tickets here and there, looking at them curiously.

-!-

"You have everything, Miku?" Her mother asked.

"Yes," she answered. After breakfast, getting ready for school was a breeze; she always did so pretty quickly, so today was no different. "I'll be going now."

"Have a nice day!"

She smiled, and turned away, heading down the street. It was a sunny day, with the sun shining brightly above her. The temperature was not high but not low either, and there was no wind to cause her skirt to flap about either.

She looked around, taking in the sights of the houses around her. It was the same as always, the same row of homes that she saw every time she went down this direction. It was on the opposite side of the school, but she had a clear destination in mind.

As there was someone who always failed to get up in the morning by herself.

Speaking of her...

Miku withdrew her phone from her bag, heading over to the section of unsent messages. Upon getting the tickets from her dad, the moment she got her hands on her phone she typed it down, yet did not send it.

Navigating to the message once more, she went over it again and read the words to herself.

"_Hey, I got two tickets to a Zwei Wing concert. I don't want to go alone, so would you come with me?"_

That's all it read. A simple message and nothing more.

And yet, it remained unsent. She put her phone back in her bag and continued her march to her destination. She didn't live that far away from her, but the whole process of waking her up was an undertaking all on its own.

Well, they had been friends since childhood, so she was used to it by now.

Five minutes later, Miku arrived at her goal. It was an unassuming house, not very different from the rest in this part of the neighbourhood. Placing herself in front of the door, she pressed the doorbell.

DING DONG!

And she waited. Less than a minute later the door opened, and greeting her was a woman she was already used to seeing many times.

"Ah, Miku-chan, good morning!" Harumi said to her. "Please come in."

"Good morning ma'am," she said back with a small bow.

"No need to be so formal, Miku-chan," Harumi half-heartedly chastised her. "You're always welcome here."

"It's a habit," Miku answered sheepishly. "I guess she didn't wake up yet?"

Harumi sighed. "As dead as a log. She really won't wake up if you aren't there. I honestly don't know what to do with her at this point."

Miku took off her shoes and stepped inside. "Well, same as always I guess."

"Yep, same as always."

The two shared a small laugh, and Harumi headed back to the kitchen. Watching her go for a brief moment, Miku turned back and headed up the stairs, and soon found herself in front of the door she was always used to knock on.

Well, no point in doing that now. A habit became a habit, and the one inside wouldn't notice anyway. Opening the door, she headed in, not bothering to close it behind her. She headed to the bed in the corner and looked down at the sleeping form.

Immediately she began to shake her. "Hibiki, wake up."

Hibiki stirred slightly, mumbling to herself in her sleep. Miku shook her again. "Wake up, we'll be late for school," she said, giving her shake a bit more force this time. Yet, Hibiki still didn't wake up, and Miku's eye twitched as she noticed drool was flowing down the side of Hibiki's mouth.

Deciding to not comment on the unladylike behavior, she shook her again. "H-i-b-i-k-i!"

"Munya~~"

She turned over, exposing her stomach to Miku as her pajamas slid up just a tiny bit too much. Thinking for a moment, Miku smiled mischievously.

Putting both hands on the exposed stomach, she began to tickle her.

"AAAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA MIKU STOP AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Too easy.

Miku stepped away as Hibiki shot up in bed, smiling all the while. "Uwaaaa Miku, no bully please~~"

A light plop on her head with her hand shut the chestnut-haired girl up. "Come on, we need to go to school. You should be used to this by now you know."

"Yes yes but I wanna sleep moreeeeee. School is boring!"

Miku pouted. "Hibikiiii..."

Noticing Miku's stare, Hibiki recoiled in fear. "Uwa! Okay okay, I'm getting up!"

Yep, same as always.

-!-

"Bye Mom!" Hibiki yelled as she and Miku headed towards the direction of the school.

"Bye! Have a nice day you two!" She yelled back, waving her hand to the two girls.

It was the same affair as always with this family, as waking Hibiki up was a difficult task only Miku had managed to accomplish on a regular basis. They had enough time to get to school, but she couldn't be too careful. After all, it really depended on how late Hibiki stayed up every night, and how much time it would take to wake her up would be in accordance with that. Today she was lucky she woke up so quickly.

The two walked together, side by side. Hibiki held her schoolbag in one hand on her left while Miku held her own in front of her with two hands on the straps.

Suddenly, Hibiki raised her free hand to scratch her head. "Oh dang, I don't know what to expect from the test! It was so hard!"

"Well, it was a good thing we studied then," Miku answered plainly.

"I know! It's all thanks to you Miku! You saved my butt again!"

Miku laughed. "Yes yes, as usual. You can repay me with ice cream sometime."

"What?! I thought I could pay you back with hugs!"

"Hugs don't fill an empty stomach. I'd say they fill yours, but then again you're a bottomless pit anyway, so you need both in large quantities," Miku joked.

Hibiki scratched the back of her head again and laughed. "Hehehe yeah. What can I say? I like food!"

"Yes, I know you do. I see how much you eat every day that I think I know your limit better than you do."

"Really?! How much is it?!" Hibiki exclaimed, looking to her excitedly.

"Too much," was Miku's answer.

"EHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Yes, same routine as always. Well, it was welcome and lighthearted, so it was all good. It was at that moment however that Miku remembered the tickets, and looked to Hibiki. Her friend was still grumbling to herself about the test, trying to remember what she had written down for the answers.

"Hey, Hibiki?"

"Yeah?"

Miku tried to speak, yet found herself unable to. "Nevermind."

Hibiki tilted her head in question but did not pry. And so, the two continued to school, chatting as usual.

-!-

"Right on time!" Hibiki yelled happily as she leapt into the classroom. They had around five minutes before class started, and so many of their classmates were already inside, chatting amongst themselves as they waited for the bell, and by extension the teacher to arrive.

"Yo, Tachibana!" One of the others shouted to her. "What's this? A perfect weeklong streak of being on time? Is it the end of the world already?!"

Many of the other classmates laughed, making Hibiki flustered. "Ehhh, it's not that bad!"

"Yeah, it is!" Another one said. "Good thing you got Kohinata with you!"

"That's true, hehehehehehehe..."

Miku watched the exchange with a small smile. Yep, Hibiki was fairly popular with her classmates, at least in that regard. Everyone got along pretty well in the class, which made her very happy. In her childhood, Hibiki was just a tad bit too strange for other children, and so somehow Miku ended up being her one and only friend until the first year of middle school. She was glad Hibiki managed to make more friends, as people now were more open to her strange behavior than before.

DING DONG DING!

The ringing of the bell marked the start of class. Quickly filing to their seats, the students sat and waited for the teacher to arrive. About a moment later, the door to the class opened.

A fairly short woman with short black hair and brown eyes walked inside, carrying a stack of papers in hand. Instantly, the class rep stood and began the usual morning ritual. "Rise!"

They all stood. The teacher stood by her table as she waited for it to end. "Bow!"

As one they bowed. "You may sit," the teacher said, and they all sat back down. Putting a hand on the stack she brought in, the teacher began. "I've got the results for the test you took two days ago. I can see everyone is here so one by one I'll call your name, and when I do come forward to get your test back."

Without waiting a beat, she began to read names off the lists. "Aoba!"

And so, one by one the many students received their results. Miku watched impassively as they went back to their seats, some with dejected expressions and others with smiles on their faces.

Well, she herself had no need to worry. She already knew what to expect anyway.

"Kohinata!"

She stood from her seat and went to the teacher. The woman flashed her a proud smile and handed over the test to Miku. "Very well done, Kohinata. Keep up the good work."

Miku glanced at her grade and was met with the expected sight.

'_100'_

Too easy. Too predictable.

She bowed and went back to her seat. Hibiki, sitting a bit further in the back from her, gave her a thumbs up, and Miku flashed back her own small one that the teacher couldn't see. Going back to her seat, she sat back down as the teacher continued to call out names.

-!-

The class continued as normal, and the first break arrived. As soon as the bell rang, Hibiki dashed out of her seat and headed towards Miku's.

"Amazing Miku! You always get the best grades!" Hibiki exclaimed in happiness as she sneaked a peek at Miku's test results. "I only got a 75!"

"That's still better than before, right?" Miku said back to her. "You've been working hard too. You need to give yourself more credit."

"But it's all thanks to you Miku! I couldn't have done it without you!" Her hyperactive friend exclaimed and promptly hugged Miku tightly. She couldn't help but blush at the contact, and several of their classmates laughed at their usual interactions.

"As close as always, aren't you?" One said.

"Yep! Always!" Hibiki answered with a grin.

"Hibiki, I can't breathe..."

"Uwa! Sorry!"

She immediately let her go, and Miku smiled up at her. Once again she remembered the tickets and spoke up. "Hey, Hibiki..."

"Hm?"

And yet again, was unable to speak. "Nevermind."

-!-

Classes continued as usual, and the school day ended. Quickly finding themselves at the shoe lockers, the two girls put on their outdoors shoes, placing the school ones back into their lockers.

"Shall we head home?" Miku asked.

"Yep!"

Soon enough, the two headed out of the gate, going in the same direction towards their homes. As usual, they filled the way with the normal chatter, laughing and responding to each other's jokes.

As usual. The same as always.

They stopped by Miku's house, which was the closest one from the school. Taking a few steps forward, Hibiki began to walk in the direction of her own home. "Well, see ya tomorrow Miku! I'll text you later!"

Miku waved back as Hibiki disappeared around the corner. Her hand remained steady in the air for a moment before she sighed deeply, and turned to face the door.

During the entire time they walked back, she found herself unable to bring up the topic of the tickets. Deciding to drop the subject, for now, she took her keys out from her bag and unlocked the door.

"I'm home," she announced.

Her mother peeked her head from the living room and waved to her. "Welcome home Miku! Had a nice day? How did the test go."

"Yes," she answered. "And I got a 100."

"Nice going!" Her mother exclaimed. "Knew you could do it!"

She smiled. Giving her mother no response, she quickly headed up the stairs to her room.

-!-

Night arrived. After eating, taking a shower, and doing her homework, Miku found herself laying in bed, staring at her phone. She had a nice long talk with Hibiki about inane things earlier, and it was all very nice and warm. It was especially long too, and as she flipped through her call log, she noticed that it sat around the three hour mark.

To think Hibiki would have enough patience to stay on the phone for more than five minutes was truly a miracle.

But regardless of that, now was the time for sleep. However, before that...

She opened up her unsent messages and stared at what she had written earlier in the day. The recipient was obviously Hibiki, as there was no one else she'd have chosen to go with to the concert.

Her finger hovered over the 'send' button, yet she found herself unable to press it. Deciding to drop the matter, she placed her phone down by her nightstand, and with a click turned off the lamp by her bedside.

The room was bathed in comfortable quiet, and as Miku fell asleep, the only thing that filled her heart was sad resignation.

-!-

...

...

...

**How many times has it been now?**

RING RING RING!

A hand came down atop the alarm clock.

Her eyes opened, and she looked at it to check the time. "7:30..." She mumbled to herself.

Another morning.

She rose from her bed and headed downstairs, not bothering doing anything else. Heading to the kitchen again, she greeted her parents. "Good morning Mom. Good morning Dad."

Her mother, who was cooking by the stove, turned slightly to her with a smile. "Ah Miku, good morning. Breakfast is almost ready."

A small smile. She went over to the table and sat by her father. The man was reading a newspaper with a cover page of something about an economic boom in Europe or something or another. She didn't care. "Good morning Miku. School again today I suppose."

"Yeah," she replied. "I should get results for the test I took a few days ago."

"That's great. I expect the best of the best, you hear?" He said with a laugh, and she chuckled slightly. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he reached into his shirt pocket. "Oh, by the way, Miku. I won these tickets at a raffle at the company. It was free so I thought I'd take a shot, and who would've guessed that I managed to win."

She looked at the tickets impassively and decided to go along with the act. "Tickets for a Zwei Wing concert?" She asked.

"Yes. I don't know much about them, but one of my coworkers says that they're the hot new thing right now. Says his daughter won't stop rambling about them."

"Is that so..."

Nothing more needed to be said about breakfast that morning, for it was the usual deal.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

"You have everything, Miku?" Her mother asked.

"Yes," she answered. "I'll be going now."

"Have a nice day!"

Again, the usual. The walk to Hibiki's house was uneventful as always; the temperature was the same, the houses were the same, everything was the same.

Miku withdrew her phone from her bag, heading over to the section of unsent messages. Upon getting the tickets from her dad, the moment she got her hands on her phone she typed it down yet did not send it.

Going over it again, she read the words to herself.

"_Hey, I got two tickets to a Zwei Wing concert. I don't want to go alone, so would you come with me?"_

That's all it read. A simple message and nothing more.

And yet, it remained unsent.

-!-

"Ah, Miku-chan, good morning!" Harumi said to her. "Please come in."

"Good morning ma'am," she said back with a small bow.

"No need to be so formal, Miku-chan," Harumi half-heartedly chastised her. "You're always welcome here."

"It's a habit," Miku answered. "I guess she didn't wake up yet?"

Harumi sighed. "As dead as a log. She really won't wake up if you aren't there. I honestly don't know what to do with her at this point."

Miku took off her shoes and stepped inside. "Well, same as always I guess."

"Yep, same as always."

Same as always.

She headed upstairs and entered Hibiki's room. She was in deep sleep, as usual, and so Miku began the usual routine.

She shook her. "Hibiki, wake up."

Hibiki stirred slightly, mumbling to herself in her sleep. Miku shook her again. "Wake up, we'll be late for school," she said, giving her shake a bit more force this time. Yet, Hibiki still didn't wake up, and Miku's eye twitched as she noticed drool was flowing down the side of Hibiki's mouth.

Deciding to not comment on the unladylike behavior, she shook her again. "H-i-b-i-k-i!"

"Munya~~"

She turned over, exposing her stomach to Miku as her pajamas slid up just a tiny bit too much.

Not really thinking about what to do, she put both hands on the exposed stomach and began to tickle her.

"AAAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA MIKU STOP AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Too easy.

Miku stepped away as Hibiki shot up in bed, smiling all the while. "Uwaaaa Miku, no bully please~~"

A light plop on her head with her hand shut the chestnut-haired girl up. "Come on, we need to go to school. You should be used to this by now you know."

"Yes yes but I wanna sleep moreeeeee. School is boring!"

Miku pouted. "Hibikiiii..."

Noticing Miku's stare, Hibiki recoiled in fear. "Uwa okay okay I'm getting up!"

Yep, same as always.

-!-

"Right on time!" Hibiki yelled happily as she leapt into the classroom.

"Yo, Tachibana!" One of the others shouted to her. "What's this? A perfect weeklong streak of being on time? Is it the end of the world already?!"

Many of the other classmates laughed, making Hibiki flustered. "Ehhh, it's not that bad!"

"Yeah, it is!" Another one said. "Good thing you got Kohinata with you!"

"That's true, hehehehehehehe..."

Miku watched with lessened interest, having heard this exchange many times before.

DING DONG DING!

The ringing of the bell marked the start of class. Quickly filing to their seats, the students sat and waited for the teacher to arrive. About a moment later, the door to the class opened.

A fairly short woman with short black hair and brown eyes walked inside, carrying a stack of papers in hand. Instantly, the class rep stood and began the usual morning ritual. "Rise!"

They all stood. The teacher stood by her table as she waited for it to end. "Bow!"

As one they bowed. "You may sit," the teacher said, and as one they all sat back down. Putting a hand on the stack she brought in, the teacher began. "I've got the results for the test you took two days ago. I can see everyone is here so one by one I'll call your name, and when I do come forth to get your test back."

Miku did not bother listening to who was being called up. In fact, at this point, she already knew who got a good grade and who didn't. It was just the same as always.

"Kohinata!"

She stood from her seat and went to the teacher. She flashed her a proud smile and handed over the test to Miku. "Very well done, Kohinata. Keep up the good work."

Miku glanced at her grade and was met with the expected sight.

'_100'_

Too easy. Too predictable.

-!-

"Amazing Miku! You always get the best grades!" Hibiki exclaimed in happiness as she sneaked a peek at Miku's test results. "I only got a 75!"

"That's still better than before, right?" Miku said back to her. "You've been working hard too. You need to give yourself more credit."

"But it's all thanks to you Miku! I couldn't have done it without you!" Hibiki said, who promptly hugged her friend tightly. Miku didn't blush this time, and several of their classmates laughed at their usual interactions.

"As close as always, aren't you?" One said.

"Yep! Always!" Hibiki answered with a grin.

"Hibiki, I can't breathe..."

"Uwa! Sorry!"

She immediately let her go, and Miku smiled up at her. Once again she remembered the tickets and spoke up. "Hey, Hibiki..."

"Hm?"

And yet again, was unable to speak. "Nevermind."

-!-

"Shall we head home?" Miku asked.

"Yep!"

Soon enough, the two headed out of the gate, going in the same direction towards their homes. As usual, they filled the way with the normal chatter, laughing and responding to each other's jokes.

As usual. The same as always.

They stopped by Miku's house, which was the closest one from the school. Taking a few steps forward, Hibiki began to walk in the direction of her own home. "Well, see ya tomorrow Miku! I'll text you later!"

Miku waved back as Hibiki disappeared around the corner. Her hand remained steady in the air for a moment before she sighed deeply, and turned to face the door.

"I'm home," she announced.

Her mother peeked her head from the living room and waved to her. "Welcome home Miku! Had a nice day? How did the test go."

"Yes," she answered. "And I got a 100."

"Nice going!" Her mother exclaimed. "Knew you could do it!"

She smiled. Giving her mother no response, she quickly headed up the stairs to her room.

Same as always.

-!-

Night arrived.

She stared at her phone, as always.

She opened up her unsent messages and stared at what she had written.

Her finger hovered over the 'send' button, yet she found herself unable to press it. Deciding to drop the matter again, she placed her phone down by her nightstand, and with a click turned off the lamp by her bedside.

The room was bathed in comfortable quiet, and as Miku fell asleep, and the only thing that filled her heart was sorrowful surrender.

-!-

...

...

...

**She had already lost count, but it did not matter.**

RING RING RING.

A hand came down atop the alarm clock.

Her eyes opened, and she looked at it to check the time. "7:30..." She mumbled to herself.

Another morning.

She rose from her bed and headed downstairs, not bothering doing anything else. Heading to the kitchen again, she greeted her parents. "Good morning Mom. Good morning Dad."

Her mother, who was cooking by the stove, turned slightly to her with a smile. "Ah Miku, good morning. Breakfast is almost ready."

A small smile. She went over to the table and sat by her father. The man was reading a newspaper with a cover page of something about an economic boom in Europe or something or another. She didn't care again. "Good morning Miku. School again today I suppose."

"Yeah," she replied. "I should get results for the test I took a few days ago."

"That's great. I expect the best of the best, you hear?" He said with a laugh.

She did not respond.

"Oh, by the way, Miku. I won these tickets at a raffle at the company. It was free so I thought I'd take a shot, and who would have guessed that I managed to win."

She looked at the tickets impassively and decided to go along with the act, again. "Tickets for a Zwei Wing concert?" She asked, acting surprised.

"Yes. I don't know much about them, but one of my coworkers says that they're the hot new thing right now. Says his daughter won't stop rambling about them."

"Is that so..."

Nothing more needed to be said about breakfast that morning, for it was the usual deal.

-!-

"You have everything, Miku?" Her mother asked.

"Yes," she answered. "I'll be going now."

"Have a nice day!"

Again, the usual. The walk to Hibiki's house was uneventful as always; the temperature was the same, the houses were the same, everything was the same.

Miku withdrew her phone from her bag, heading over to the section of unsent messages. Upon getting the tickets from her dad, the moment she got her hands on her phone, she typed it down yet did not send it.

Going over it again, she read the words to herself.

"_Hey, I got two tickets to a Zwei Wing concert. I don't want to go alone, so would you come with me?"_

That's all it read. A simple message and nothing more.

And yet, it remained unsent.

-!-

"Ah, Miku-chan, good morning!" Harumi said to her. "Please come in."

"Good morning ma'am," she said back with a small bow.

"No need to be so formal, Miku-chan," Harumi half-heartedly chastised her. "You're always welcome here."

"It's a habit," Miku answered. "I guess she didn't wake up yet?"

Harumi sighed. "As dead as a log. She really won't wake up if you aren't there. I honestly don't know what to do with her at this point."

Miku took off her shoes and stepped inside. "Well, same as always I guess."

"Yep, same as always."

**Same as always.**

She headed upstairs and entered Hibiki's room. She was in deep sleep, as usual, and so Miku began the usual routine.

She shook her. "Hibiki, wake up."

Hibiki stirred slightly, mumbling to herself in her sleep. Miku shook her again. "Wake up, we'll be late for school," she said, giving her shake a bit more force this time.

Yet, Hibiki still didn't wake up.

She shook her again. "H-i-b-i-k-i!"

"Munya~~"

She turned over, exposing her stomach to Miku as her pajamas slid up just a tiny bit too much.

Miku didn't bother to think.

Putting both hands on the exposed stomach, she began to tickle her.

"AAAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA MIKU STOP AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Too easy.

Miku stepped away as Hibiki shot up in bed, smiling all the while. "Uwaaaa Miku, no bully please~~"

A light plop on her head with her hand shut the chestnut-haired girl up. "Come on, we need to go to school. You should be used to this by now you know."

"Yes yes but I wanna sleep moreeeeee. School is boring!"

Miku pouted. "Hibikiiii..."

Noticing Miku's stare, Hibiki recoiled in fear. "Uwa okay okay I'm getting up!"

Yep, **same as always**.

-!-

"Right on time!" Hibiki yelled happily as she leapt into the classroom.

"Yo, Tachibana!" One of the others shouted to her. "What's this? A perfect weeklong streak of being on time? Is it the end of the world already?!"

Many of the other classmates laughed, making Hibiki flustered. "Ehhh, it's not that bad!"

"Yeah, it is!" Another one said. "Good thing you got Kohinata with you!"

"That's true, hehehehehehehe..."

Miku watched with lessened interest, having heard this exchange many times before.

**Same as always.**

DING DONG DING!

The ringing of the bell marked the start of class. Quickly filing to their seats, the students sat and waited for the teacher to arrive. About a moment later, the door to the class opened.

A fairly short woman with short black hair and brown eyes walked inside, carrying a stack of papers in hand. Instantly, the class rep stood and began the usual morning ritual. "Rise!"

They all stood. The teacher stood by her table as she waited for it to end. "Bow!"

As one they bowed. "You may sit," the teacher said, and they all sat back down. Putting a hand on the stack she brought in, the teacher began. "I've got the results for the test you took two days ago. I can see everyone is here so one by one I'll call your name, and when I do come forth to get your test back."

**Same as always.**

Miku did not bother listening to who was being called up. In fact, at this point, she already knew who got a good grade and who didn't. **It was just the same as always.**

"Kohinata!"

She stood from her seat and went to the teacher. She flashed her a proud smile and handed over the test to Miku. "Very well done, Kohinata. Keep up the good work."

Miku glanced at her grade and was met with the expected sight.

'_100'_

Too easy. Too predictable.

**Same as always.**

-!-

"Amazing Miku! You always get the best grades!" Hibiki exclaimed in happiness as she sneaked a peek at Miku's test results. "I only got a 75!"

"That's still better than before, right?" Miku said back to her. "You've been working hard too. You need to give yourself more credit."

"But it's all thanks to you Miku! I couldn't have done it without you!" Hibiki said, and promptly hugged Miku tightly. She didn't blush. The classmates laughed and spoke.

"As close as always, aren't you?" One said.

"Yep! Always!" Hibiki answered with a grin.

"Hibiki, I can't breathe..."

"Uwa! Sorry!"

She immediately let her go, and Miku smiled up at her. Once again she remembered the tickets and spoke up. "Hey, Hibiki..."

"Hm?"

And yet again, was unable to speak. "Nevermind."

**Same as always.**

-!-

"Shall we head home?" Miku asked.

"Yep!"

Soon enough, the two headed out of the gate, going in the same direction towards their homes. As usual, they filled the way with the normal chatter, laughing and responding to each other's jokes.

As usual. The same as always.

They stopped by Miku's house, which was the closest one from the school. Taking a few steps forward, Hibiki began to walk in the direction of her own home. "Well, see ya tomorrow Miku! I'll text you later!"

Miku waved back as Hibiki disappeared around the corner. Her hand remained steady in the air for a moment before she sighed deeply, and turned to face the door.

"I'm home," she announced.

Her mother peeked her head from the living room and waved to her. "Welcome home Miku! Had a nice day? How did the test go."

"Yes," she answered. "And I got a 100."

"Nice going!" Her mother exclaimed. "Knew you could do it!"

She smiled. Giving her mother no response, she quickly headed up the stairs to her room.

**Same as always.**

-!-

Night arrived.

She stared at her phone, **as always.**

She opened up her unsent messages and stared at what she had written.

Her finger hovered over the 'send' button, yet she found herself unable to press it. Deciding to drop the matter again, she placed her phone down by her nightstand, and with a click turned off the lamp by her bedside.

**Same as always.**

The room was bathed in comfortable quiet, and as Miku fell asleep, and the only thing that filled her heart was heartbreaking resignation.

**Same as always.**

-!-

...

...

...

**Again and again, time turns. A locked eternity, endless and inescapable.**

**And yet, this was her choice. Forevermore to repeat the cycle.**

**To experience everything, same as always.**

**For this was the only way she found to avoid sorrow.**

"**Hmmm... no, this won't do. This won't do at all..."**

...

...

...

RING RING RING!

There was no point in even using the alarm clock anymore. Her mind was so conditioned to this exact moment, she already knew for a fact when it would come.

Once again, she turned it off. Once again, she turned to the side and read the usual '7:30' it read on its display.

Once again, she sat up on the edge of her bed. Once again she stretched and headed towards the kitchen on the lower floor.

Once again, she greeted her parents. "Good morning Mom. Good morning Dad."

She knew what her mother was going to do and say. The woman turned slightly to her with a smile. "Ah Miku, good morning. Breakfast is almost ready."

Same as always.

She took a seat by the table, glancing at the newspaper her father was reading. Again, same headline and cover page about an economic boom in Europe. And again, he lowered it slightly to speak to her. "Good morning Miku. School again today I suppose."

And she gave the same answer as usual. "Yeah, I should get results for the test I took a few days ago."

And once again he laughed, saying the exact same thing as every other time. "That's great. I expect the best of the best, you hear?"

She didn't even bother saying anything in response. She knew what he was going to say now, it was extremely obvious. "Oh, by the way, Miku. I won these tickets at a raffle at the company. It was free so I thought I'd take a shot, and who would have guessed that I managed to win."

He took the tickets out of his pockets and handed them to her. Once again, the same exact tickets with the same exact images and gloss on them. But she had to put on the act and continued the same as always. "Tickets for a Zwei Wing concert?"

"Yes. I don't know much about them, but one of my coworkers says that they're the hot new thing right now. Says his daughter won't stop rambling about them."

The same conversation, over and over and over. She could tell by now how long it would take the man to say those exact words, down to the millisecond.

It was all just the same thing anyway, so nothing here truly mattered.

But...

This was the only path left. This is the only way the suffering could be avoided. And for the sake of that...

She had no problem remaining in this moment for the rest of eternity.

-!-

"Have a nice day!"

Miku smiled to her mother and headed towards the usual direction: Hibiki's house.

The path to it was, just like always, the exact same thing. The sun shone, the birds chirped, the temperature was nice.

Same as always.

And just like every other time, she took out her phone midway and looked at the unsent message she had written. In fact, she wasn't sure if it had just remained there since the other times, but that didn't really matter.

She couldn't send it, so everything stayed the same.

She arrived in due time, and once more Harumi greeted her at the door. Giving her the usual greetings, Miku climbed up the stairs to Hibiki's room.

And once more, caught her sleeping deeply. The goofy smile on her face and the drool dripping out of the corner of her mouth were the usual sights, and Miku would have smiled had she not known about it beforehand.

Same as always.

-!-

The walk to school was the same as always, just like everything else. She knew what Hibiki was going to say, and so she knew how to react to it. She knew how she'd respond, and she knew how to give her own response.

It was all just a big repetition of the same thing, over and over.

Yet still, there was no other choice.

They arrived at school with enough time to spare, and once more Hibiki burst in with a huge grin. "Right on time!"

And the classmates reacted as usual. "Yo, Tachibana! What's this? A perfect weeklong streak of being on time? Is it the end of the world already?!"

Everyone laughed, and Hibiki blushed. "Ehhh, it's not that bad!"

"Yeah, it is!" Another one said. "Good thing you got Kohinata with you!"

"That's true, hehehehehehehe..."

Same exact exchange, over and over and over. Nothing surprised her anymore, and she didn't really care. She chose to do this, and as a result, this was what she was getting.

The bell rang, and they scrambled to their seats.

The door opened as the teacher arrived.

A fairly tall woman with long blonde hair and golden eyes walked inside, carrying a stack of papers in hand. She slid the door closed behind her, and the class rep began the usual morning ritual.

"Rise!"

The students all rose as one.

Except for Miku, who simply stared.

'_What... what is this?'_

What was going on?

Blinking rapidly, Miku tried to see if she was just imagining things, yet no matter what she did, the teacher's appearance remained the same.

That wasn't what their teacher looked like. She'd know, as she had seen her walk in many times before. So... why did she look like that?

And why did she seem so familiar?

A poke to the back of her head broke her out of her trance. Realizing where she was, she quickly rose to her feet along with everyone else, who had stared at her in confusion at her lack of focus. Deciding to move on, the class rep continued.

"Bow!"

As one they did so, yet Miku could not unglue her eyes from the woman in front of her.

"You may sit," she said, her voice catching Miku completely off guard. That wasn't what the teacher sounded like. She was— "I've got the results for the test you took two days ago. I can see everyone is here so one by one I'll call your name, and when I do come forth to get your test back."

Without waiting a beat, she began to read names off the lists. "Aoba!"

As the students rose one by one, Miku just found herself lost in thought, trying to make sense of what was going on. What could have caused this to happen? Nothing changed in who knows many iterations. Since she already knew everything by heart, she wasn't surprised by anything that happened, as even if she acted differently it all went down the same path.

This was the first time something changed without her direct intervention, so what could that possibly mean?

So lost in thought was she that she didn't hear her name being called. Once again, the student behind her poked in the back of the head, breaking her out of her stupor.

"Kohinata!"

She shot up from her seat, quickly heading over to the strange teacher to receive her test. She stood before her, and she could swear her gaze lingered on her for a second more than usual.

Before her face twisted in disappointment as she handed the test back to her. "Kohinata, please see me after school today," the teacher said.

Bewildered, Miku looked down at her test, and her eyes widened.

'_**0'**_

She blinked several times, thinking what she was seeing was an illusion.

'_What?'_

A zero? How? This test was...

She looked at it closer, and she noticed something was off: this wasn't even the same test. In fact, it wasn't even the same subject. Yet, her answers had remained exactly the same, and as a result, not a single one of them made sense for the questions.

Her answers were already set in stone, and so she had assumed the results would too. But a zero? How?

Taking one last glance at the strange teacher, Miku turned back to her seat, staring at her test all the while and completely missing the worried look Hibiki sent her way.

-!-

The class continued as normal, and the first break arrived. As soon as the bell rang, Hibiki dashed out of her seat and headed towards Miku's. She tilted her head in worry. "Miku? Is everything okay?" She asked her.

Miku did not respond and simply continued to stare at her test. She had simply wandered off the entire time, paying no attention to what the teacher was saying and only stealing glances at her occasionally, trying to understand this strange anomaly.

Hibiki peeked over and saw the grade on the paper. "Oh..." She let out sadly. Suddenly, she hugged Miku from behind, and the black-haired girl did not give any response to the act. "It's okay Miku! It's just one test! It's not like it matters!"

"What's this?" A different student suddenly said. "Kohinata got a zero? No freaking way. Are pigs flying? Did the day come that Tachibana actually got a higher grade t?!"

"Ehhhhhhh?! But it's all thanks to Miku! She was the one that helped me study!" Hibiki answered back.

"Oh, that explains everything..."

The class laughed together, and even Hibiki joined in on the fun. Yet, Miku was still too focused on the test in front of her and on the teacher that had appeared. Everything else around her felt pointless, as it always did.

She needed an explanation. She couldn't let this stranger ruin the fragile peace she had achieved here. Even if she was destined to repeat it forever, this was the only way that...

In a sudden move that caused Hibiki to release her, Miku stood up from her chair. Realizing what she had to do, she left the classroom in a hurry, ignoring Hibiki who had called out to her as she left.

And so, Miku began her trek around the school, looking for the strange teacher that had appeared out of nowhere. Taking up almost all of her break time, she walked and ran around the campus, trying to find her in any place she could.

Yet, the teacher was nowhere to be found.

Confused and dejected, Miku headed back to class, her mind wandering once again.

This was not like usual.

-!-

Evening arrived, bathing the school in a soft orange glow. Class had already ended, and so Miku followed after Hibiki down to the shoe lockers.

However, she did not put her own on, as she had to stay. Seeing as she couldn't find the teacher anywhere, then perhaps now was the chance to get some answers.

"You're not coming, Miku?" Hibiki asked her.

"No, I have to stay today. The teacher wanted to speak to me about the test," she said, earning a small frown from Hibiki. "Sorry. Go home without me today. I don't know how long it will take."

Hibiki wanted to argue but knew that Miku wouldn't budge. "Okay," she replied. "Call me when you're done, alright?"

"Sure."

Hibiki flashed her a bright smile, causing Miku's heart to skip a beat. She quickly turned around, waving to her as she disappeared past the school gates.

Miku watched her go, and once she was out of her vision, she lowered her hand, her face set in an even expression as she headed back to the classroom. It was all far too strange for her, as this had never happened before.

It was confusing and scary at the same time, as the usual had not occurred today. What was it that prompted this change? She didn't know.

But if her gut feeling meant anything, she figured she'll find out now.

Arriving at the door to the class, Miku took a deep breath and entered, sliding it closed behind her.

_(Play: Demon Carving - Fate/Stay Night OST)_

Sitting at one of the student chairs by the window, staring out into the sunset, was the strange teacher with long blonde hair. Even though she had all day to look at her and steal glances at her throughout the day, this was the first time Miku could really focus her full attention on her.

The class, empty save for the two of them, was quiet. Only the soft chirping of the birds outside broke the silence, and the wind flowing in through the open window caused the teacher's hair to flap about in the wind.

She was far too familiar. Miku knew she had seen her before, but she was just not sure where.

Suddenly, the teacher spoke.

"It's a nice view, isn't it?"

Miku blinked at her words.

"I haven't seen the sun set like this for quite some time. I never really took a good look at it, so I always missed seeing how beautiful it was," the woman said, a tinge of reminiscence in her voice

Miku was left confused and unable to respond. The teacher then turned her head to her, and the girl's breath was stolen from her as a pair of golden eyes looked straight into her own. "It's a shame it isn't a real one."

Miku's eyes widened, and her heart raced at her insinuation. The woman simply stared at her, saying nothing more. Miku felt as though her eyes were piercing through her, looking _into _her, reaching beyond the wall she had established.

And then the woman turned her head away and stared out the window once more. "You know, this reminds me of a story," she began, and Miku's brows furrowed in puzzlement. "There was once a woman who had fallen in love. So in love was she, in fact, that she swore to do anything to be with her beloved. So devoted was she that no matter what happened, she did not stray from that path, even though it was littered with thorns and hardship."

Miku's heart beat a mile a minute, and her breaths became heavier by the moment.

"Yet no matter what she did, she couldn't be with him. He was just so far out of her reach that she always fell short of her goal, time and time again. Unwilling to give up on her wish, she subjected herself to an eternity of repetition. She died, and was reborn again. Died, and was reborn. With every repetition she took, she believed she was getting just that much closer to her goal. She thought things had changed, and so it lifted her spirits. Yet... nothing truly changed. She only did the same thing, again and again, hoping that finally she'll get the results she wanted."

The teacher let out a small laugh, and Miku could not help but notice the sorrow it contained. "You know, there's a very famous phrase that feels quite fitting. It states: 'the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting things to change'. It's quite a nice one, don't you agree?"

Miku gave her no response.

"But it's also sadly ironic. You see, that woman was the one that had coined it, even though it was credited to many others. I suppose it was just another thing she did in one of her repetitions, yet she never realized the irony of that statement. She believed she was unshackled by this cycle, but in the end she was truly bound by it. She repeated the same thing, over and over again, expecting things to change or improve. Truly, she was insane."

She sighed. "And you know... looking at this fake setting sun... I have to admit you remind me of her somewhat."

Miku was frozen stiff, barely able to bring herself to even breath. As if by some reflex, she spoke up uneasily, her confusion and fear evident in her tone.

"Y-you... you are... how...?"

"I honestly don't know when was it that I showed up here. Well, I suppose it fits, seeing as you probably don't even know how many times you have repeated this cycle. But regardless of the when, seeing you subject yourself to this cruel cycle reminded me too much of that insane woman. I guess I found myself acting without truly realizing it." The teacher—no, the overly familiar—woman said.

"A-ah—"

The woman turned around, staring out the window once more. "What I am? Well, I'm not sure myself. I guess I'm just... a remnant, I suppose? A tiny fragment that somehow awakened in this endlessly repeating eternity, again and again. It took me a few tries to find the source, and honestly I'm not surprised it was you. After all, everyone aside from you are mere faceless pawns, programmed to endlessly repeat the same moment again and again. And I have to ask: why do you subject yourself to this?"

Miku swallowed. A bead of sweat flowed down her brow, her eyes shaking at the woman's back. "I-I... I don't... I don't know what you're talking about..."

A desperate and defiant attempt to brush off the woman's words.

And it was as effective as attempting to stand against the ocean's tide.

"You know, it was easy to change the test itself in order to cause your grades to drop. After all, it's not like the answers themselves would ever change, for they are already set in stone," the woman continued, and the wind once more flew in through the open window.

Her hair as well as the curtains flapped about, and the evening glow illuminated her form. "But the grade doesn't really matter in the end, for there is nothing beyond this one day to look forward to. Yes, this is a world that has no real past... and at the same breath has no future. A perpetual state of now, of an unchanging scenery that exists for the sake of one single purpose."

She turned back to her, and Miku could swear her golden eyes shone in the light of the setting sun. Her expression was even yet pensive, and Miku could tell the woman was recalling something from long ago.

"And for what sort of purpose did you make this world?"

A question that she could not bring herself to answer.

And in the end, she had no need to, for the woman spoke up again regardless. "It was for her sake, wasn't it?"

Miku took in a sharp breath.

The woman turned again, this time facing the blackboard at the front of the class. It was clean, looking nearly as good as new. Only the unrelated and unimportant names written on its bottom right that stated who was responsible for tidying up the class that day ruined its uniform shine.

"You subjected yourself to this hell for her sake, just like the woman subjected herself to her own hell for his. And yet, I still find myself wanting to ask you why. I truly want to know... just how similar the two of you could be."

Miku's hands rose, and she grasped the front of her shirt, right above the heart. The fabric crumpled in her tight hold, and her eyes shook as she tried to keep a hold on her composure.

It was a futile effort. "I... I just... I just..."

The woman said nothing, waiting for Miku to answer. The girl let out the breath she was holding, in vain trying to keep herself from falling apart. "It... it was my fault. I shouldn't... it was because of me that she... that she had to suffer. I... just wanted..."

"I see..."

Miku was unable to continue. And so, the woman did so in her place. "I guess I must apologize then. I thought you two were the same, and yet... you're not. You blame yourself for what happened to her, and so you consider this hell your atonement. The woman never managed to do that, for she only blamed others. She could never see beyond the lack of understanding, beyond the conclusion she had reached about the nature of the world."

The woman let out a small, nearly inconspicuous laugh. "I suppose I understand now why I awakened here, in this world. Your nature may be different, but the path you are taking is very much alike. She endlessly reincarnated, hoping to arrive at an answer. And you are constantly repeating and looping, surrendering yourself to your fate for that girl's sake."

The woman turned to her once again, but Miku could no longer bring herself to look her in the eyes. "And that is why I must tell you know... that you must let it go."

At once Miku's head shot up, her eyes as wide as saucers. She shuddered repeatedly, swallowing again and again as she made herself speak. "I... I can't... I have to... stay here. This... this is the only way. This is the only where she... where she doesn't have to suffer. Here... she has friends, and nobody hates her, and everyone gets along. Only here... only here there won't be any suffering. She won't... have to go through that hell here... that's why I'm fine... with staying here..."

The woman blinked, and sighed. "I see..."

She took a step closer to the girl, and cast her shadow upon her. "But there is no happiness here either. Nothing can truly be obtained here, for it is nothing but an eternally suspended moment that will never truly amount to anything."

"But... but there is nothing else I can do," Miku tried to counter. "It was because of me... because of my selfishness... that she had to go through that torture. If I hadn't... if I hadn't been so selfish then... she wouldn't have..."

"And what of it?"

The woman's interruption shocked Miku to the core. She began to pour her heart out, and was mercilessly cut off. The woman turned to face the board again. "You've been fine with it until now, so this change of heart astounds me. For what purpose did you choose to disregard everything else? What was it that you saw at the end of the road that pushed you forward? And what was it that caused you to look upon the walls in your path, and to surrender to their presence?"

Miku sobbed, her composure falling apart far more quickly than she had wanted. And yet the woman continued, cruelly tearing her apart. "I guess that's another difference between you and that woman. She never saw anything beyond her own desires, beyond her own selfishness. She did not care for anything, especially other lives, as she just moved towards her goal and damned anyone who ever dared to get in her way. That was how her hands were stained with blood, and how she viciously took over the roles of others over the years."

Her hair fluttered in the wind once more, and the sun continued to set on the horizon. "Yet... there was beauty in it. Even though she left behind a mountain of corpses, and was left with nothing but regret... there was beauty in her path. For in the end, her motivation was a simple one, and the most beautiful there could ever be."

She turned to Miku again, and this time she smiled. "And that's where you too are similar. You followed your path for the same exact reason. It may be selfish... but it's what made her shine... and in the end, it is what makes you shine."

Miku's heart beat a mile a minute, and she clutched her shirt even tighter, her knuckles turning white. "I... I..."

The woman turned around, and headed towards the table where she sat. She stared out the window for a moment, before she once again turned around and leaned on it, sitting atop it without a care in the world. "That woman saw in that girl something... something brilliant that day. The girl's words were simple yet... it was all it took to break the shell of cruelty she had built around herself in her quest to reach her goal. And so, in gratitude for her kindness, left behind for her a simple choice of words:"

Another breeze.

"Believe in the song of your heart."

Miku sobbed again, her mind flashing back to that day. To the moment Hibiki flew into the sky, and the day she had expected her to never return.

"It's a shame really, for it seems that girl has forgotten those words... or perhaps she cast them away, for she now believes they no longer hold any true significance. Unfortunately, that woman can't be there to remind her of those words... but, luckily enough there is someone who can."

The woman pushed off the table and walked towards Miku. "I guess there's a reason why I showed up here at all, and I think it was all for a single question. And so, I'll ask you it now, and I think the answer will come to you naturally."

She stopped within an arm's reach of the girl, reaching forward. "That girl's heart sang a beautiful song, and yet it was marred by sorrow. Now tell me..."

And she placed a finger atop Miku's clenched hands, right over the heart.

"To what tone does your heart sing?"

Miku found herself speechless, and for some reason, her tight hold on her shirt slightly loosened. She looked down with a dumbfounded expression at her own hand, and the woman pulled back her own.

"I think I can make a very good guess," she said with a smile. "It sings in tandem with hers. And that is why I know... only you can remind her of it. Of the true meaning of her song... and how to let go of the sorrow that plagued it."

She wanted to speak. She wanted to say _something!_

Yet, she couldn't. Not a single word could leave her lips, leaving her with no ability to deny her.

"That's why it's important you too let go of that sorrow. That's why it's important that you let time move forward. And even though suffering lies on that road, so does the path to the happiness that you so cherish. I ask that you do this for your sake, her sake... and perhaps, maybe, for that woman's sake."

Once more the melancholic smile returned. "There is nothing wrong with embracing that selfishness that you decry, for in the end, it was what granted you the strength to come this far. And so, I believe that from here on out, you must continue doing so. For the sake of your small share of happiness..."

Her hold on her shirt loosened even more.

"And for the sake of your happy days."

It was no more. Her hands fell to her sides, and she stared at the woman with a stupefied expression.

"That girl may have wished to let go of the world, and you may be inclined to let her do so. But why should you? From here on out, it is time to impose your will on her. From here on out, live on for the happiness that you cherish so. I'm sure that somewhere deep within her, that girl wishes so as well. All you need to do is to get her to admit it, but for you, that should be child's play."

Out and in. In and out. Miku breathed, her entire body shaking. "I... I don't know how... I... I—"

"Of course you do," the woman interrupted her, raising a hand to something by Miku's side. "The answer lies within there, doesn't it?"

Miku followed her gaze, and it landed atop the nearest table. Her eyes widened as she noticed that something that wasn't there before had appeared out of thin air.

Her phone.

"The way out of this hell is right there, is it not? Then, I believe it's time to open the door, and to finally head out so you can once more face the future that you desire. It's time to reclaim the happiness that you so cherish."

Almost in a daze, Miku picked up her phone from the table. With shaking fingers, she slowly navigated to her unsent messages... and saw the one that had remained there, waiting for her.

"_Hey, I got two tickets to a Zwei Wing concert. I don't want to go alone, so would you come with me?"_

A simple message, and yet one that would make all the difference.

"Yes, for the moment you send it is the moment time will move forward. From that moment on the suffering that you fear will return, but together with it, everything else. Do not shy away from it, and do not turn back from it. Face it, look it straight in the eyes, and never again let your heart waver in its presence. Never again blame yourself and never let regret consume your heart like it had that woman."

Her finger hovered over the 'send' button, and her will wavered just like it had many times until now.

Seeing her hesitation, the woman continued. "Do not let the cycle of tragedy continue any longer. You owe that to yourself, and to her."

In and out. Out and in. Her finger continued to shake, yet moved just a bit closer.

"_Miku, you really are my sunshine. My warm place to come back to. That is why as long as you're here... I'm not afraid."_

When was it that Hibiki spoke to words to her? How many times has she spoken them? She wasn't sure, but just hearing them caused her heart to race time and time again.

She wanted to continue being that sunshine.

She wanted to always be there for her, now and forever more. She wanted to keep hearing those words...

And to let the love she felt continue to shine brightly.

The woman saw how Miku's shoulders relaxed somewhat, yet still remained hesitant.

It required only one more push.

"Now is the time to move on, towards the future that embodies your name. Show her and the world that something lies beyond the veil of hatred, grudges, and lack of understanding that plagued it."

The finger moved closer.

"And show the world... that love can make dreams come true."

The tears fell.

And so, her finger pressed the button.

'_MESSAGE SENT'_

At that moment, the illusionary world crumbled away in light.

-!-

_(Play: Last Stardust - Aimer)_

The evening sky vanished, and in its place the night shone above, the stars illuminating the Earth with their brilliant glow. She stood on a hill at the very center of a clearing, the trees around her swaying slightly from the wind.

A familiar hill that she saw oh so many times in her memories. A special place, one she cherished as much as her own home. A place she shared with only one other, and that held great importance to them both.

Miku could only continue to shed tears, her heart in tatters.

Yet, on that hill, a song rang out from beside her. Wiping her eyes with her sleeve, she looked to the side.

To her shock, she saw the woman. Gone was the modest teacher's uniform she had worn. Now, the woman was garbed in an elegant yet revealing robe, adorned with various pieces of golden jewelry that hung around her neck. Miku had never seen such clothes before in her life, their style reminding her of an ancient civilization that no longer existed in the world.

And she was singing. Her song was carried on the wind, melding within the swaying leaves. Her arms were spread out, and her eyes were closed as the lyrics left her lips.

_"This is what you wished for, isn't it?" _

The girl's eyes widened, puzzled at hearing the woman's voice in her mind.

"_This is the place where you fulfilled a promise, wasn't it?"_

"This... is..." She let out, her hand grasping at her shirt once more. The woman's long blonde hair fluttered in the wind, and her bare feet lightly touched the ground beneath her.

_"It really is a special place, isn't it? That woman... never truly had the chance to see something like this. She never once tried to look for something like this, for she never made a promise like yours."_

The entire time the woman spoke, she was singing. And it was such a beautiful melody, sung with all of her heart. A song about the chase after an ideal, of a pursuit of a dream that lay beyond the horizon. A song about the unfettered heart that strove for the impossible, yet stayed strong forevermore.

It resonated with Miku's heart, making it beat and dance with the flowing melody.

"_There is truly nothing like it. How that woman wished she could see something so beautiful. Perhaps, had she once looked up at the night sky, she would have been able to see it."_

Miku, once more confused and bewildered, followed her gaze to the stars.

And she saw a familiar twinkle ,shining brightly even among its brethren in the night.

Her mouth hung open, and once more she was left speechless.

Many rays of light streaked across the sky, one after the other. Outshining everything in the night, they continued on and on, unabated by anything.

"Shooting stars..."

She murmured those two words together, reminded of something she realized she had forgotten.

An oath she had held onto with every ounce of her strength, and a promise she swore to keep for the rest of her days.

"_This miracle... is only possible because you chose to move forward. I know it is hard, to let time move on, and to know that she must experience that sadness. But, if this is what lies at the end of that road... then I suppose... it must be worth it."_

Miku's gaze remained unmoving, taking in the memory of that day.

She came back, just like she had promised. And so, they were able to witness this marvel.

"_Go forth, and grasp a hold of that happiness."_

Finally able to tear her eyes away from the sky, Miku turned to look at the woman, her voice shaking. "I... I want to say—"

Only to stop as she realized what was happening.

The woman was disappearing. Rising from the bottom of her feet were golden sparkles of light, floating up into the air and dissipating into nothingness.

The woman did not even acknowledge that fact. No, even as her form slowly vanished from the world, she sang, rising higher and higher as she did so. Her voice echoed in tandem with the shooting stars, reaching into Miku's very core.

"_I suppose my role here is finished. I'm truly glad... that you were able to find your answer."_

Finding herself panicking, Miku spoke up in a hurry. "I... I—!"

"_Do not be disheartened, for this was inevitable... Although, there is one favor I must ask of you."_

Despite wanting to say something, Miku fell quiet as the woman made her request.

"_Please tell that man... that she's sorry she couldn't return his feelings."_

It was such a strange thing to hear now, of all times. The woman who had helped her leave this looping world was making a heartfelt request, something that rang true with the song she was singing.

Miku felt compelled to answer her. The woman's lower body had already vanished completely, yet she kept on singing even as her torso was dissipating. She reached higher and higher, aiming for beyond the stars.

"I will."

Even while she was occupied with singing, the woman smiled. "_Thank you. Now go, it is time you face that sorrow. I'm sure that you will be able to overcome it. And never forget... to believe in the song of your heart."_

Only her head and hands remained.

"_Ah... I wonder... if she had a song like yours... would He have heard it...?"_

The woman left those words behind.

And so, the priestess that bore the name of the end vanished from the illusionary world, scattering into the wind.

And Miku was left alone on the night time hill, illuminated by the shooting stars. She took a deep breath, marveling at the awe-striking scenery. She composed herself, once again feeling compelled to answer.

So she smiled. She knew her words would not reach the woman, but she felt she needed to give her a response... to comfort her on her path, even if she was no longer there to walk it.

"Yes... I'm sure he would have."

Yet, for some mystical, unexplainable reason, the woman's song remained. Even though her body had vanished, and her presence could no longer be felt, her song continued. The melody came from all directions, as if embracing Miku in their warmth.

Together with that song, something else took the woman's place.

It was a mirror. A simple, round mirror floated in the air before her, and as the girl looked into it, she could see her reflection on it. She walked closer, stopping just within arm's reach, and placed her hand on its surface.

She moved her hand over it slowly, as if cleaning the shine...

And this time, saw something else reflected back at her.

_A warm smile, hiding beneath it a deep anguish that had wracked at her heart._

For what lay beyond was something that she swore to reach.

There was no more hesitation to be had. Gathering her resolve, Miku pushed her hand inside, and the mirror's surface shimmered and wavered as she moved it further in. She rummaged through its depths, seeking what lay within. The memories of sunshine filling up her heart with every inch she cleared.

It took her only a moment.

She reached it. Her hand, desperately seeking her counterpart, grabbed hold of the one that waited on the other side.

And so, the world vanished once more in a flash of bright light, dispelling the dark.

-!-

A tornado of multicolored light rose from the stage, lighting up the sky. It swirled and twisted, outshining everything else on the battlefield. All those gathered stared at it with wide eyes, not expecting to see it now.

"W-what?" Shirabe muttered.

The Titan, who had been looming over them, turned to stare at the swirling light with its eyeless face. Suddenly, its expression twisted into one of horror, and it stepped back in fear of the rising storm.

Kirika, as shocked as her partner, could only utter her words in disbelief.

"N-no way..."

-!-

Tsubasa looked on in awe, shocked by the appearance of that storm now.

"This is... how is this possible?"

She briefly glanced to the enemies she had been fighting, and saw that the beasts had frozen in place. They stared up at the light with their fanged mouths gaping open in what looked to her like genuine fear.

What the heck was happening? This was—

Suddenly, something happened. The storm all at once intensified, rising higher and higher into the sky and piercing through the night. She almost found herself swept off her feet by the wind that followed, yet that was not the strangest thing that had occurred.

As if on cue, light pulsed from the stage in all directions. Circles of violet brilliance erupted, sweeping over the city and everything beyond it with incredible speed.

This time, Tsubasa found herself stumbling back slightly, caught completely off guard. Stabilizing her feet, her head tilted down to stare at her footing.

And her eyes widened as she saw that the blackness that was covering her Symphogear was slowly but surely flaking away.

"What... is this?"

"Ugh..."

Her head snapped to the side, and she looked with total confusion as Kanade staggered and fell to her knees, quickly planting her spear in the ground for support.

And the idol could not miss how slowly but surely, her former partner's body began to flake away as well.

"Kanade—"

"So she's done it," her once partner said, her mouth upturned into a bright smile. "She finally did it, that girl."

Speechless, Tsubasa could say nothing more, and turned to stare at the light once more.

-!-

All at once her consciousness returned to her. Blinking multiple times at the sudden clarity in her mind, Chris raised herself from where she was stuck, immediately noticing the powerful wind that swept over the area.

"What the—"

She looked down at her hands, and her eyes widened at the sight of the blackness flaking away, the original red shine of Ichaival returning to its form. "W-what?"

She looked forward, and her brows furrowed as she noticed an incredible sight.

As the rings of violet light swept throughout the area, their effect was immediately noticeable. She saw how the beasts, previously moving about erratically, dropped to the ground like puppets with their strings, their bodies paralyzed.

But not only that. She saw as how, a bit further beyond, the wraiths that had spawned out of nowhere were all turning to dust, vanishing into the wind. The ichor that made up their form solidified and faded away, leaving behind not even a single reminder of their existence.

Shocked beyond belief, she raised her head to locate the source of whatever was causing this strange occurrence.

And she too was left breathless at the sight.

"No way... This is—!"

She swallowed nervously... and excitedly murmured the name.

"S2CA?!"

-!-

"What's happening?!"

Maria's question garnered no response as the beasts dropped like flies. Behind them, the formation of wraiths simply vanished from the world, disappearing as abruptly as they had appeared.

The Airgetlam Adaptor looked up, catching sight of the swirling light and found herself at a loss for words.

But Saint-Germain was not. Her eyes now fully opened, she looked on with a smile on her face.

"You finally remembered... haven't you... Kohinata Miku?"

And slowly, raised her weakened and bloodied arm towards it, as if trying to reach it.

"Go... and make your wish come true."

-!-

All those in headquarters were in an uproar.

But more than that, they were astounded by what was showing on their screen.

"S2CA... how?" Genjuro could only say to himself in total disbelief. This shouldn't be possible. Only Hibiki could ever accomplish it, yet it was happening now? How? Why?

"Commander! We are receiving reports from our international operatives!" A crew member shouted to him. "They're saying... that the beasts and the Noise from all over the world are dropping dead!"

"What..."

A model of the globe appeared on a smaller screen by the main display, and he watched with wide eyes as the violet pulses that erupted from the stage continued on and on, engulfing the entire planet in their light.

"What... is happening?"

A shocked gasp rose to his right, and his eyes darted towards it. "What is it, Tomosato?!"

The woman had both hands over her mouth, her eyes not fully believing what she was seeing.

And she spoke, the words leaving her mouth leaving Genjuro gobsmacked. "C-commander! The locks... on the Shenshoujing... are releasing!"

There was nothing he could say as she spoke, her eyes glued to her console. "One hundred million... two hundred million... three hundred million..." She repeated, and her eyes widened even more.

"All locks... released..."

He couldn't believe it. There was no way. It should be impossible. If all three hundred million locks on a Symphogear were released, then that could only mean—

"Genjuro-san!"

His eyes darted to Elfnein this time, and she too sported the same shock expression. She raised her hand, and pointed to the screen showing the Aufwachen signals. "Look!"

And he looked.

At that moment, everything finally fell into place.

The Shenshoujing's purple flower, previously only sporting the multicolored lights that signified the curse-slaying power... now had familiar blue veins running over it.

And by its side, the Aufwachen signal of what was once Gungnir cracked, deep crevices running along its length.

"I see... so this is what is happening," Adam said with a relieved sigh. "I guess... there is still reason to hold onto hope."

His words garnered no response.

And so, the Symphogear Adaptors, alchemists, the crew members of S.O.N.G, and the entire world all watched in awe...

The appearance of a miracle.

-!-

Hibiki slowly opened her eyes.

_~Even if it's my fate to be hurt~_

And she looked on in shock as feathers, made of light and shining violet, fluttered down around her from somewhere she could not see.

_~my heart still emanates color!~_

"Yes... there was a promise."

Someone was speaking. A gentle, comforting voice rose, and as her eyes adjusted slowly to the light, she could see as a bright form make itself known to her little by little.

_~Farewell, Judas! Turn to dust; Dust to Dust~_

"Days of sunshine and joy, of tears and sorrow."

With every second that passed, more and more feathers floated down, and her arms fell to her side limply as it slowly dawned upon her what it was she was seeing.

"I will never give up on those days."

Her eyes fully opened.

And she could only stare in awe, speechless and breathless.

For what hovered in the air right in front of her eyes...

_~back to your weakness of old!~_

Was an angel.

_~This heart of glass, wounded and covered in scars~_

She couldn't describe it. She couldn't fathom it. Her mouth hung open, no sound escaping her lips as she looked upon the magnificent form before her.

"Regret... atonement... I don't need anything like that."

_~lights a passion I had nearly forgot~_

She was there, carried on the wind by wings of pure light. Her form shining white and violet, and her beauty once more restored to its former glory.

_~LAST STARDUST, climb the skies!~_

She knew what it was, and yet... it was unlike anything she had seen before.

And all she could do was stand in place, and gape at the figure that stole her breath away.

_~Dust to Dust, Ash to Ash, into the distance~_

"For the sake of the future... and for the sake of our happiness... I'll reach beyond it."

_~Fragments of dreams, reach eternity!~_

"The promise I made to you... I'll never let go of it!"

And so, with the precious feeling in her heart, and clad in the X-Drive form of the Shenshoujing, Kohinata Miku proudly proclaimed her oath.

"I WILL TAKE BACK OUR HAPPY DAYS!"

For the entire world to hear.

"**NO MATTER WHAT!"**


	33. Chapter 33: Towards the Sky

_She was scared, even though her mother told her not to be._

_Staying in a place with people she didn't know frightened Miku, and so she had held onto her mother's hand tightly as they walked through the doors of the kindergarten. There were already so many other children there, yet she was just too shy to approach them. _

_She wasn't used to seeing so many people at once. The moment she caught sight of the other children and her mother let go of her hand, she grasped the side of her mother's skirt with all the strength her tiny hands could muster._

"_Come on Miku, don't be shy," her mother told her softly, patting her on the back of the head. "Don't worry, it's okay."_

_She was only mildly reassured by the words and answered with an uncertain nod. Reluctantly letting go of her mother's skirt, the older woman smiled and went on to speak with the principal to get the paperwork in order._

_It was strange and weird in her eyes, seeing so many others like her playing together. Everywhere she looked there were at least a couple of kids or even small groups doing something together, whether it was playing catch or drawing doodles in their sketchbooks._

_She felt out of place, and quickly realized she wasn't going to have anyone to play with._

_That is until she saw a single girl in the corner, stacking up blocks atop one another. Curious, she approached the lone girl and stared at her indescribable creation. _

"_What are you doing?" She asked._

_The girl, without even looking her way, answered. "I'm building a castle!"_

_Miku was slightly confused. That wasn't what castles looked like. All of her picture books showed something completely different. "That's not a castle." _

"_Eh?! It isn't?!" The other girl exclaimed in surprise. "Ah, then my castle is special!"_

_Confused even more, Miku tilted her head. "That's weird."_

"_It is? Oopsy! Hehehehehe..." the girl let out, laughing at her own silliness. The girl then turned to her and smiled. "What's your name?"_

_Nervously, she answered. "Miku."_

"_Hi!" The other girl said happily. _

_She rose to her feet, and quickly took Miku's hands in her own, shocking the black-haired girl. She stared at the energetic girl's hands in confusion, then met her gaze as she introduced herself._

"_I'm Hibiki!"_

_And at that moment, a fated meeting took place. One that would decide the destiny of those two small souls, who'd become the stars that orbit each other._

-!-

_(Play: Point Zero - Fate Zero OST)_

X-Drive.

A form that was thought to be a miracle and an impossibility. An accident built into the Symphogears by Fine's hand, and the ultimate irony by which she was defeated. A form that brings the fragmented relic into the height of its power, putting it on par with its own full and completed original.

And yet, ever since Tachibana Hibiki made her debut as a Symphogear user, she made that impossibility an inevitability. The girl with the Armed Gear of 'connecting with others' made the incredibly high phonic gain requirement something that could be achieved, and it was by her hand that it was made possible.

Neither Fine, the Nephilim, nor Carol could stand up to it. They tried to surpass it, but in the end, were unable to do so. Such was the power and magnificence of the form, made all the more brilliant by the wielders' resolve.

A miracle weaved by the hands of mankind for the sake of mankind brought into existence by its foremost protectors.

Only now... it was the form wielded not by many, but by one.

And facing it was the girl who wove miracles.

Hibiki tried to speak. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly as she tried to form some sort of articulate response to the sight before her.

But, she couldn't. No sound left her lips, as if the words got caught in her throat. Her eyes wide, she could only stare breathlessly at Miku, the image of her in the ascended Symphogear burning itself into her brain.

And she was beautiful.

Even though her mind was claimed by curses, Hibiki could not deny or argue that fact.

The feathers continued to flutter around her lightly, the stage now illuminated by the sunshine. Miku's expression was gentle and calm as she looked down at Hibiki.

A smile made its way onto her face. "This power... this is what you've always felt, isn't it?"

Hibiki was awestruck.

"This warmth... thank you, Hibiki, for sharing it with me. With this... I'll make things right."

It was blinding. A light brighter than she had ever seen before, and it was enveloping her from head to toe.

For it was the full might of the light of humanity, the pinnacle of All the Hopes of this World.

The rogue Adaptor's feet were glued to the ground beneath her, her whole body frozen in indescribable shock and awe.

"Please watch me, Hibiki."

Leaving the stunned corrupted wielder alone on the stage, Miku soared. Her wings carrying her to the sky, she rose above the former concert hall, her form shining like a second sun in the night. She looked around, her eyes scanning the ruined city around her.

She blinked several times, taking in the sights. '_Amazing...'_

She felt as if her senses had opened. As if her mind expanded, peeling away a layer of the world that she never knew existed. She raised her hand, staring at it in wonder. It was no longer gloved, yet despite that, it felt almost strange to look at. She turned it over, again and again, checking herself out completely for the first time.

'_With this...'_

Yeah, there was no point in dwelling. This was what she needed in order to turn the tables, and now she planned to make use of it.

'_I'll free Hibiki. But first...'_

Her eyes locked on what she was looking for.

'_I'll rid the world of this symbol of destruction.'_

It wasn't very hard to miss. Towering above everything else on the battlefield, the Titan backpedalled away from the girl, noticing her gaze upon it. Shirabe and Kirika looked on with wide eyes as it continued to retreat even though she had made no move against it yet.

But it was afraid, that much they could understand.

"Miku..." Kirika murmured.

To think that the short-lived Symphogear made by that crazy doctor would ever be able to come this far.

Miku narrowed her eyes at the looming giant.

Her form shimmered.

And in an instant she reappeared in front of it, having closed the distance in the blink of an eye.

'_No... she teleported?!'_ Was Shirabe's incredulous thought.

The Titan stumbled in surprise, not having expected her to reach it so quickly. It leaned forward and screeched as loudly as it could in defiance against her. The soundwaves it released shook the air and forcing the two downed wielders below to cover their ears.

Yet Miku did not flinch, nor did she make any effort to cower from the noise. She simply stared with the same expression as before, unfazed by the Titan's show of brute force.

"Something like you shouldn't exist," she proclaimed, and strangely enough it seemed to listen. "You are nothing but an avatar of evil and suffering whose fate is to deliver nothing but sorrow. You have no place here, and so I will make sure you disappear."

It was said with such finality that it could only be regarded as fact. A logical end to the giant that Hibiki had created, born from humanity's evil. So it was only fair that it will be vanquished by her, the one who carries the complete opposite: the hopes of mankind and a selfish wish.

The Titan screeched once more and struck out with a roaring right hook. The lumbering limb tore through the air in a giant arc, creating shockwaves and sonic booms as it made its way to her. Yet Miku remained in place, hanging in the air in front of the Titan, her gaze unmoving.

However, it raised alarms in the heads of the two wielders below. Her eyes wide in horror, Kirika screamed to her. "MIKU—!"

Only for the scream to die in her throat a moment later.

Because the massive punch that had shattered brick and concrete, the gigantic fist that had previously blown the girl away like a fly...

Was stopped by a mere simple touch.

It was so ridiculous those watching thought they were hallucinating.

Yet, they were not. The Titan itself seemed shocked to have its blow stopped by something nearly four hundred times smaller than itself, and it tried to move the limb to finish the job.

But it couldn't. Its hand wouldn't budge, as Miku had simply raised her own in response and stopped the strike along with all of its momentum without any difficulty or effort. She didn't even seem to move at all, and hung in the air in the same exact spot as before, her gaze having remained completely unchanged.

"W-w-what?! How...?!" Kirika questioned in shock.

Shirabe was equally awestruck, staring at the angel-like figure. "Amazing..."

The Titan continued to struggle fruitlessly against Miku's hold, but her grip on its gigantic finger was like the strongest steel, proving to be unbreakable. No matter how much effort it attempted to pour into the attempt, it was at her mercy.

"It's meaningless," she murmured. And with a forceful shove, she pushed the massive hand away, causing the Titan to stumble backwards. With nothing but a single hand, she managed to make it lose its footing, another feat that the watchers could not bring themselves to believe.

It was at that moment that Hibiki managed to unglue herself from the stage, and rose into the air to follow after the Shenshoujing wielder. She found her extremely easily, the glow coming off her frame being so bright it was unavoidable.

And she stared in shock as Miku surpassed her creation with nothing more than a single hand. The Titan righted its footing, and in another show of defiance began to gather light in its mouth to fire at her, intent on repeating what it had done earlier in the night.

But yet again, Miku did not move an inch in response. She let out a small breath.

"It's useless."

The Titan fired, the ray of golden light exploding towards her with the sound of shrieking, akin to the screams of a banshee. But just before it reached her, something shimmered in her hand, and she raised her arm towards the light.

And like the giant fist before it, the light crashed against the barrier she had raised and could rampage no more. It did not even fragment to the sides as expected, but rather uselessly raged against her shield, dissipating as soon as it had touched it.

It was an exchange that took place in a timeframe of fewer than ten seconds, but it was all the time needed for Miku to prove the point she wanted to make:

That the Titan was powerless before her.

Its expression once again turned to shock as its light faded. As the smoke cleared, what had stopped its blast became crystal clear:

A mirror. An elaborate mirror with a shining silver and unmarred surface was held open in her hand, small amounts of smoke rising from it from the aftermath of the blast. A few moments later the mirror folded, and Miku lowered the mirror—now fan—to the side, narrowing her eyes at the giant.

Just like her Symphogear, the signature Armed Gear of the Shenshoujing had changed considerably. Nearly as long as a sword, it too shone white and violet. The small round mirror at its tip leaked out ethereal energies that warped the air around it.

The Titan screamed at her loudly again, but she was once more unfazed. In response, she raised the fan, pointing the mirror at its tip towards the giant being.

Hibiki, hovering in the air a distance behind her, tried to speak up. "Wait—!"

But it was meaningless. All at once, a giant beam of violet light erupted from the fan, surging through the air.

'_**LAMENTATION'**_

It was too fast for the Titan to react to. Before it could even begin to try and dodge, it was already over. The beam of light tore through its chest unabated, continuing behind it into the distance.

A second later, the light faded, and Miku lowered the fan, studying her handiwork.

The Titan's chest, the area where the heart would be on a regular person, was completely gouged out. Due to it having no internal organs to speak of, a clean, round, and absolutely gigantic hole was blown out in it, creating a window to the view behind it.

The darkness that made up its form attempted to reseal the wound, expanding small tendrils at its center. Yet, no matter what it did, they could find no purchase. The tendrils melted as soon as they were formed as if their very essence failed to coalesce.

The Titan may be huge, but in the end, it was just a black beast on a much more massive scale and with a slightly bigger range of abilities. It still had a core in its chest that served as its center of existence, a core that the Zababa duo had failed to reach in all of their forceful attempts.

And Miku vaporized it in an instant with a single move.

There was nothing more the giant being could do. Like a puppet with its strings cut, it began falling, letting out one final shriek of death. A moment later it crashed down mightily, the entire city shaking from the impact of its descent.

Its limbs sprawled out, and its mouth hanging open, the Titan was no more.

The Shenshoujing Adaptor looked at it, sparing it a brief glance before turning around to face Hibiki, who had her mouth agape at the sight.

'_It's going to take it a while to dissipate, but at least it can't interfere now.'_

There was only silence from the spectators. Kirika and Shirabe, who were the two closest to the exchange, were speechless.

Those in headquarters too could say nothing. They were reduced to a mere audience who were about to bear witness to the most important battle to ever take place since the day Hibiki was engulfed.

For now, the one who will finally put an end to the sorrow will bring all her strength to bear, now amplified and enhanced to new heights by the new power now coursing through her.

Swallowing once, Hibiki floated up to her best friend's altitude.

"Miku...!"

There was much she wanted to say.

"Hibiki... I'm not going to apologize," Miku said, cutting her off immediately. The corrupted wielder's eyes widened at her words. "I've done a lot of thinking about what it is I want to do... and I realized I cannot allow your wish to come true. There is only one thing driving me forward, and you know what it is; I cannot and will not allow anything to get in the way of that, especially not your sorrow."

"A-ah..."

"You said I cursed you by giving you something worth living for," she continued. Her expression became a gentle gaze that caused Hibiki's heart to flutter despite herself, still enraptured by the radiance she gave off. "I'm going to continue doing so. I'm going to curse you with the gift of life, of happiness, and love. I will curse you with having a home to come back to and friends to stand by your side."

Hibiki once again could not speak up in response. Her eyes quivered as her breaths quickened, and she clenched her fists tightly.

"I never cared for justice, and I never cared for fairness. I'm not speaking for humanity as a whole, because it's not my place to. No, I'm speaking as Miku, your childhood friend that stayed with you over ten years, and the one who supported you during your darkest times," she said, and Hibiki could see as a faint white aura began to rise around her. "And as the sunshine that you always said you'll come back to."

And she smiled, and Hibiki's mouth once again gaped at the sight.

"This is my selfishness... this is my one simple desire that I'm not going to give up on. Even if it clashes with your ideals, your justice, and your wish... I'm going to crush them all. I'm going to take back our happy days, and I'm not giving you a say in the matter."

It wasn't an opinion, nor was it a request.

No, even Hibiki understood that it was a simple statement of fact, of something that Miku was going to make a reality regardless of what anyone desired.

But the thing that shocked her the most...

Was the fact that she wasn't sure she could win against her. For the first time since she had obtained the divine power, Hibiki felt her confidence in her own power fading.

For the person before her was on the same exact level, and now her victory seemed all but assured. In a single move on her part, she had disabled the Noise and the beasts, putting a stop to their rampage around the world. With another move she had defeated the Titan, and now...

Hibiki felt as if she was going to be defeated as easily herself.

Regaining her composure with all of her strength, Hibiki swallowed once and gritted her teeth as she spoke, putting on a face of defiance. "Miku... I'm not going to give up either. If that's what you want then, then fine. I'll meet you head-on, and we can decide who is right! Who is the one that deserves to have their wish granted!"

A battle between one who carries wishes for the whole of humanity... and one that carries desires for her own sake.

"As I thought," Miku responded, the smile she had on her face fading. Her expression turning serious, she readied her fan for the coming clash. "You're still you, and you never want to give up on the things you believe it. That's the Hibiki I grew up with, the one I supported and wake up next to every morning, and..."

There was no need to say it here and right now, for she had a much more effective method to carry the point across.

"And those feelings I carry in my heart... Hibiki, I want you to hear them."

Taken aback for a moment, Hibiki materialized her spear in her hand.

"All of my songs... have always been dedicated to you. Not to the world, and not to other people, but to you and you alone. So please, Hibiki..."

She entered her battle stance.

"Listen to my song. The song of my heart."

The words left behind by the priestess who had vanished from the world, her legacy remaining behind in the magnificent creations known as the Symphogears.

For she too, despite her suffering, held onto hope. She was one who had reached a sad conclusion and decided the people will never again be able to understand each other. She was, by their hand, cursed again and again. And so, she created a hybrid, an existence that combined the forgotten will of the past with the hopes and wishes for the future.

For she too, believed that songs could change the world.

That was the wish of that woman... the wish of Fine, the priestess who had her eyes opened and in turn, opened another's.

And those words now echoed in Hibiki's heart, the memory of the woman turning to dust in front of her eyes floating back up to the surface. Finding the sudden nostalgia bothersome, she slapped her face once, forcing all the emotions she was feeling down as hard as she could.

It was difficult. Extremely difficult.

Her arms shook, and she tightened her hold on her spear.

"I... I—!"

Words failed her once again.

So she responded in the only way she could think of.

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Screaming her heart out, Hibiki charged towards Miku.

The girl let a breath.

And so, a song never heard before echoed in the ruined city, signaling the start of the final clash.

-!-

"That's... incredible..."

Tomosato murmured those words in near reverence, the power Miku showcased causing everyone on the bridge to stop working at once.

"As it should be," Adam commented. He glanced to the Aufwachen signal on the screen, studying the blue veins running across the Shenshoujing's flower carefully. "After all, she has divine power now, although how that is possible I do not know. It seems she has taken a large amount of it from the god-slayer during the transformation, but I'm not sure how she did so."

"_That's because you were wrong, Lodgemaster,"_ Saint-Germain's answered him over the comm, her voice echoing in the bridge.

Tomosato's eyes widened, and she muttered the alchemist's name in worry. "Saint-Germain!"

"You will need to explain yourself," Adam demanded.

What rose from the comms was a small pained laugh. "_You kept on going on about how the divine power is simply a tool. You were not completely mistaken, however, you were most definitely not correct."_

He narrowed his eyes in confusion, and the bridge members listened in attentively as she continued. "_The divine power may not be a sentient being but it does have its own will. It can choose its own master."_

"Impossible. That simply cannot be true," he countered.

"_Oh, but it is,"_ she said, and none could see the corner of her mouth rise slightly. "_After all, after Tiki's divine form was destroyed, it went to Tachibana Hibiki instead of you. You never knew why that happened, isn't that right... Kazanari Genjuro?"_

Adam's eyes darted to the commander immediately, his gaze questioning. Genjuro met his stare briefly, then looked back to the display. "Yes. This is part of why we needed Miku-kun to get involved. Because the only way to take the divine power out of Hibiki-kun... was to give it to someone else who could hold it."

"That's impossible!" The former head of the Illuminati shouted. "Humans cannot hold the divine power, because—!"

"_Because they are afflicted with the Curse of Balal. Nobody thought there was ever a way to remove it, and so it was thought to be permanent, but that was not the case. You know about the Frontier Incident, do you not? That's where it happened. The light that unearthed the Frontier... was the light of the Shenshoujing, the relic that purifies evil."_

His eyes widened in realization. "And those two were struck by it..." he murmured. "Those two... were freed from the Curse of Balal!"

"_Yes, and that is why you and I are ineligible to use it. Only those free from the Curse may hold it, and there is no one in this world with that title except the two of them,"_ Saint-Germain explained, letting out a sigh. "_At the moment she sang her Superb Song, part of the divine power tainted by All the Evils of this World was purified. Having been chained down by mankind's grudges, it fled to the safest place it could escape to..."_

"The nearest eligible vessel... but why?"

"_You never knew of it because you deemed it as worthless and meaningless. But you didn't know that the Shenshoujing is the truest and purest counter to the curses because it contains within itself, and by extension, in Kohinata Miku... the concept of All the Hopes of this World."_

"All the Hopes of this World..." Adam repeated to himself. He glanced once again to Genjuro with his eyes narrowed. "You... you knew of this."

"Yes. Saint-Germain explained it to us. That was the moment we knew Miku-kun was the key, and now that gamble proved to be fruitful. With her holding that concept while ascended to X-Drive, combined with the part of the divine power she now has, her chances are far greater than ever before."

There was nothing Adam could say in response, for he realized he had been tricked. No, he was left in the dark, and he knew exactly why.

"All that's left for Miku-kun to do is to defeat her and claim the entirety of the divine power to herself. Once she does so, we'll figure out what to do with it."

Because now they'll be able to safeguard it inside a person who'll never hand it over to him, locking him away from his goal despite it being so close at hand.

"_And also... because All the Hopes of this World were born of reverence to the gods... the divine power will naturally want to aid that one who holds it... and will give her access to its full potential from the very beginning," _Saint-Germain added.

They've somehow managed to bring out the best possible outcome out of the worst possible situation. A metaphorical and literal turning of the tables in one fell swoop, and all because the girl chose to sing with her life on the line.

And so, having learned this information when it was already too late for him to do anything about it, Adam could only do one thing.

He laughed.

"You truly are something else, Symphogears."

It seems he was outmaneuvered. His plan to take the divine power back from them the moment they achieve victory having been foiled by something he had no knowledge of.

'_No matter. I'll bide my time and wait for the opportune moment to steal it from them.'_

Genjuro turned back to the display. "Wielders, status report!"

-!-

Maria looked around her at the fallen bodies of the Noise and beasts. Still on guard, she studied each and one carefully, just waiting for one of them to suddenly jump to its feet and attack her while her back was turned.

She glanced up once again at the blinding clash in the sky, the light Miku radiated almost throwing off Maria's sense to time. "To think this would happen..."

She heard Saint-Germain's conversation with HQ after all, and it was shocking as much as it was eye-opening for her. With the explanation she gave, it almost felt like this exact moment was planned from the very beginning, or at least they counted on it happening before they lost completely.

But it was also infuriating all the same. This last-ditch effort depended on Miku willingly sacrificing herself and then expecting Hibiki to save her with S2CA. There were so many ways it could have gone wrong she couldn't even begin to count, but there was no point in doing so.

They lucked out with a miracle, and it wasn't even coincidental like the others they had achieved.

It was a man-made one, born out of the sheer belief in the nature of those who had achieved it.

And she had to admit that it was one heck of a miracle too.

"_Wielders, status report!"_

Genjuro's sudden voice caught her by surprise, and she hurriedly raised her hand to her earpiece to respond. "Maria, all clear here!"

"_Ugh... Shirabe and... Kirika... all clear..."_ Shirabe's breathed heavily.

Her eyes widened, and she spoke up in concern. "Kirika! Shirabe! Are you two alright?!"

"_We're... fine. Miku saved us... before it could do anything. We just need a moment,"_ the Shul-Shagana wielder answered over the comm, causing Maria to let out a sigh of relief.

"_Chris here... all's good, I guess?" _The Ichaival wielder reported in. "_I have a lot of questions just so you know."_

"_We all do,"_ Genjuro said to her. "_Tsubasa?"_

Maria waited impatiently for the Ame-no-Habakiri wielder to answer. The last time she saw her, she was about to engage the seemingly resurrected Kanade in battle and hadn't heard from her since. While she trusted her abilities and power, the Airgetlam Adaptor could not stop herself from worrying.

For more reasons than one, but she resolved to never admit it to anyone except herself.

There was a small rush of static in their ears before her voice rose up in the comm. "_Tsubasa reporting. All clear."_

Once again, Maria let out a sigh of relief. '_Thank god.'_

Sounding satisfied, Genjuro spoke up once more. "_Very well, then here's what you'll do next: meet at Point Theta and wait there for further orders. I need all of you to be on standby in case something goes wrong." _

Maria blinked several times, taken aback. Point Theta, as she recalled, was the general courtyard area of the former concert hall, the place where they originally confronted Hibiki before the battle started. To head back there now was a tad bit strange, but also...

"Wait... just standby? That's it? But what about the Noise and the beasts?"

"_Scans have shown they are currently incapacitated and will no longer move. With Miku-kun having taken down the Titan, there are currently no other confirmed hostiles anywhere in the city. Therefore, I need all of you to be ready in case you might need to reinforce her; however, don't do anything in the meantime. Just like before, if you try to get involved in their fight directly, you'll be caught in the crossfire. Don't make any crazy moves. We'll raise the sub back to the surface the moment we have the all-clear."_

"So we just wait more?! That's all we can do?!" Maria shouted, not at all satisfied at being reduced to backup again. They were supposed to work together, not just watch from afar!

"_Yes. Sorry Maria-kun, but that's all we can do right now."_

She grimaced in frustration. Intellectually, she understood the reason why they couldn't get involved, but if only they had also ascended to X-Drive with her, then maybe...

She shook her head. '_No use thinking about what-ifs.'_

"Very well. Then I'll head to Point Theta right away."

Only then, Tsubasa's voice rose once again through the comm. "_My apologies, but I'm afraid I will not be able to join you just yet. There is something... I must take care of first."_

"Tsubasa?" Maria murmured in disbelief. "What are you—"

"_I see... very well,"_ Genjuro said somberly. "_Then, the rest of you head over there and wait for further instructions."_

"_Hold on a second,"_ Chris suddenly spoke up again. "_Am I the only one who noticed that our Gears are back to normal? Cos at least mine is, and I was pretty damn sure I was about to completely lose my mind. What's up with that?"_

Comms went silent for a few moments, her question being processed not only by HQ but by everyone else listening in as well. It puzzled Maria as well as she looked over herself for the second time, confused by the fact that the darkness that symbolized the Ignite Module had disappeared, leaving her Symphogear back in its normal silver color.

Before anyone from headquarters could answer, Saint-Germain's voice rose up behind her, causing her to turn around. "I believe the answer to that... is plenty obvious."

"What—"

It was then Elfnein spoke, and her tone of voice made the wielders narrowed their eyes in bewilderment. "_The Ignite Module... it's gone."_

"_Huh?"_ Chris asked. "_What do you mean it's gone?"_

"_It's just... completely gone. There is nothing left of it. The god-slaying power, the fragment of Dainsleif, and even the physical alterations to the convertor unit having completely vanished. It's as if it's never been there in the first place."_

"_HUH?! But how is that possible?! That doesn't make sense!" _Chris argued back.

"No... it does," Maria said, causing Chris to fall quiet. "That light... right after she sang her Superb Song, there were these... circles of light that washed over everything and caused the beasts and Noise to just deactivate. It's probably the cause."

"_What?! But that's crazy!"_

"It is," Saint-Germain added in. "The divine power... you must not underestimate it. Now that a large portion of it is in her hands, the full extent of what she can do now is unknown to us. Her being able to destroy just the curses and nothing else is just a small taste of what is to come."

Chris could not help but fall quiet at her words, and Maria could tell her teammate was processing the sheer ridiculousness of what Saint-Germain just said to her. It was hard to believe, even for herself, but somehow it still made sense to her in a way.

After all, Saint-Germain said that the divine power does have its own will, and it chose Miku as the next vessel not just because she was also eligible...

But because it wanted to stand against All the Evils of this World. With that in mind, it was almost logical, despite the absurdity. No longer willing to be shackled down by humanity's hatreds, the divine power decided to bear its full might against the evil that chained it.

And it will do so in the hands of the one who shares its desires.

Maria ran a hand through her hair, and she let out a contemplative huff that was also astonished. "We really can't do anything, can we?" She asked nobody in particular. "We lost Ignite, and the two of them are even more extreme than ever before."

"_That is reality, for now, so we'll do what we can for now. In the meantime, hang tight everyone. Even if we turned the tables, it's only going to get more difficult from here."_ Genjuro said back.

Chris sighed over the comm. "_Roger."_

At that, communications cut out, silence falling on the destroyed harbor once again. Her mind working overtime, Maria turned around slightly and raised her head to the sky, looking towards the wild clash of lights taking place far above the cityscape.

"Go."

The alchemist's voice from behind her caused her head to snap back, her eyes looking to her with a questioning gaze. "Saint-Germain?"

"You wish to check on her well-being... do you not?" She asked, her labored breaths much lighter than before. "Then go. I'll be fine here on my own."

"But you—"

"The enemies have been neutralized," the alchemist interrupted her. "There is no further need for you to cover for me. Once I finish recuperating, I will join you. I'm sure Kazanari Genjuro is aware of this as well."

Maria couldn't find anything to say in response to her.

"You already know... what you need to say, do you not? Then go."

Clenching her fists tightly, Maria found herself conflicted. While she was worried about Tsubasa, she couldn't just leave Saint-Germain here all alone, even if the enemy units were just corpses at this point.

It was a big dilemma, but the alchemist said she would be alright on her own. Meanwhile, Tsubasa...

She had a very good guess as to what she meant, and Maria was not about to just stand aside and leave her on her own. Even if she wouldn't be able to join in on her battle...

She wanted to see it. She wanted to see it first hand... Zwei Wing's last performance.

"Alright, but take care of yourself, okay? You shouldn't do anything rash either," Maria requested as she turned back around.

The alchemist huffed. "Hmph, I can also say the same to you. I'll keep it in mind."

Maria smiled briefly, and soon enough began her dash through the ruined harbor, making her way to Tsubasa's position.

-!-

Tsubasa looked up with her mouth agape at the battle occurring high above her. She was caught completely off guard by the sudden emergence of S2CA out of nowhere and found herself absolutely amazed at Miku's X-Drive form. Even from this large distance she could see it and could do nothing else but admire it.

It was the logical thing to do. Her own X-Drive, which she had used three times in the past, already was nothing short of awe-striking as well. Combined with her comrades', it proved to be unstoppable.

But there was something else in this one that just gave her a different feeling from the usual, and she didn't chalk it up to the divine power.

It was the purpose by which it had come into existence, that's what it was. If until now X-Drive was used in order to crush their enemies and save the world, this time it was for neither of those things.

It was for the sake of one person and a single wish, and Tsubasa could not help but smile, the memory of her speaking with Miku over a month ago rising to the surface. That's right, Miku was carrying her own wish up there... along with their own.

The wish to take back someone important to them, and damn the consequences.

"Ah... Ah..."

Kanade's heavy breathing coming from the side caused Tsubasa to turn to her, and once more her eyes widened in shock and worry at her current state.

To say Kanade was in bad shape was an understatement. Her body was, for lack of a better word, crumbling. Her entire form glowed with a faint blue aura, and little by little parts of her frame flaked away like dust. While there wasn't much of a difference from before on the surface, it made the situation clear:

Kanade's time on this Earth was going to be cut short at any moment now, whatever force holding her together having been evaporated by Miku's light.

"Damn. This is... really not fun..." the redhead breathed out, still holding onto her spear as a crutch as she uneasily raised herself to one knee.

"Kanade..."

What could Tsubasa say to her? Even if she begged her to remain, she knew it would be impossible. She was no longer the scared and shy little girl she was three years ago, and she knew that she could do nothing to stop this process. It was inevitable now, and the only thing she could do was stay by her side as she passed her last moments.

"U-ugh—" Kanade let out. Pushing as much as she could into her limbs, she brought herself up to two feet. Nearly stumbling under her own footing, she quickly balanced herself, still using her spear as a pillar of support to avoid falling over.

And then she uttered a laugh, confusing the blue-haired wielder. "Looks like... this is your victory, Tsubasa." Tsubasa's eyes narrowed in confusion, and Kanade continued. "The missy... won't be able to do anything... about this now. The girlie... is gonna surpass her and undo everything she did until now. Looks like... the party is over now."

"Kanade..."

"But y'know, I'm still kinda... bummed," the former Gungnir user grumbled. "Like, we got to fight each other, and even together. It really was... a blast, having this last performance, but... there's still something I wanna do. Just one thing... that we didn't get to do."

Balancing herself as much as she could, and with her body still flaking away, Kanade stood up to her full height.

The look she gave Tsubasa stole the sword wielder's breath away. "Hey, Tsubasa... will you fly with me... one last time?"

It was a request made with a saddened tone, and immediately Tsubasa's mind wandered back to that fateful day three years. The sight of Kanade begrudgingly accepting her death, and the sight of her crumbling to dust right in her arms.

And Tsubasa just knew that this time will be no different. Now was going to be a repeat of that day.

She was the one who was going to make it a reality. All Kanade wanted was to be able to sing her heart out one last time before she vanished forever from the world, and return to the depths of the afterlife.

Tsubasa opened her mouth to speak, only to be suddenly interrupted when her Uncle's voice rose up from her earpiece. "_Wielders, status report!"_

She raised her hand to her earpiece and waited patiently for everyone else to make their status known before speaking up herself. "Tsubasa reporting. All clear."

Inwardly Tsubasa felt a wave of relief washing over her at hearing the others were fine. She was terrified at the thought that someone might have died in the chaos, and it sat in her stomach as a ball of concern that gnawed away at her the entire time she fought Kanade.

To hear their voices now was nothing short of a godsend. As Genjuro relayed his new orders to them, Tsubasa could only stare at her former partner standing across the street, the same indescribable melancholic expression on her face.

With that in mind, her answer to her Uncle's commands was obvious. "My apologies, but I'm afraid I will not be able to join you just yet. There is something... I must take care of first."

Immediately Maria's voice rose through the comm, and she smiled inwardly. "_Tsubasa? What are you—"_

"_I see... very well,"_ Genjuro said, cutting the Airgetlam wielder off. "_Then, the rest of you head over there and wait for further instructions."_

She cut off communications right after that, unwilling to keep Kanade waiting any longer. They had raised another important topic before comms went silent, but quite frankly she found herself unable to care about that right now.

For now, there was something more important that required her attention. Something that she might never be able to experience again in her life if she let the chance slip by.

She smiled and answered Kanade's request. "Yes, I will. Let us fly together one last time, Kanade."

Her heart shattered in her chest at the thought, but she held back the tears. Kanade gave a sigh of relief laced with happiness, and she too flashed her usual goofy grin at her. "Great... I'm glad. We wouldn't be Zwei Wing... without a song to finish things off, would we?"

Tsubasa nodded. "I agree. We always sang together, whether it was on stage or the battlefield. And now, there is no better opportunity to do so. Let us sing with all our hearts Kanade...and soar."

"Yeah, let's," the redhead said in accord. However, unexpectedly she turned her head to the side, staring at an approaching figure. "But of course... a performance is nothing without an audience, right?"

"What are you—"

"Tsubasa!"

The sword wielder's eyes widened at the familiar voice, and she hurriedly turned her head around to the source. Maria came to a stop a fair distance between the two, looking towards her singing partner.

"Maria..."

The pink-haired idol opened her mouth to speak, almost in a panic. "Tsubasa, I—!"

"Thank you, Maria," the blue Adaptor said, cutting her off. "Thank you for coming all this way. Please, watch me... watch us, as we give Zwei Wing's last performance."

There was so much more Maria wanted to say, but the words wouldn't leave her mouth. Relenting to her partner's demands, her shoulders sagged and she took a step back, knowing what was about to come.

"It really is just like the old days, isn't it?" Kanade said, turning Tsubasa's attention back to her. "A song, a stage, and an audience. I couldn't ask for anything better."

It took a moment for the sword wielder to speak as she studied Kanade's fading form. The process seemed to slow down, with fewer and fewer particles shedding away as if she was keeping it intact through sheer will alone.

And she knew why. She wanted to last through this performance. She would only let herself fade away when it ended.

A performer never leaves the stage early, no matter their state. The only time they are allowed to exit... was when they were done, when they finally reached their last act, their last song. Only after they gave everything they had, and gave the audience the experience of a lifetime.

A memory that will forever be carved into their hearts.

It fell quiet. The sounds of the clash above high above their heads were barely an afterthought in their minds. Maria watched from the side silently, her eyes darting between the two former partners as they raised their weapons.

On one side, a fading redhead with a crumbling spear. On the other, a blue-haired idol on her last legs, her sword barely holding itself together. Both gripping onto their last bits of strength, gathering it tightly within themselves as they prepared for the final clash.

The wind blew.

And with the sound of beating wings, a familiar song rose between them.

_(Play: Gyakkou no Flugel - Kazanari Tsubasa, Amou Kanade)_

It rang throughout the ruined street. A soaring melody from the past that left Maria at a loss for words. A melody she had heard many times before and had left her breathless and speechless.

A song she had never sung with Tsubasa, for it belonged to the two who were known as the Dual Wings, each one a part of a greater whole.

The two smiled, their weapons at the ready.

They charged, their weapons clashing as the lyrics rose and echoed, alternating between the two. The spear and the sword clanged with wild sparks of fire and electricity, lighting up the street with a radiance nearly matching the one of the two dueling bearers of divine power.

Tsubasa poured power into her arms, forcing Kanade back. She followed after her, and the former idol parried and deflected the following strikes with all the strength she could muster.

Stepping to the side after a heavy overhead swing from Tsubasa, she thrust her spear forward. The blue wielder quickly released her grip on her sword with her left hand and raised her arm, the spear's tip passing right under it. Knowing what Kanade was planning to do, Tsubasa quickly pulled the sword back just as the red head's grip on her spear shifted.

The sword ground against the spear just in time, sparks once again erupting from the point of impact. The smiles never leaving their faces for even a moment, their eyes met for a brief eternity before Tsubasa took the opportunity to charge in. Her sword did not disengage from the spear for even a second as she closed the distance and slashed at Kanade's defenseless form.

Only to be caught by surprise when the former Gungnir user let of her spear completely and twisted aside, avoiding the strike entirely. She circled Tsubasa, not stopping her spin, and managed to catch her spear by the handle with one hand as she placed herself behind her former partner.

From her position, she slashed horizontally once again, aiming at Tsubasa's back. However, just in time, Tsubasa flipped forward, the blades on her legs crashing against the spear. Before Kanade could follow up on her attack, Tsubasa kept on flipping forward and putting distance between the two of them, before coming to a stop nearly a hundred meters away from the redhead.

Their smiles widened as they sang, and once again they charged towards each other at extremely high speeds. And as they rocketed over the ground, the air around them shimmered and shone, and above them, two veritable walls of weapons, replicas of their own held ones, materialized into existence.

And just as they closed the distance, fired simultaneously.

'_**THOUSAND TEARS'**_

'_**STARDUST∞FOTON'**_

The blades crashed against each other with the sounds of grinding and exploding steel. Raining down on the other in an attempt to pierce through their opponent, the two waves crashed in mid-air, spears and swords of light intercepting each other right above the two Adaptors.

And once again the two exchanged wild blows underneath the storm, their weapons a blur in the night. Only the sparks of their impact against each other visible to Maria, their only spectator.

'_It's like... they're dancing.'_

She watched in awe as the storm of blades destroyed each other on impact, shards of light raining down on the two. And it went on and on, neither of the two stopping their materialization of more weapons to bring down on the other.

With a strong smash, Kanade forced Tsubasa back, causing her to skid over the ground. In response, Tsubasa brought down more of her blades of light, but Kanade weaved in between them as they crashed into the ground.

Kanade dashed from side to side as she closed in, and the Ame-no-Habakiri wielder brandished her blade, preparing it for the collision.

The storm of blades stopped as soon as the two weapons clashed. Putting her free arm on the flat side of her sword, Tsubasa pushed her off, causing the former Gungnir user to stumble. The blue Adaptor crouched low and swung at her legs, forcing Kanade to try and strike at her head as she saw the opportunity. Tsubasa quickly turned and deflected the strike to the side, and so her opponent landed back a small distance away from her.

The two did not stop singing for even a moment, and once more charged simultaneously. This time, however, just before they clashed again, Tsubasa thrust her blade into the ground. Less than a second later, she heaved upwards, causing a large slab of concrete to suddenly be lifted in front of Kanade, cutting off her path.

The redhead only had a moment to be surprised before the blade pierced through the slab. Reacting quickly, she jumped and planted her feet against the tilted slab, the sword nearly stabbing her from below. The force of her impact forced the concrete back at Tsubasa, and Kanade took the opportunity to leap into the air, using it as a springboard to rise high above her former partner.

Tsubasa sliced the chunk in half, her gamble having failed, only to notice Kanade was not on the other side. Her eyes narrowing for a moment, she hurriedly raised her eyes towards the sky, catching sight of the redhead hanging in the air high above her.

Their song reaching its chorus for the second time, each of them knew exactly what the other was planning.

Kanade threw her spear towards Tsubasa, and the blue wielder launched her sword in return. The two weapons whistled through the air as they flew towards each other.

For just a moment their gazes met.

And then Kanade dove down, her heel extended towards the pommel of her spear. Copying her maneuver, Tsubasa jumped, flipping midflight with her heel extended towards the tip of her sword's handle.

Suddenly, the two weapons grew to gargantuan sizes, at least a hundred times bigger than before. The two wielders slammed their heels into their weapons simultaneously, and their thrusters roared to life as they charged.

'_**SPEAR∞ORBIT'**_

'_**HEAVEN'S WRATH'**_

A titanic explosion of steel occurred a second later as the oversized blades crashed into each other, tip to tip. The sharp edges grinding away at each other, the metal making them up shaving away with every millisecond they remained locked in their exchange.

Both the giant spear and sword erupted into a million shards of heated metal, and the two wielders flew through the cloud of fragments towards each other. Materializing their weapons once more in their hands, they swung with all their strength and clashed with a mighty flash of light.

Gravity soon acted its force upon them, and they fell back to the ground. Their song did not stop even as they impacted the concrete, and once more began a wild exchange of blows. They struck and aimed for each other with smiles on their faces that could not increase in size any more than they already had.

'_This heat... this excitement... this heart-pounding performance... is one of a kind. Thank you, Kanade, for letting me experience it again in my lifetime.'_

Sweat pouring down her face endlessly, Tsubasa deflected and parried away mad strikes that came from every possible direction, each one more ferocious than the other. Yet, her own strikes were not to be underestimated, as she forced Kanade back on the defensive time and time again. Yet every time she did so, her former partner would respond in kind, knowing exactly how she'll react and pay her back tenfold.

That's how it was between them, now and forever. A symphony greater than any other, and the sheer energy was unlike anything ever seen before.

A fight, a song... right now, there was no difference.

Just like she said.

Just like she had always said.

Even though Tsubasa was now partnered with Maria, the act of performing with another was out of this world. A once in a lifetime chance that will never come back again.

The two slashed at each other with powerful overhead swings. Just as the blades came down, both weapons shone brightly, and just as they impacted each other the energy was released.

'_**AZURE FLASH'**_

'_**POWER∞SHINE'**_

A massive fireball engulfed the two of them, sending powerful winds in all directions. Maria was forced to bring an arm up to protect her face from the gale force, and she groaned as she planted her feet in order to not be blown away.

As the heat rose, the first to leave the fireball was Tsubasa. She flew backwards through the air with smoke trailing behind her, skidding across the concrete a fair distance back. She quickly put her palm on the ground to stop her momentum, tossing dirt into the air.

She didn't have even a second to be surprised as the fireball vanished in an instant. In the place where the two had clashed Kanade stood, her spear pointed forward before her.

And what looked like a sun began forming at the tip of her spear. Plasma and fire fused into a gigantic ball of red hot flame that raged wildly, melting the concrete beneath it. Raising her blade in front of her in preparation, Tsubasa tried to think of something that could perhaps counter what Kanade was doing.

However, nothing came to mind right away.

The energy continued to gather at a rapid rate, leaving the sword wielder with very few options. Smiling to herself regardless, she realized what her best course of action was.

Dodging to the side would be meaningless.

Trying to block it would be pointless.

And trying to stop her from unleashing it would be useless.

So there was only one choice left:

To go through it.

The thrusters on her feet and back roared to life, and Tsubasa charged, covering the distance at blinding speeds.

Smirking and singing, Kanade let the sun loose.

'_**SUPERGIANT∞FLARE'**_

Solar flame erupted from the ball of plasma, rushing towards Tsubasa with the true heat of a star in a large beam. Yet she did not stop her dash, and she stared ahead at the approaching wave of death with a resolute expression.

Maria could do nothing but watch in horror as Tsubasa was engulfed, the flame roaring past her unabated as it melted its way through everything. Kanade kept on holding her spear forward, channeling her energies into it as her song did not stop for even a moment.

Because she wasn't the only one singing.

Within the fire, Tsubasa surged forward. Singing her heart out, she pushed forward and onwards with no regard to anything else. Little by little her Symphogear was disintegrating from the heat, but she kept her hold and focus on her sword, keeping it materialized with all her strength. She pushed more and more power, one eye closed as she felt herself be scorched by the unbearable heat.

But there was no other direction to take.

There was only going forward and not looking back.

To fly, higher and higher.

For even the sky was not the limit.

The fire scorched her skin, and as her song finally reached its final verse, she gave one last push. One last beat of her wings. With all of her heart, she screamed the name of the girl who had changed her life.

"**KANADEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"**

And she thrust her sword forward.

Her blade pierced through the raging sun.

At that moment, the star was extinguished.

Everything abruptly ceased. The flames vanished, and the song came to an end. All that remained was a stunned onlooker, her eyes wide in astonishment.

Along with two former partners. One holding onto a blade of white and blue...

And the other impaled upon it.

Not a single one of them, spectator and combatants alike, could say anything in response. Yet, a single sound rose between them anyway, one that was not expected at this time.

It was the sound of crying. The tears fell nonstop from the eyes of the blue Adaptor as she looked down on the ground; her hands still holding onto the handle of the sword that had pierced through the chest of her former partner.

And she could only murmur her name in sorrow.

"Kanade..."

The red head's hands fell to her sides, her spear still clutched in her left one. "Yeah... this is how it should have ended..."

"Kanade..."

"This was the only way... we could finish our last dance, Tsubasa. And I'm glad... I got to experience it with you... one last time..."

Tsubasa's whimpers broke Maria's heart. She raised a hand to cover her mouth in an attempt to stop herself from sobbing too.

"You've grown so strong... Tsubasa... I'm glad..." Kanade uttered weakly, and she tilted her head upwards, staring into the sky. She did not bleed, for there was no blood for her to shed. And yet... "To think... I could spend this moment with you again... was something I thought I'd never get the chance to do again. That was... my biggest regret back then. Now... I guess I can leave... with no worries."

The sound of the distant clash returned, muffled by the large distance. Yet, not a single one of them cared about it right now. Tsubasa did not dare to look up as once more Kanade's body began to flake away, this time the process proving unstoppable.

She could only continue to cry and sob. Kanade tilted her head back down and smiled, putting her free hand on top of her head gently. "Seriously... you grew so much and yet... you're still such a cry baby..."

She raised her head, and Maria was surprised to find herself meeting the disappearing red head's gaze. She was further shocked when Kanade spoke directly to her, her voice calm and even. "Hey, you—no, Maria was it? As you can see... she still needs someone... to look after her. After all... she still has a bit of growing up... to do. So... I leave her... to you."

Removing her hand from her mouth, Maria's response was a quick and resolute one.

She nodded. "I will."

Kanade smiled once more. "Thanks..."

Gathering all the strength she could into the hand holding her spear, she embedded it by its tip into the ground next to her, driving it into the concrete and keeping it upright. "This is your victory... Tsubasa... so you've... earned this... from me..."

"Kanade... wait..."

"Your song... is so beautiful now. I really couldn't... keep up with it at all... that's why I'm sure you can soar... higher and higher... even on your own..."

Tsubasa turned her head upwards, and her tear-stained face met Kanade's gentle gaze. "That's what... your name means... after all. You... have two wings now. So fly.. higher and higher... without anything... to hold you down."

"A-ah...A-ah..."

"You know... I know... last time I said... that singing your heart out... leaves you so hungry and empty... but now... I can't help... but feel satisfied..."

Her arms vanished.

"K-Kanade... I... I—!"

"It was really... fun... really... really... fun... wasn't it... Tsubasa?"

Her legs disappeared.

"Kanade..."

"Thank you... Tsubasa... Thank you..."

Tsubasa let out one last anguished gasp.

The weight on her blade disappeared.

Her soul filled with nothing but joy, and with her final smile etched into her former partner's heart, Amou Kanade once again vanished into the wind. The blue particles of light rose to the sky, melding with the night.

The sword shattered to pieces, and Tsubasa fell to the ground on her hands and knees.

And the tears continued to fall nonstop, her heartbroken cries echoing in the street.

"Ah... Ah... Kanade..."

Her breaths came up short. Her heart and mind shattered beyond belief, the remaining half of Zwei Wing could only wail in grief.

She could only repeat her former partner's name continuously and without end, staring at the spot on the ground where she stood just a moment before.

It was exactly just like last time, except...

This time, she did it. It was by her blade that Kanade had been pierced, and by her hand that she once again disappeared forever.

"Ah... Ah... Ah..."

It was overwhelming. It was overbearing. And it crushed her completely.

The memories they had shared, the feelings she had felt. All of them rose back up to the surface in an instant, and she could only mourn for all that was lost, for all that will never be seen again.

There was nothing left now.

A hand touched her shoulder. She uneasily raised her head, her vision blurry, yet she could still make up the shape of the one that went down to her knees in front of her.

"Ah... Maria..."

Suddenly, and without warning, Maria wrapped her arms around her. Her head touched Maria's stomach as she embraced her. The second half of the Queens of Music closed her eyes and murmured.

"Tsubasa... it's okay... it's okay... it's okay..."

"Ah... ah..."

She couldn't hold it back. Her cries intensifying a hundredfold, her anguish rose and rose as the tears continued to fall. Tsubasa grasped Maria's arms with all her strength, holding onto her as a lifeline.

She couldn't stop. She didn't know if she wanted to stop.

Because she lost Kanade again... and this time, forever.

And the two stayed together like so, with Maria gently patting Tsubasa's head as she cried her heart out, not saying a thing in response. She didn't know how long it went on for; perhaps a minute, perhaps an hour, it didn't matter.

It was a very slow process, but eventually little by little Tsubasa's shuddering form calmed down and all that remained of her cries were barely contained sobs. She breathed in and out as she tried to compose herself, but it was still very difficult.

"Ah... ah..."

"It's okay... it's okay..."

That was all Maria could say to her.

Yet, those simple words made all the difference. Taking in one last deep breath, Tsubasa got herself under control. The grief was still unbearable, but...

This was no time to keep on crying forever, for she had done all the crying she needed three years ago. Now... was no different.

And there was someone who was waiting for them, someone who was suffering and needed their help. With that resolve in mind, Tsubasa sniffled one last time and regulated her breathing, putting a stop to the tears.

Realizing her partner was calmer now, Maria released the embrace and slowly rose back to her feet, staring sympathetically down at Tsubasa all the while. The Ame-no-Habakiri wielder pushed herself back up, rising unsteadily with her vision still cloudy and blurry from the tears.

Before she could wipe them away herself, Maria reached over and did it for her, removing the last drops that fell from her eyes. The silver wielder smiled as she spoke. "Geez... you really are a cry baby."

Something that sounded like a small laugh escaped Tsubasa's lips, and a small smile graced her face. "Yeah," she said with a slightly broken voice. "I really am."

Maria opened her mouth to speak. "Tsubasa—"

"Thank you, Maria," the blue-haired idol said, cutting her off. "I... I'm sorry you had to see such an unsightly thing."

Maria huffed in response. "As if I would care about that. Besides... I can't blame you."

Tsubasa blinked rapidly, restoring her normal vision as the blurriness faded and she could see clearly again. "Thank you... let us go join... the others then. There's still much we need to do. We aren't done just yet."

"Yeah, we aren't," Maria replied. "Then, we go whenever you're ready."

Tsubasa nodded and took a second to regain her bearings and analyze her situation. She looked down at herself, grimacing at the fact that her Symphogear was in tatters. Parts of it had melted and fallen off, and somehow she was lucky enough to escape without having her naked skin be completely scorched. Still, at its current state, Ame-no-Habakiri could not exactly be repaired on the fly, and she'd have to wait until the battle was over until it could be back at full strength.

She had expended the majority of her energy fighting Kanade, and she could barely bring herself to materialize another blade. However...

She turned around, and the first thing that met her sight was the spear Kanade had left behind. She stared at it with a wistful gaze for a long moment, and then reached out, grasping it by the handle.

"Thank you, Kanade. I'll make sure... to put it to good use."

And dislodged it from the ground, holding it in one hand. Maria looked to her curiously but said nothing in response. Tsubasa then turned to her. "Shall we go?"

Maria nodded. "Yes."

The two looked up towards the sky, their eyes watching the clash of light for a moment before they lowered their gaze, and together made their way towards their awaiting comrades.

The battle was coming to a close, that much she could tell. All that remained now... was to accomplish the goal that they had sacrificed so much to reach.

And to place their hopes on the one person who could finally bring everything to an end.

'_Miku... it's up to you now. Go forth... and make your wish a reality.'_


	34. Chapter 34: Eternal Love Promise

_(Play: Eternal Love Promise - Kohinata Miku)_

She could barely keep up.

They should be on the same level. The same exact one, in fact, and yet she was surpassed from the very first strike.

Her reckless charge towards Miku proved to be a mistake, for as soon as the battle began Hibiki quickly lost her advantage. The big, massive advantage she had held over the ascended Shenshoujing wielder was utterly erased. Now, she could barely do anything to keep herself from being defeated in an instant.

That was the might of the divine power.

That was the might of All the Hopes of this World.

But above all, it was the unwavering will of a single girl.

Simple contact with Miku's fan instantly caused the rogue wielder's spear to start disintegrating. The sheer presence of the concept running through it overwhelmed the curses like it always had, but this time it was even more incredible. With the divine power enhancing that concept, it was a simple cakewalk to make the spear useless; its real purpose now nothing more than a tool to try and survive.

The exchange of blows could barely even be called that. Miku's power, speed, tactics, and awareness had spiked a hundredfold, and all Hibiki could do in response was try and keep the fan from striking her at any point.

But that wasn't even the most astonishing part. It was the same as she had done to the titan: the curses could not keep up with their regeneration. By the time they had begun to fix the faded parts, Miku delivered another lightning-fast blow that was undetectable to the naked eye. Hibiki could only see it because her senses were as open as Miku's, if not more, due to her long time holding the divine power.

But it didn't even matter now. Miku learned how to fight, removing her biggest setback. The power difference had been eliminated, and now the two of them were on the exact same level.

No, Hibiki had still had the advantage in skill, that she was sure of.

But how was she going to make use of it under this rain of blows?

She grimaced and dove down to avoid a nasty horizontal swing. She did not let Miku out of her sight for even a second as she tried to gain some distance, making sure she did not follow her.

However, it was useless. There was a brief flash of light, and Hibiki's senses immediately screamed. She was forced to cartwheel through the air in order to avoid a strike that came from her front. There was a sound not unlike a laser as the fan sliced through the air, missing her by a hair's breadth.

"K-Kuh! Miku—!"

Yet the Shenshoujing Adaptor said nothing.

After all, she was singing. The song of her heart echoing throughout the battlefield, bringing order to the chaos that had befallen the city. No, it was more correct to say that it resonated throughout the entire world, its deep engraved message reaching every heart on the globe.

_~I will once again sing you a melody~_

And the longer Hibiki listened to it, the more her resolve started to waver.

_~Urging you to "Never surrender!"~_

She couldn't even bring herself to ignore it. The lyrics weaved their way into her mind, and she felt her heart clench harder in her chest the longer it went.

But she forced it down as much as she could, as futile as it felt.

Miku was relentless in her assault. As Hibiki continued to avoid her strikes, the ascended wielder kept them coming endlessly. Charging towards her at blinding speed, she swung hard again; however, this time Hibiki countered by teleporting away in a cloud of black dust.

The purple Adaptor scanned the area with her senses and swiftly found her opponent's new position. Hibiki was barely able to respond as in another flash, Miku teleported right in front of her and struck again. This time, Hibiki could swear she could see her strike followed by afterimages as if a dozen more Mikus were sharing the same space and attacking her all at once.

Left with no choice, she placed her spear in the blow's path, and just like she thought it felt as though it was struck a dozen times in rapid succession. Somehow, it held together, but she was knocked to the side so hard she was sent off course.

"W-why?! Why are you doing this, Miku?!" She screamed, yet her best friend did not answer. She just kept on singing without end, entirely focused on her one goal.

For what purpose did she even ask that question, then?

She already knew what Miku's goal was, so that wasn't it.

No, that question... was directed at the song she was singing.

It was a new one, one she had never heard before, and that added another thousand layers to the shock. But that wasn't even the worst—_**best**_—part, for with every word, with every beat of the melody... she felt her heart stir.

_~You've just forgotten who you really are~_

_~So I'll give you back the courage to join hands~_

And it was painful. It was more painful than anything in the world because she knew what those lyrics meant, what they embodied.

It was like the song itself was laced with that concept she held, creating a melody that could only truly be described as divine.

And it was all directed right at her.

It was all devoted to her.

Miku made it obvious as such. She had said that she dedicated all her songs to her, and now this one... this one...

Hibiki briefly found herself wondering... what kind of face was she making at that moment? What was it that Miku was seeing that forced her onwards? Every blow her best friend delivered was in tune with the song, serving to break down the walls the rogue Adaptor built around her heart.

It was hell. It was a hell made of nothing but sunshine, flowers, and happiness. And as she listened to it more and more, the memories of those happy days played out in her mind, again and again.

What Miku was doing was... was...

Hibiki flipped in mid-air, barely dodging another strike from Miku's weapon. Gritting her teeth as hard as she could, she charged with a primal roar, hellbent on making the music stop. Making the memories stop. Making the sunny smile she saw in her mind disappear.

Her face was scrunched up in an expression not far removed from madness, yet Miku remained calm and gentle as she kept on singing. The spear and the fan clashed, again and again, Hibiki making sure to keep as minimal contact with the fan or Miku herself.

_~No matter what darkness comes~_

_~Even if it devours the skies~_

The feathers kept on fluttering down around them, bathing the battlefield in an otherworldly, ethereal glow. Hibiki let out a pained grunt with every blow she delivered, forcing herself to keep fighting despite her mind breaking down.

_~The light of the sunshine~_

And Miku could see it. She could feel it. While it was difficult to witness, it was in the end what she needed to do.

_~And the future shall not be defeated~_

It wouldn't do to just eliminate the curses, for that wouldn't solve the underlying problem. No, the curses were a mere afterthought, for what she needed was just a very simple thing:

She needed to hear two words from Hibiki. Just two very simple words and that would put an end to everything. Those words would be the signal that she can finally bring this matter to a close.

Yes, all she needed to do was get Hibiki to say them, and for that reason, she sang.

For it was the only manner with which she could draw Hibiki's true desire out, and that was how she was going to make her will known.

And if it meant seeing Hibiki break down little by little... if it meant she had to suffer just a bit more... then she'll steel her heart and keep on going without stopping.

_~I've always been watching the standing flower grip its justice tight~_

_~I can do it too... I have to!~_

A hard swing caused Hibiki's spear to shatter in her hand. Looking at the destroyed weapon with wide eyes briefly, Hibiki clenched her teeth and struck out with her fists, the piledrivers pulled back as far as they could. They roared towards Miku faster than the speed of sound, yet the Shenshoujing wielder was unfazed.

Miku's fan stood in the way of the punches as they struck, each blow leaving behind a shockwave that tore through the air around them. A massive downburst blew away rubble and debris that were hundreds of meters below them.

Hibiki screamed with every strike, her arms blurring from the speed she was delivering them. Yet Miku kept up her defense, her fan a blur as she blocked every single one, her arms moving faster than ever before.

Seeing she was getting nowhere, Hibiki attempted to pierce through the impossible guard with both fists. Striking out as hard as she could, the two thrusters at the back of her gauntlets erupted with a powerful blaze, and she roared as she attacked. In response, Miku placed her fan in its path.

But this time, she went about it a bit differently. The fan opened, it's interlocking links rapidly unfolding into a circle. Caught by surprise, Hibiki only had a second to react before the mirror shined brightly. She was forced to abandon her attack mid-rush in order to avoid what came next.

_~I will shed no tears~_

_~For anything other than happiness~_

A brilliant beam exploded out from the open mirror, singeing Hibiki's leg as she dove down just in time. She grit her teeth once again, glancing at the part of her armor that was shaved away completely by the light.

Her frustration only grew as her suspicion was confirmed that the curses were having a much harder time regenerating the lost parts. Whatever it was that Miku was doing, it was actively denying the process. It was as if it was slowed to a crawl, recovering atom by atom rather than instantly like before.

She landed on the ground on both feet and instantly spread her senses to predict Miku's next move. She shifted slightly with her foot, and then swiftly turned, raising her leg in a powerful roundhouse kick.

And just in time to catch Miku teleport right in the path of her attack. A smirk appeared on Hibiki's face. '_Got you!'_

Only for her eyes to widen in astonishment as her leg simply phased through Miku as if she was but an illusion. The leg passed through her midsection, causing her entire form to shimmer for a moment before it disappeared completely.

"What—!"

She planted her foot and was instantly alerted to Miku attacking her again from the front. Miku swung her fan hard, but Hibiki dodged to the side before lashing out with a fist to the Shenshoujing wielder's face.

Only to be shocked again when her fist went through her head, and once more her form wavered and vanished. The process repeated itself, again and again, as Miku continued attacking from a blind spot, causing Hibiki to turn around hurriedly to strike out against her.

Yet all that met Hibiki's fists were afterimages that vanished as quickly as they appeared. She was trapped, forced to defend against an opponent she could not physically touch.

The song was coming from every direction now, leaving her confused as to Miku's actual position. Her frustration grew with every afterimage she banished, and her voice rose as they kept on coming endlessly.

"STOP IT! STOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPIT!"

Letting out another primal scream, and her anger at an all-time high, she slammed both fists into the ground below her. The concrete exploded, rubble shooting up into the air in a desperate attempt to fight Miku off.

She heaved hard as the chunks rained back down around her. Rising to full height once more, she took in a deep breath before it got caught in her throat, and her head darted from side to side.

For she found herself surrounded by not one, not two, not three...

But by at least two dozen Mikus, all of them holding the mirror open and aimed right at her. Caught like a deer in the headlights, she quickly searched in her mind for a solution as the two dozen mirrors lit up simultaneously. Left with no choice, she took to the sky, shooting upwards to escape the ambush.

Only to be stopped in her tracks by the real thing, her own mirror shining as she sang. Her eyes wide, the rogue wielder barely had time to teleport out of the way as the mirrors fired, all of them directed at her.

_~I swore that I would take you home~_

_~Do not underestimate my love...!~_

She reappeared a small distance away, not having had enough time to decide on a better location. But her small moment of respite was interrupted as her senses screamed once more, and she dodged out of the way as a tendril of light passed right by her.

Hibiki turned her head to the source and was shocked to see those very same lights from before coming after her, homing in at her despite her moving out of the way. Miku narrowed her eyes as she focused on her best friend's location, not letting her out of her sight as she directed the light her afterimages fired.

_~I will once again sing you a melody~_

Left again with no choice, Hibiki picked up speed and began her retreat, the violet missiles right on her heels. Unwilling to even look back at them, she focused on her escape. She maneuvered in the air from side to side, barely avoiding them as they suddenly picked up speed and glanced against her armor. More parts of it faded away from the areas touched by the light, leaving her naked skin exposed to the elements.

Changing tactics on the fly, she tried to teleport away and create more distance. But every time she did so the tendrils continued their pursuit, stubbornly tailing her.

_~Urging you to "Never surrender!"~_

Of course they wouldn't. Miku knew exactly where she was at all times. She could see and feel her no matter the distance and follow that signature perfectly.

It briefly made Hibiki wonder why she just wasn't finishing everything in an instant, but she did not look a gift horse in the mouth.

That is until several of the tendrils whisked past her and blocked her path, forcing her to remain in place. She turned around but found herself once again surrounded. This time a sphere of the light whips trapped her from every possible direction.

_~Not to be protected~_

Her head darted all over the place, trying to find an opening in the encirclement, but found none. She gritted her teeth again, this time causing a molar to crack from the pressure. Her entire body shook as she gathered energy, and she hunched forward from the massive pressure building up within her, hugging her arms to herself.

Just then, the tendrils surged forward, intent on piercing her all at once.

_~But this time to protect you!~_

And she spread her arms, letting out a guttural shout as a massive eruption exploded from her to all sides. A sphere of pure energy surrounded her and expanded, and just as Miku's song came to an end the tendrils of light dissipated into nothingness. The incredible power contained in Hibiki's energy release shook the air, throwing rubble and dust about in all directions.

A few moments later, the cloud of dust settled, leaving the rogue wielder hanging in the air and breathing hard from the effort. She clenched her teeth and turned around only to come face to face with Miku again. Retreating from the Shenshoujing wielder, she raised her guard in preparation for the next assault.

Only for Miku to do nothing.

_(Play: Ocean of Memories - Fate/Stay Night OST)_

Hibiki could only look at her with wide eyes, her pupils shaking as she stared at her from across the small distance. Her breathing still heavy and her armor slowly regenerating, Hibiki hung in the air. Her lips moved, but no words coming out of her mouth.

Everything she did was for naught. Despite all of her efforts, the song had wormed its way into her mind, ringing inside her brain and bouncing to and fro inside her skull. It was replaying itself endlessly, and with every repetition, her panic and frustration increased.

The lyrics, they were... they were...

No, the song itself was nothing but a means to an end. All it was there for was to deliver a single message to her, that much she realized. Her senses open and her awareness expanded, she realized exactly what that message was.

And it was a simple one, contained within three very small yet powerful words.

_~I love you~_

Miku, still hovering in the air before with her wings spread, murmured her name softly.

"Hibiki..."

That was what broke the camel's back. Her composure broken and her heart in shambles, Hibiki exploded in a fit of anguished rage.

"WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"

Her scream echoed and broke the sound barrier, distorting the air. Yet Miku said nothing more, listening to her outburst.

"WHY?! WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS NOW?! WHY ARE DOING THIS, MIKU?!"

Anger born from sorrow and a lack of understanding, causing an all-encompassing feeling of powerlessness to run wild through her.

And Miku could tell that now, the curses had nothing to do with it.

"Because that is my true heart, Hibiki."

A simple, gentle answer.

Which proceeded to throw Hibiki over the edge. "IT'S THE SAME FOR ME TOO! BUT NOW... BUT NOW—!"

The face of madness returned with tenfold strength. "I WISHED FOR IT TOO! THAT WAS ALL I WANTED! BUT NO MATTER WHAT I DID, I WAS CHASED BY SUFFERING! ALL I WANTED WAS TO BE LEFT ALONE!"

The sound of her voice echoed throughout the city, and as the other wielders convened with each other, they looked up and above them, straight towards the duo.

"EVER SINCE THAT DAY I WAS STUCK FOREVER IN A NIGHTMARE! NO MATTER WHERE I WENT OR WHAT I DID, IT CAME AFTER ME AGAIN AND AGAIN, EVEN AFTER I MADE MYSELF PLEDGE MY HEART FOR OTHERS!"

The spear reappeared in her hand in an instant, and she charged while raising it high. It slammed into Miku's fan, who held the blow at bay with a single hand. Hibiki kept on shrieking, and Miku listened intently.

"BUT EVEN THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH! I DID THAT, AND ALL I GOT IN THE END WERE MORE NIGHTMARES! MORE CURSES! MORE HATRED FROM EVERYONE!"

Another hard strike came down. "FROM TSUBASA LOOKING DOWN ON ME AS A WORTHLESS PIECE OF CRAP TO BLAME FOR ALL OF HER PROBLEMS, NOT REALIZING THOSE PROBLEMS WERE HER OWN FAULT IN THE FIRST PLACE!"

Miku blocked again as another strike came in, the sound of Hibiki's hidden despair wringing its way into her soul.

Just like she wanted. '_Come on, Hibiki, you can do it.'_

She was close.

And another. "TO CHRIS LETTING OUT HER ANGER ON ME WHEN I TRIED TO HELP HER, GIVING MY ALL TO FREE HER FROM HER MISERY! SHE LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS DELUSIONAL AND MEANINGLESS, UNABLE TO HELP EVEN MYSELF!"

And another. "TO MARIA NOT SEEING HER OWN FAULTS, BLAMING THEM ON ME! GOING ALONG WITH THAT ACT OF HERS, BELIEVING SHE WAS DOING IT FOR EVERYONE'S SAKE WHEN SHE WAS ONLY DOING IT FOR HER OWN! WHAT'S MORE, SHE SIMPLY STOOD ASIDE AS THAT MAD DOCTOR PUT HIS HANDS ON YOU, THINKING THERE WAS JUSTICE IN ANYTHING SHE WAS DOING!"

And another. "TO KIRIKA THINKING SHE COULD LEAVE A MARK ON THE WORLD BY DESTROYING IT, LETTING HERSELF FALL TO THE DELUSION THAT SHE COULD LEAVE ANYTHING BEHIND! TURNING HER BACK ON EVEN HER OWN COMRADES, STICKING TO HER NAIVE BELIEFS LIKE THEY EVER MEANT ANYTHING! AND SHE THOUGHT I WAS THE CRAZY ONE!"

'_You can do it.'_

And another. "TO SHIRABE CALLING ME A HYPOCRITE, NOT REALIZING THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS HERSELF! SHE HAD THE NERVE TO SWITCH SIDES WHEN SHE FINALLY UNDERSTOOD HOW STUPID SHE WAS, FOLLOWING AFTER A FAKE SENSE OF JUSTICE THAT ONLY WORKED FOR HER OWN SAKE!"

'_I believe in you.'_

And another powerful strike came down, forcing Miku to deflect it to the side. Her arms shook from the force, yet Hibiki went on, crying her heart out.

"AND S.O.N.G, AND DAD, AND EVERYONE ELSE! I WAS ALWAYS THE STUPID ONE, THE CRAZY ONE, THE ONE THEY LOOK AT WHEN THINGS GO WRONG AND BLAME FOR THEIR OWN FAULTS! AND I NEVER WANTED TO DO THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE! ALL I WANTED WAS TO LIVE IN PEACE, BUT NO ONE EVER LET ME!"

Her voice came out as a choked sob, and as her eyes continued to widen and her emerald eyes starting to become bloodshot, she continued. "EVEN YOU DIDN'T LET ME, THE ONE PERSON I TRUSTED MORE THAN I TRUSTED MYSELF!"

A final strike was launched, sending Miku back a small distance through the air. She readied herself for another block, yet Hibiki did not resume. She merely hung in the air, both hands clutching the handle of her spear.

And she was shaking, her entire body shuddering with sobs and anguish all the more amplified by the song that crushed her resolve.

"All I wanted... all I wanted... was for someone to finally understand me... for someone to look at me, and tell me what I wanted was okay..."

She couldn't hold onto the spear for a second longer. Her grip loosened, and the weapon fell from her hands to the ground below, shattering upon impact. Its pieces faded into motes of light that floated upwards, passing by the fluttering feathers.

"And I thought... that you of all people would, Miku... that you would finally tell me it's okay to let it all go..."

Miku clenched her fists tight, holding herself back from just charging in and embracing her.

Because that wasn't what was going to bring things to an end. Only a combination of two words uttered from Hibiki's mouth would, and until then, she could do nothing.

"After that day... all I wanted was just to fall down and die. But I... was not even allowed that... so where... and when... am I allowed to finally give it all up? When am I allowed to say... that I've had enough?"

'_You're so close Hibiki. Come on, you can do this.'_

That one thought filled Miku's mind as she listened.

"And you come here now, and you tell me those words, and I... I don't know what to do. I don't know what I should do. I can't... I can't just punch it away, or run away from it like all the other times..."

She was getting there. All it required was just another little push.

And so, Miku spoke up, her voice as gentle as ever. "Hibiki... that is exactly why I told you those words. That is exactly why I came all this way. You're so dense that you never realized it, but all these years we've spent together... have always meant the whole world to me."

Hibiki's mouth gaped, and she could only look at Miku, her lips shivering. "And my whole world... was and will always be you. Now, and forever. My heart has always... belonged to you. And I always wanted you to know that was how I felt, how sunshine can only exist when it has a sun to shine from. And you are that sun. My shining Sun."

"Ahh... a-ah..."

-!-

"_You're the only one who'd ever miss me..."_

"_Hibiki..."_

"_As long as you're here... I know I have a home to come back to."_

-!-

Miku dismissed her fan and slowly drifted towards Hibiki, who was frozen in the air before her. "But I won't let you let it all go. I won't... allow you to wish to die, because there is so much more beyond this moment. The happy days we shared... were never lies, nor were they ever delusions. It is my deepest, fondest wish... for you to live. Because I want to share my life with you."

-!-

"_You're my sunshine, my warm place to come back to."_

"_Hibiki... I—"_

"_It is... always warmest by your side."_

-!-

"Ah... ah..."

_~Your days of suffering~_

"It's just as I told you, Hibiki. That is my selfishness. That is my wish, and it can't be granted without you being there. So that is why... I won't let go of you. I won't let you go ever again. And that is why... I'm not going to let you say you had enough. For a long time, I've stood aside and watched as you acted upon your desires. So now it's time for me to tell you that there are some things that I'm no longer going to allow."

_~Your tears of the past~_

And she smiled, and just the sight of her smile caused the last vestiges of Hibiki's composure to crumble to dust.

_~I want to become someone who can wipe them all away~_

"And the first of those is going to be... that I'm not letting you be alone anymore. I'm not going to let you suffer anymore. And... I'm going to make sure... that you don't have to fight anymore."

_~I will once again sing you a melody~_

The gentle song that Miku sang to her...once more replayed itself in her mind.

_~Urging you to "Never surrender!"~_

Hibiki's breaths quickened, and for the first time in a very long time...she cried.

_~Not to be protected~_

"Ahhh... ahh..."

_~But this time to protect you~_

'_You can do it.'_

"That is my eternal promise to you Hibiki. It always was, and always will be."

And all she needed in return... was just two words that she wanted Hibiki to say.

"That... is my eternal love promise, dedicated forever to you."

Hibiki was torn apart. The curses screamed in her ears time and time again, replaying the worst of her days back to her, making her remember what exactly was it she was fighting against. And now they screamed louder than ever before, attempting to grasp at her heart again.

Yet for all the previous times they could... now, they could not.

For all she could focus on was the girl before her and the breathtaking sight of the shine she radiated, the warmth she always remembered embracing her even now.

She could feel it on her skin, the touch of warm and gentle hands holding onto her own. Telling her that her fists were the gentlest in the world and that what she fights for is just. The only thing she ever asked in return was for her to come back, safe and sound, back to her side.

She whimpered, the tears streaming down her cheeks without end. "Ah... ah... Miku..."

"Yes, Hibiki? You can tell me. You can tell me... what is it that you want. And I promise I'll grant it for you. For you and you alone. What you wish for upon the shooting stars... I'll grant you."

"M-Miku... I... I—!"

Her heartbeat accelerated, and the screaming intensified in her mind a hundredfold.

Yet now, they seemed as quiet as the nighttime breeze.

"I... I—!"

"You can do it. You can tell me."

"I want... I want..."

Her heart broke open.

"I want... to stop. I don't... want to do this... anymore..."

_'You're so close, you're so close!'_

"I understand, Hibiki. I understand."

"But I don't know... I don't know how to stop. Miku... I... I..."

'_Just a little bit more.'_

"I'm here Hibiki. I'll always be here. You can tell me. I want to hear your wish."

"M-Miku... ah..."

'_Say it, Hibiki. Say the words. Just two words. You can do this.'_

Miku waited with bated breath. She was getting there. Just a little bit more.

"M-M-Miku... p-please..."

"Yes? I'm listening, Hibiki. Tell me."

"P-please..."

Her heart clenched. Her soul sprung open.

The chains that had held her down finally crumbled. She took in a choked breath.

And finally gave in.

"Help... me..."

Finally.

She said it.

She finally said it. Just those two words. That was all Miku was waiting to hear from her. Hibiki, the girl who never asked anyone to help her, the girl who always took upon the burdens of others...

Finally begged for someone to save her.

A rush of pure joy and relief washed over Miku. She watched as Hibiki's shoulders sagged, her tears streaming down without pause. But she could not help but be happy, more than she had ever been. And that was because...

"Finally... I got to hear your true voice, Hibiki. Your true wish."

"M-Miku... ah... ah..."

"I will grant your wish, Hibiki. Don't worry. I'm coming to save you. I promise I'll save you, and never let you go again."

It was too much. Far too much for Hibiki to handle. In a split-second decision made by a mind that was far too broken to act reasonably, her spear reappeared in her hand.

And she charged without any sense of rhyme or reason, her tears streaking behind her, glistening in the night. Miku called back her fan and blocked the crazed blow that Hibiki delivered. And then the next, and the next, her smile not dropping for even a moment.

There was no elegance in Hibiki's technique. No skill, no composure. Just pure anguish and frustration, deep-seated despair that she was letting out for finally unshackling her own heart.

And that, in turn, made things much easier for Miku.

All it took was a single, simple deflection to the side. The spear shattered once again, and this time Hibiki was completely helpless to defend herself as the fan came down on her. It struck her straight on, searing away a line of the armor on her chest and sent her careening down to the ground with explosive force.

Looking towards the debris with a gentle gaze, Miku floated down slowly, her movement akin to a fairy in a magical forest, hypnotizing and awe-striking.

Hibiki uneasily rose back to her feet and was immediately entranced. She couldn't move. She was unwilling to move, and stood in place on her wobbly legs, her entire body just shivering endlessly. The screeches in her ears intensified once again, feeling the danger coming and trying to force her to act.

But they couldn't. The brilliance was far too much for her or for them to handle. And they tried, forcefully pouring more of themselves out in order to regenerate the armor.

But it was a useless endeavour.

"Please hold on, Hibiki. I will clear away the darkness that claws at your heart."

Breathless and with tears streaming down her cheeks, Hibiki nodded.

Miku held her fan in front of her, and it once more opened to display the shining mirror. Releasing her hold on it, the mirror floated on its own, settling in place above her.

And just like before, she spread her arms to the side. She locked her legs together, and from the knee guards, the circle mirror expanded, this time far more radiant than before.

The singular mirror, still floating above her, then began to multiply. Creating a ring of its own copies around her, Miku now hovered in place, her strongest attack ready.

The final attack that would mark the end of this conflict and that would finally take back their happy days.

And together, the mirrors shone with holy light. Gathering before her at a rapid rate, she sent Hibiki one last smile.

And Hibiki too smiled.

Bearing all of herself, Miku let the sunshine loose.

'_**LIGHT OF DAWN'**_

It really was like sunshine, Hibiki noticed. Rising above the darkness of the night, her vision filled with white as the sunrise closed the distance to her. The smaller mirrors floating around Miku fired their light in tandem, and halfway through the distance, they merged with the bigger beam. All at once it grew, becoming more powerful as it surged towards its target.

Hibiki couldn't move. She stared at the approaching light, unwilling to move. The screaming in her ears was so loud now, drowning out her thoughts completely, trying to force her to move.

But she didn't.

She only smiled and closed her eyes.

And it washed over her. Bigger and stronger than before, the light engulfed her in its entirety. And unlike last time, she did not struggle against it, letting it simply embrace her.

Everything began to disappear around her. Peeling off her form like layers, the cursed armor tried to hang on to her frame with all the strength it could muster. But it was as if her skin was slippery, and it could not hold on any longer.

With a final screech in her mind, the curses were banished, purged by the light.

It continued onward, piercing through the city and eliminating everything cursed in its wake. The remnants of the miasma, as well as any Noise and beasts corpses in its wake, were vaporized without a glance. So radiant it was, truly the light of the rising dawn, that all who witnessed it could only watch in reverence, enthralled by the sight.

Going all the way towards the ocean, the beam vanished over the horizon, sparkling briefly before vanishing completely.

Miku stared at the spot Hibiki was hidden within the smoke. She dismissed the mirrors floating around her and called back the one big circle mirror, locking it back into her knee guards. Before landing on the ground, she folded her wings, the feathers of light vanishing as her feet touched the concrete below gently.

Before anything, however, she narrowed her eyes at the clearing smoke. This reminded her too much of the last time they had fought, so now she would check it on her own.

After all, there was nothing currently in this world more powerful than her, so she did not need fear.

Miku walked forward, ignoring the rising smoke. With a wave of her hand, it was all cleared away, revealing what truly had happened at ground zero.

It was done.

There was nothing left.

Lying on the ground on her stomach, Hibiki was completely naked. Scanning her with her senses, Miku could not find even a single shred of the curses left within her.

The light had done it. It had freed Hibiki from the curses once and for all.

She kneeled, triple checking her best friend's body with her senses all over. It was like nothing had even happened to her, as her skin, at least from what she could see, was unblemished. Only the little bit of dust that settled on top of her dirtied her form in any manner and even her hair returned to its vibrant chestnut color.

She moved her hand closer to her slowly, waiting for her to suddenly stand up and attack her.

Yet, no such thing came. Her hand landed atop Hibiki's head, and with a relieved smile on her face, she moved her hand over it, patting her gently.

Miku let out a small laugh. "Geez... you have so many tangles in your hair now. We need to brush it as soon as possible."

It was at that moment she stirred. Miku's eyes widened as she saw Hibiki move slightly.

"U-ugh..."

"Hibiki..."

Removing her hand from her hair, Miku put her hands on Hibiki's shoulders carefully as to not hurt her by accident. Uneasily, Hibiki moved her arms, pushing herself off the ground with much difficulty.

Luckily Miku was there to help. With both hands, she raised Hibiki's upper body, and now she saw her face.

Miku let out a laugh again, finding herself surprised. "Oh geez, someone needs a shower."

"Ah... Ah... Miku..."

Hibiki's eyes fluttered open slowly, her vision blurry and cloudy. "Miku... I'm... I'm..."

"Shhhhh... it's okay... it's okay... I'm here, don't worry, it's okay..."

The gentle words washed away all the panic and pain she had felt, and all at once Hibiki found herself sagging in Miku's arms, a sudden heaviness overtaking her.

"Miku..."

"It's okay... it's okay... I'm here..."

-!-

There was no time to waste.

_"Everyone! Head towards Miku-kun and Hibiki-kun right away!"_

Genjuro's order immediately caused the Adaptors to change direction. Chris, Kirika, and Shirabe dashed through the ruined city, appreciating the fact that the enemies unresponsive. Their Symphogears may be in tatters, but at least there's nothing left to fight now. All of the Noise and black beasts were completely paralyzed, lying scattered over the path the Adaptors made to their destination. A number of the Giant Noise even crashed into some of the remaining buildings, leaning on their crumpled forms like drapes.

They hadn't vanished, but this was a good enough alternative. They didn't bother them at all, even if inwardly Chris felt that they should destroy them to ensure they can't come back.

But they didn't have the time for such a thing.

"We have to hurry," Shirabe said cautiously. "They need our help!"

Her two companions gave their wordless acknowledgement as they jumped over the wreckage. While normally they'd reply, they were preoccupied with that they had heard Hibiki scream over the sounds of battle.

They couldn't have possibly missed it. It was a tone so laced with desperation and anguish that it reverberated over the now-dead silent ruins.

As the trio ran, they heard the sound of a pair of hurried footsteps catch up to them from around the corner. Sparing a glance, they spotted Maria and Tsubasa, the duo joining up with their comrades as they made their way towards the couple.

"Sorry it took us so long," Maria said. "We had to take care of some unfinished business."

"Yeah, I can tell," Chris said, narrowing her eyes at the spear the Ame-no-Habakiri user held in her hand. Considering what it was, she figured that the battle Tsubasa had with the once-dead Zwei Wing member had ended with her victory. How the weapon stayed materialized and came into her possession she did not know, but that wasn't what mainly occupied her thoughts. "You two... heard that too, right?"

"Yes," Tsubasa confirmed. "We did. I had a hunch that was the case, but never considered it to be that deeply rooted."

Those resentments Hibiki laid out in the open... they had dug deep into them. They knew, as per Adam's original explanation, that this was something to be expected. Yet, it still hit hard, resonating with their hearts far more than they had expected.

"To think that's what she truly feels about us... I honestly can't say I blame her," Maria added remorsefully.

"Damn it," Chris bit out in frustration. "She's one of the first friends I ever made. I need to apologize to her. She's probably gonna be really scared because of what we'll think. I can't let her believe I'll abandon her."

"That makes two of us," Tsubasa added in.

"Three," said Maria.

"Four." "Five!"

Hearing the combined agreement from the former FIS trio made Chris let out a small laugh, "Glad we're all in agreement."

"I still can't believe Miku managed to get X-Drive all on her own!" Kirika exclaimed suddenly. "It takes us a lot of work to do that!"

"You're forgetting she has the idiot with her there!" The Ichaival wielder replied loudly. "She probably did something after that Superb Song! Seriously, how reckless can those two be?! Just because of that they're made for each other!"

As the three underclassmen conversed, Maria looked to her companion with a worried expression, "Tsubasa..."

"I know," the sword wielder responded. "I won't let her down. By this memento I received from Kanade, I swear I shall never waver again. Hibiki must be protected at all costs."

"You're right. We can worry about our own circumstances later. We have to make sure she's alright first."

There was no time to waste. Swiftly, the five made their way where their rescued friend awaited.

-!-

It was quiet at HQ save for the whirring of the machines. Looking upon the display showing Miku and Hibiki's current status, Genjuro did not tear his eyes away from it as he gave out his next orders. "Elfnein-kun, give me status on Hibiki-kun. I want to make sure we're in the all-clear."

Acting upon his commands immediately, Elfnein began running the long-range scans. Having outfitted the scanners with the necessary improvements to detect the curses, she made sure to triple and even quadruple check everything she could.

Letting out a relieved sigh, she spoke up. "I... can't find anything, Genjuro-san. It really looks like she's free of them. The only remains of the god-slaying power I can find are inside the bodies of the fallen beasts, Noise, and the titan. Other than that, nothing."

"Nothing at all, you say?" He repeated to himself as if to convince himself it was true. "As much as I want to believe it, we can't be certain just yet. Bring us back up to the surface and dock us in the harbor. We'll send the emergency vehicles the moment we get there."

"Yes, sir!"

Immediately, the crew got to work, and they all felt as the submarine began rising from the depths of the ocean.

A very positive atmosphere filled the bridge as Genjuro sat back down in his seat. Despite himself, he felt very happy and relieved they managed to bring this to an end.

But it seemed at least one person there did not share in their joy, as Adam Weishaupt had a frown on his face, his eyes studying the readings as carefully as possible. His own eyes narrowing in confusion, Genjuro spoke to him.

"What's wrong, Adam Weishaupt?"

The former head of the Illuminati grumbled to himself. "I can't help but feel that this is not over yet."

Genjuro leaned forward, gazing at him suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

Adam talked ominously, "This was too easy."

"Too easy?" Genjuro repeated in disbelief. "How has anything we've done until now been easy?"

"I'm not talking about everything up until now, I'm talking about their fight in general. She surpassed her far too easily, and I am skeptical about the results."

It was a fair claim to make, Genjuro admitted. "I understand. We'll see exactly what happens once we have her back in our custody. In the meantime, we'll keep our guards up."

"That you should do, although I believe that to be meaningless at this point."

Genjuro glared at him. "Why?"

"If it's true, you'll see when it happens."

And he fell silent, his gaze returning to the console he was studying.

Leaving Genjuro with more questions than answers.

-!-

"Miku!"

The sound of her teammates' footsteps caused Miku to raise her head from Hibiki and looked into the distance behind her. She smiled. "Look Hibiki, everyone is here."

Her eyes heavy, the defeated wielder could barely move her head to look towards them. She could barely see through her blurry vision, but just knowing they were there... just knowing they were coming for her...

Filled her with both great joy and overwhelming fear.

The five came to a stop by the two, looking down at them in a combination of worry and relief.

"Did... did you do it?" Kirika asked apprehensively, still somewhat on edge.

"Yeah... it should all be gone now," Miku said, with a slightly exhausted yet content tone. "I purged it all. There should be nothing left of it."

"That's good to hear," Shirabe said with a smile.

Their attempts to be sincere fell on deaf ears, however. Hibiki, still held tight in Miku's care, almost seemed to withdraw away from them, unwilling to meet their concerned gazes. Chris bit her lip, torn at knowing that her close friend was feeling so terrified of their opinion right now.

Maria felt the same, as she remembered Hibiki's agonized words back when they confronted each other in Lydian. Her once savior held as much fear in her as she had courage. The very thought that she'll be abandoned, the very thought that she'll be judged frightened her more than anything else in the world.

Especially now that she had finally been freed of that horrible curse. Now that she was no longer its conduit and no longer being afflicted by it, her mind was clear for the first time in a long while.

Maria could only vaguely imagine what sort of terrors are now forming within Hibiki's previously corrupted mind. Nobody knew, but they wordlessly resolved to help her in any way they can.

She won't be the same after this, that they were sure of. The Hibiki they knew might be gone forever now. Not even she can remain the same after going through such a disturbing experience.

There was a silent understanding between the Adaptors, something Miku also took note of. Yet, she chose not to comment, content with waiting for S.O.N.G to send in the relief team to bring them back.

There was nothing else on her mind other than that. Not even the divine power she found herself holding could begin to be as important as Hibiki's well-being.

"Now, let us go home," Tsubasa said. "Everyone is waiting for us. They'll be glad to see you're okay."

"I agree," Miku said, turning to look at her liberated best friend. "It's okay Hibiki, it's okay. We're going home. Hibiki, we're going home."

Hibiki could only mumble softly, barely able to bring herself to form words. "Ah... ahh..."

She met Miku's eyes, and the Shenshoujing Adaptor could see, hidden between the tiny slits, the amber eyes she looked forward to seeing more than anything else.

"Miku... I... I—"

That was when Miku's senses flared in response to the approaching danger.

Before Hibiki could finish her sentence, the ground suddenly began to tremble, as if something deep beneath the crust of the earth was rising to the surface. What felt like an earthquake sprung up from nowhere, and the five wielders who crowded the duo struggled to keep their footing. Their eyes darted around in a panic, attempting to locate the source of the disturbance.

"Wha-what's happening?!" Chris shouted, her voice being drowned out by the sound of buildings crashing around them.

Instantly Miku's head shot up, her eyes wide in shock as her head turned from side to side, not understanding what she was feeling.

"What... what is this?"

"Oi Miku, what's going on—?"

Chris's question got caught in her throat as the shaking intensified a hundredfold.

And from out of nowhere, a furious collection of voices rose above the confusion, screaming at them from every conceivable direction.

"**UNACCEPTABLE! UNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLEUNACCEPTABLE!"**

A deranged cacophony of hellish sounds tore through the air. Everyone, including those at HQ, were forced to cover their ears at the sheer volume and rage lacing those voices. Only Hibiki and Miku remained undaunted but still perplexed and shocked at what was transpiring.

"**WE WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS! WE WILL NOT ALLOW THIS! WE WILL NOT PERMIT THIS!"**

"What the hell is happening—?!"

Miku's senses screamed louder than ever before, and instantly she looked up to stare at the sky.

**"THIS CANNOT CONTINUE! THISCANNOTCONTINUETHISCANNOTCONTINUETHISCANNOTCONTINUETHISCANNOTCONTINUETHISCANNOTCONTINUETHISCANNOTCONTINUETHISCANNOTCONTINUETHISCANNOTCONTINUETHISCANNOTCONTINUETHISCANNOTCONTINUETHISCANNOTCONTINUE!"**

Her eyes immediately widened in horror, and following her gaze, the others looked up as well.

A dark cloud. Blacker than the night itself, a huge mass of darkened smoke hung high above them, blanketing them completely. It roiled within itself, twitching and throbbing as if it held a life of its own.

The Shenshoujing Adaptor's mouth opened to speak in shock. "This... this is—"

"Miku... run..."

The weakened voice caused her head to tilt down to look at her friend, her warning astounding her beyond belief.

"Hibiki!"

"You... need... to... run... they're... not... do—"

There was barely any time for her to finish her warning. All at once, the dark cloud shot downwards, heading right towards the duo. Placing Hibiki down quickly, she raised her fan and began to gather her light, intent on blowing it away in one blast.

Only to be pushed out of the way at the last second. She briefly heard the other gasps her eyes widened in shock.

Hibiki had pushed her out of the way just in time. As the purple wielder stumbled back, she screamed out her name in horrified panic.

"HIBIKI!"

But it was too late.

The dark cloud collapsed on top of Hibiki like a meteor, impacting the ground with the sound of a titanic explosion. Miku's heart shook in fear as she heard Hibiki's blood-curdling shrieks rise from within the storm.

Tsubasa planted the spear in the ground, using it as an anchor to avoid being blown away. Maria held onto her as the winds raged, and she struggled to keep her eyes open from the dust that flew their way.

"K-Kuh... Hibiki..."

As the wielders struggled against the tempest, Miku voiced rose eyes, crying out mightily.

"HIBIKI!"

-!-

"What's going on?!"

"I... I don't know! I don't know what's happening!"

Absolute chaos descended on headquarters as soon once the alarms started blaring. As the crew rummaged for their controls, Adam kept his gaze on the display, his eyes still narrowed.

"Status report, now!" Genjuro commanded, his eyes glancing to Adam briefly. His gaze settled on Elfnein, and he waited impatiently for an answer.

"Elfnein-kun! Report!"

"I... I..." The homunculus repeated to herself. "I... I don't understand this! All of the Noise and beasts suddenly started disintegrating! And the Titan too!"

"What?!"

Promptly a diagram of the world opened in a 3D map before them. They looked on in horror as all of the black dots signifying the presence of curse-based organisms started disappearing one by one.

Or rather, instead of dots, black lines were streaming from the various locations like a twisted travel map and converging on Japan... on their position, specifically.

"W-what?!"

"It's as I thought," Adam suddenly interrupted, causing all those on the bridge to stare at him. "I knew it wouldn't be over so quickly."

"What is this? What are you talking about?!" Genjuro demanded.

Contemplating for a moment, Adam spoke. "Open a channel to the girl. We'll have time to explain this only once, so you must all listen carefully."

-!-

The alchemist narrowed her eyes at the dark cloud in the distance, the gears in her mind spinning wildly in deep thought.

"It seems... it is time for me to move," she said to herself. Gathering strength in her legs, she pushed herself to her feet, standing on uneven footing. The healing had done its job, and now she had to start her march to the battlefield.

"I must do my part... in this battle."

And she limped forward, making her way towards the storm.

-!-

"G-guh..."

It was difficult to remain standing in this wind. Miku did not understand how this was possible, but there was no way she was going to allow this to happen. She had just gotten Hibiki back, and she was not about to let these curses try and steal her again. Raising her fan towards it shakily, she fired a beam, expecting her light to tear through the veil and dissipate it.

But she got the exact opposite result as the beam seemed to bend away from the center of the storm. It was tossed aside, nullified instantly by the steadily strengthening dark power.

She could only look in shock. "This... is like a black hole..."

No, it was the exact opposite, she realized. A black hole would draw in the light, but instead, hers was blasted away entirely, as if it was repelling it just like opposite poles on a magnet.

She kept on standing against the wind until she heard sound from her headset, and a voice she did not expect to hear suddenly filled her ears. "_Girl, listen carefully."_

'_Adam Weishaupt? What does he want—'_

"_We don't have a lot of time, so I'll explain this once: what is happening right now is something we should have expected. Due to you defeating its vessel and breaking down her psyche, the god-slaying power was left without a container. Unfortunately, the mistake was to not destroy everything spawned by the curses first, leading to this result."_

"What? What are you—"

"_You must remember that the curses embody all the negative emotions of humanity, including pride and anger. Because of Tachibana Hibiki's failure and their utter disdain for you, they have decided to take control of the situation first hand."_

"What are you saying?!"

"_I'm saying that now will not be like the other times. With their greatest avatar defeated, and their vessel compromised, the curses have declared you an immediate threat to their existence and will now bear all of their strength against you. And they do so by drawing on the power of everything that they have touched and created. The Noise, the beasts, and even the Titan that you have slain are now being dissolved back into their bare elements, and will coalesce into a much bigger threat than before."_

Miku gasped as the storm raged, and she could not help but notice as the very center where Hibiki was trapped began to shrink with every passing second.

"_You have angered the rage of mankind, and so now you will face its full power. They will push her consciousness to the side and will regard it as irrelevant, using her body as their container."_

His dire warning hung in the air along with the black cloud, slowly began to dissipate at it unveiled its ultimate result.

There was one last piece of he could give her. As the last hope of all mankind, Adam Weishaupt entrusted the future of the world in her hands.

_"Prepare yourself for the fight of your life, girl, for this is where All the Evils of this World make their final stand."_


	35. Chapter 35: TESTAMENT

Adam's voice fizzled out, having said everything he needed. Left behind with those grim words, Miku, together with the other Symphogear wielders, studied the dissipating cloud cautiously. Even though they did not hold the curse-killing concept, the non-ascended Adaptors could physically feel the twist in the air. Whatever those curses had done, it was enough to make it harder to breathe.

They stood behind Miku in a line, hurriedly equipping their weapons. Their energy reserves were low, and so Tsubasa opted to just use the spear Kanade had left behind for her.

The wielders' instincts scream at them to prepare for battle.

And if they hadn't, then Miku's fierce scowl would've, as she clearly saw and sensed something they didn't.

It didn't take long for the cloud to completely vanish, leaving in its place a familiar, yet ominous form that sent shivers down their spines. With just a glance, they knew that the figure was supposed to be Hibiki.

Yet, it was as if she could not be found. All that remained was her body, used as a vessel for something much grander. She was hunched forward, her armored arms swinging limply. Her chestnut-coloured hair had turned an ashen gray, and her skin became as pale as a ghost.

_(Play: All Evils of this World - Fate/Stay Night OST)_

They could not see Miku's stare harden and narrow. Once again, All the Hopes of this World bellowed in the back of her mind, and this time she decided to heed their warning. They provided her with a bare instinct that she did not originally have; one that warned her of the new arrival.

Hibiki, or at least whatever it was they assumed was Hibiki, straightened her posture as she rose back to full height. Her arms spread to the side, and as she took a breath, black smoke escaped her mouth like steam on a winter's night.

Her new form could barely be called a Symphogear anymore. It only vaguely looked like one, but with just a single glance, the gathered wielders knew that the Gungnir as they knew it was long gone. The pendant hanging below her neck was a mere falsity, a decoration meant to invoke the look of one. Yet, it no longer served that function.

For the power of this new being came from within itself. The power it had forced into Hibiki with its last throes.

Black wings spread out behind it, flapping once as they opened to their full span. The armor it wore was pitch black, contrasting Hibiki's now pale skin. The familiar pulsating and glowing red veins ran over its form, uncaring for whether they crawled upon the corrupted relic metal or upon the skin.

"It's like X-Drive..."

One of the girls muttered that in muted horror. Indeed, what they laid their eyes upon reminded them of Gungnir's X-Drive, at least, in shape. Yet, now it was twisted and tainted, the power meant to save others corrupted to serve a new purpose.

After all, it was achieved not through the miracle of holding hands, but by the buried hatred of humanity. It was not power meant to surpass the limits of the relic fragment that made up their Symphogears. It was not a miracle that saved the world.

It was the exact opposite.

A black hole from which no good can escape. A swirling singularity of wretchedness and sin, of turning away from the light of life. It was the other, the antithesis, a force that is meant to oppose all the good that mankind has ever achieved.

Sanctity is abandoned. Enlightenment is tossed aside. God is rejected. There are only the deep-seated grudges of mankind, having boiled beneath the surface from the dawn of civilization.

The entity in Hibiki's body raised a hand, running it through the ashen hair. Once again, it breathed out, tilting its head towards the gathered wielders.

And all at once, it opened its eyes. From deep within herself, Miku knew she should have expected this.

Pitch-black sclera. Blood red irises. It was a demon merely in Hibiki's shape and retained none of her usual features that Miku so cherished.

Of course it'd discard them. It hated her, and so it would do everything possible to spite her. To deny her, to curse her, to make her suffer.

That is what it represented.

"**Unacceptable. Inconceivable. Incomprehensible. Unbelievable. You have stood in our path for far too long, despicable girl."**

Miku's eyes narrowed further. This voice... she knew it. She had heard it before. She had confronted it, inside there, in that illusionary world. It had tried to eliminate her, but it could not. As the other wielders stood guard, their muscles stiffened at the sound of Hibiki's greatly distorted voice.

"You... I know you," Miku said.

"**We meet again, nemesis. It has truly been a while. How your face angers us so. Once again you dare deny us, reject us, defy us."**

Miku stepped forth unfalteringly, "I'm not quite sure what you expected. Did you really think I'd cower before you so easily? Don't you dare look down on me, demon. You took Hibiki from me, and absolutely nothing will stop me from tearing you apart for that."

The thinly-veiled threat that left Miku's mouth shocked the others, who stared at her back with wide eyes. It reminded them of that battle over a month ago that shook them to the core, yet now... Miku's fury felt controlled. Focused. It didn't rage and explode in all directions, but rather was being contained. Aimed carefully at the enemy it would attempt to overcome.

"**Such empty threats you bare, nemesis. You do not truly grasp who we are,"** the entity breathed out. Ethereal energies flowed around it like a nighttime mist, dropping the temperature in its vicinity to below zero with just its presence.

"Oh? And what are you really, demon?" Miku asked in a mocking tone. The answer didn't matter to her, and in fact, she felt compelled to finally engage this thing in combat. This pointless chatter got on her nerves, but she needed to make sure to taunt it as much as she could.

"**We are All the Evils of this World, the grudges of humanity taken form to burn it down to ashes,"** the demon, unfazed, began in earnest. "**Everything that you represent is an affront to our existence, little, paltry saint. That resolve of yours will be shattered by our fist, tempered to ensure your destruction. You are an obstacle to our eternity. Remember the name as you fall into hell:"**

The entity stopped for a short second

"**For we are..."** it began. It seemed to think for a moment, then grinned savagely as it revealed its name.

"**Mara...!"**

Tsubasa's eyes lit up in recognition. "Mara?! But isn't that—?!"

"_The name of the demon that opposes the Buddha... no, this thing cannot possibly it. It brazenly took on the name it found most appropriate, just like you had done with Susano'o. It is merely a fabrication, a lie it created to suit its purposes... but I cannot help but realize how fitting that is. For that very demon represents all the malice and death in the world."_

Adam's prompt information gave the wielders all the answers they needed for this new development. The demon had given itself a name and title all at once, even if stolen from another.

"_There is none other more eligible to be crowned All the Evils of this World."_

Of course it would, as that is what it ultimately embodies. It would kill, steal, murder, curse, and destroy anything for the sake of its own selfish goal regardless of the consequence. It desired so from the bottom of its existence and would stop at nothing to achieve it.

Yet Miku stood undaunted. Adam's explanation and the dawning, ominous realization that befell the others clanged off of her like an arrow against a reinforced wall.

"And? That means little to me," she stated simply. "Name or not, demon or not; none of that matters to me. I don't care what you are or what you represent. I don't care how ancient or primordial you are. There is one thing and one thing only that I care about..."

The divine power within her stirred, rising around her as a shining aura that enveloped her form. It danced in the air like a flame, providing the one source of holy light in this all-encompassing darkness.

"You will give Hibiki back to me. I'm done asking."

The demon, now christened as Mara, stared at her through the slits of its crimson eyes. She could feel it studying her, piercing through her own intense gaze. That was fine with her because her words were meant as a challenge. If it refused to back down, to disappear into the void where it belonged, then she'd show it no mercy. It saw that. It saw that very intention within her glare.

And so it laughed. It threw its head back and laughed uproariously, and the cacophony of hellish shrieks joined in with it. The wielders were forced to cover their ears in a desperate attempt to stop the grating sound.

"**What arrogance, what impudence, what foolish courage! That's what we expect from you, nemesis! That's right, the sunshine is relentless. It bears down on all without regard for what is in its path. That stubbornness of yours is as revolting as it is reassuring! That is why you're our nemesis, wielding that god-blessed power that we have usurped!"**

"It seems like words are wasted on you," Miku replied nonchalantly. There was no point in humoring this thing even a second more. Every instant she spent conversing with it was a second she was not rescuing Hibiki. Her shining Sun was trapped within that black mass, and she was going to do everything in her power to purge it from her body.

Her Armed Gear shone with light, its form likewise enveloped in the holy flame. Seeing Miku's preparedness to fight, the five behind her stepped forward as well.

"Miku!" Maria yelled resolutely. "We'll stand with you!"

However, Mara had a different idea.

"**Interferences should stay out."**

It took a single flick of its finger. Instantly, an army of shadowy hands erupted from the ground around it, launching themselves at the five wielders. Even Miku did not have the time to respond to their appearance before the hands crashed into her comrades, taking hold of them and dragging them away from the duo. She hurriedly glanced back in worry.

"Everyone—!"

"**Those insignificant insects are of no concern to us. This is between you and us, nemesis," **Mara said, lowering her hand to her side. Miku swiftly turned back to her, glaring at her with renewed fierceness. "**That heat, that passion... we shall crush them. We will enjoy seeing your face twisting in pain, nemesis. That will be your punishment for standing against us."**

"Is that so?" Miku replied in anger. "Then let me tell you something, demon. The only one who will be getting crushed here is you. You, punishing me? Fool. You're the one who's going to pay for their crimes. I'm done playing games with you; I'll make sure to send you back to hell where you belong!"

The demon laughed once more, "**You think your empty threats frighten us, nemesis?! YOU ARE THE FOOL BETWEEN US!"**

There was no point talking to this monstrosity, Miku realized. Ignoring its rambling, she raised a hand to her headset and spoke to the comm. "Genjuro-san, please help the others. I'll settle things here once and for all."

"_Very well, Miku-kun... Good luck."_

His response was short and swift. With the line cut, nothing remained to get in their way now.

_(Play: Destiny - Fate/Grand Order OST)_

The wind blew as the two nemeses stood face to face. Taking the initiative, Miku stepped forward, taking heavy, powerful steps towards the demon. Mara smirked, materializing Gungnir's Armed Gear in her hand. Just like the armor, it was tainted black with red veins, leaking dark energies around it as she advanced as well. The ruined pavement below crashed as they approached each other, neither of them caring for anything other than their enemy.

They stopped within arm's reach of each other, mere meters separating the two. The white and black auras they emitted struck against the other, their concepts opposing each other down to the very core. Their piercing glares joined the silent battle, shining green meeting tainted red.

"**Disappear, nemesis!"** the demon bellowed, its power intensifying. "**We will not be satisfied as long as you exist!"**

And Miku responded in kind, "No, you will be the one to disappear. Return to dust, All Evils of this World!"

"**AFTER YOU, MIKU!"**

And so, the first clash of their battle began. Their Armed Gears blurred, tearing through the air to strike at their counterpart. The fan and the spear clashed, sending red hot sparks in every direction. The ground beneath them cracked and crumbled, unable to withstand the powerful shockwaves their impacts emitted.

They struggled against each other, black flame meeting white flame as they battled for supremacy. They disengaged their lock and rose into the air, high above the ruined city. As they ascended, their exchanges repeated, neither giving ground to the other.

Within Miku's heart, the Hopes raged. Within the demon's mind, the Evils screeched. If one would look from the side upon the two, they would not see two human-sized opponents exchanging blows. No, what they'd see is two giants, or perhaps two gods, locked in a duel to the death for the fate of the world. So far beyond the others were they that none would dare to interfere in their supreme battle.

"**You will not be forgiven, nemesis!"** Mara yelled once more, deflecting Miku's blows with unparalleled ferocity. "**You shall pay a hundredfold for every crime you have committed against us! Even death will not save you from us!"**

Miku frowned. This thing was trying to intimidate her to the best of its abilities, but it very clearly failed to leave a dent in her resolve. It was doing a piss-poor job at being threatening, but she was not about to let it get away scot-free.

She was going to have it feel her own rage in return.

"I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU TRY!"

Her scream was followed by a wide slash from her fan, cleaving through the air like a sword. The demon rose to avoid it, escaping from the resulting shockwave that rattled the city. Mara dove down on Miku with a primal roar, and Miku used her fan to block the powerful blow. They struggled against each other once again, both gritting their teeth in gargantuan effort.

Miku's eyes briefly widened when she noticed her light was not having as much of an effect on the demon's weapon as she had expected. The curses that lined the spear did flake away from the extended contact, but they were regenerating at an alarming rate. Rather than let her concept outright purge them, they were opposing her, every single bit of them vowing to destroy her.

The curses had taken on a life of their own, the likes of which she has not seen before. Mara noticed her surprise and grinned savagely. "**What's the matter, nemesis?! Unable to comprehend our strength?!"**

With a strong heave, Miku pushed her away. As the demon flipped away from her range, she fired bolts of light at it at a rapid rate. The beams shot forward, but Mara was able to swiftly dodge, weaving her way through the blasts. Miku locked onto her enemy and fired a bigger beam, this time intent on blowing the demon out of the sky.

Yet, Mara did something unexpected. She charged straight at the light and swung her spear, cleaving through it with mighty force. Miku was taken aback, shocked that the demon could combat her concept.

"So you're going to be stubborn, aren't you?" she said, narrowing her eyes. "Fine, then I'll beat that stubbornness to the ground!"

"**Come, nemesis!"**

Miku met the demon's challenge, and she too rushed forward, leaving behind a streak of white flames behind her.

And so began their dance in the skies. Their fires once again clashed mightily as they dueled fiercely, the sound of the fan and spear crashing into each echoing throughout the ruined city. They flew above the clouds, beyond the reach of everyone else. With each clash, the clouds were dispersed, blowing holes in the cover that loomed over the night. The stars twinkled above them, but they were outshone by the light the two gave off; one as bright as the sun, and one deeper than the blackest nights.

Miku's heart beat faster than it should ever have been allowed as she adjusted herself to the intense combat. She had never battled anything so fiercely before with so much on the line. Before this whole incident began, her one true moment of battle experience came from when she was under Ver's thrall. It was not a true acclimation as it was not done with her own will, and it did not even come close to what Hibiki and the others went through.

Still, she needed to adapt quickly. Mara was relentless in her assault, forcing Miku on the defensive. Attempting to use the clouds as a temporary cover proved to be a failure, and now all she had left were the ruins in the city.

"**Not good enough, nemesis!"**

The demon charged at her faster than she expected, and she was forced to use her fan to block it. The force behind her blow pushed Miku back, and the two promptly crashed into a tilted half-collapsed building. Dust blew in all directions as they shot through it, and the purple wielder swiftly planted her feet on the ground to stop her momentum.

'_In that case—!'_

She released one hand from the handle of her fan, and struck out with her fist towards the demon. Mara did not see the blow coming, and was struck in the face with the full might of the curse-killing power behind it. She was knocked off, her face steaming as the curses that lined it faltered briefly. She flipped and landed, snarling savagely at her enemy.

"MY TURN!"

Miku charged in. As she closed in, she released tiny mirrors from her knee guards that spread around her in a circle. Immediately they began firing, pelting the demon with bursts of light it was forced to cut down or block. Igniting the fire on her fan once again, she screamed as struck with a powerful overhead blow. Mara gritted her teeth as she raised the spear to defend herself, pushing up in retaliation. The ground beneath her cracked and crumbled, her feet digging deep into the stirred up asphalt.

"I AM TAKING HIBIKI BACK!"

The mirrors left Miku's side and continued their bombardment. They fired and fired, and Mara could do nothing but receive the blows while she was protecting herself from her enemy's light. The curses that lined her protection worked in earnest to repair the damage she was sustaining, but it was a race against time.

Regardless of how powerful she was, the demon knew that facing All the Hopes of this World head-on was nothing short of suicide. Remaining locked in battle with Miku and being blasted by the light continuously would eventually chip through her defenses. Miku poured more power into her fan, and the blade of white fire intensified tenfold, pushing the demon down further.

But she would not lose so easily!

Leaving one hand holding the spear's handle, Mara plunged her arm into the ruined building behind her.

"**GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"**

And she uprooted it as if it was a mere potted plant. Grabbing hold of the giant structure with a single hand, she swung her arm around. Miku's focus was lost as she noticed too late what her opponent did, and left shocked by the insane maneuver, was unable to respond in time.

The sound of an explosion tore through the battlefield as the entire building smashed into Miku, instantly shattering into a thousand pieces. The gargantuan force behind the swing destroyed the mirrors the purple wielder had summoned and sent her flying back. As the chunks of the building rained down, the demon charged towards its enemy, blasting through the debris.

Miku righted herself in the air right at that moment, blocking Mara's follow-up strike with her fan. Once again the two flew streaked through the air, and their mere passage rent the earth asunder.

"**YOU WILL NEVER HAVE HER BACK, NEMESIS!"** the demon bellowed in her face. It struck and struck, leaving her no room for a counterattack. "**YOUR PALTRY SHOW OF FORCE IS PATHETIC! YOU CANNOT MATCH US NO MATTER WHAT POWER YOU POSSESS! KNOW THE FUTILITY OF STANDING AGAINST MANKIND'S EVIL!"**

That pissed Miku off. Parrying the demon's blow aside, she enveloped her arm in white fire and shot it forward, grabbing hold of its face. With another yell of her own, she heaved down, sending them both careening back towards the ground.

"And you just ramble on incessantly, thinking your words mean anything to me! Go back and burn in the fire and brimstone you cherish so much!"

"**NEMESIS!"**

Did she anger it further? That's fine, she didn't care what it wanted or said. After all, an existence born of the hatreds of mankind can be nothing but petty.

Mara tried to stab at her with the spear, but Miku used her fan to deflect its inaccurate blows aside. Pouring power into her hand, she threw the demon down with tremendous force. The strength behind her throw caused it to crash through every floor of a tall office building, blowing out every window on its way through. An explosion of dust left the structure's bottom floor as the demon smashed into the ground.

While it was briefly dazed, Miku raised her fan above her head with two hands and flared its aura further. The blade of light grew in tremendous size, shining brightly as a beacon of holy power.

With another yell, she swung down, intent on obliterating the demon to smithereens. Her blazing blade seared through everything it sliced through. The light cut through the building with ease, immediately starting its collapse as it was separated into two halves.

But it wasn't over just yet. She could feel it in her senses, as the demon's presence did not vanish like she had hoped.

And then her focus was thrown off once again as the spear shot out of the collapsing building at blinding speeds. Miku's vision caught it just in time to move out of the way, and she let it pass by her harmlessly into the sky.

That is until the demon shot out of the building in an explosion of fire and debris with its fist reared back. It roared like a beast as it closed the distance to her, and this time, Miku was unable to respond to it.

Its punch connected with her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Mara smirked as the piledriver was released, and Miku was once again catapulted through the air. She left a streak of light behind her, dazed from the blow that came out of nowhere.

The demon took the chance to teleport, reappearing above her in a burst of black smoke.

"**FALL, NEMESIS!"**

It stabbed at her with its spear, intent on running her through. Just in time, Miku unfolded her fan into its mirror form and blocked the downward thrust. Their direction once again changed, and this time Miku was the one who landed on her back on the ground. The demon planted its feet, leaving her trapped beneath it as it tried to break through her guard.

"G-Guh—!"

"**What's wrong, curse killer? Is this all you have to bear? Are you so terrified of harming this body?"** the demon taunted her, crashing the spear against her shield repeatedly. "**Then be terrified! Be afraid! Scream and beg, for that is all you shall receive!"**

What... an eyesore!

Tired of its annoying and childish provocations, Miku pushed against the spear with her open fan, sending it off course. Before the demon could bring it back down, she fired a powerful blast of light from the mirror's surface, forcing Mara to move out of the way or be consumed.

She levitated off the ground, rising back to full height. Keeping her fan in its mirror form, she yelled as she threw it at her enemy. The spinning disc of light tore through the air towards the demon, but it quickly used the spear to deflect the mirror aside.

Only to discover a dozen more coming its way soon after. Each spinning mirror turned into a ring of light, and each one Mara blocked shaved more and more parts off of the spear's edge. Miku continuously threw her mirrors, trapping the demon in a whirlwind of light that left it no room to escape.

The deflected mirrors turned on their side by their user's will, steadying themselves in the air and firing repeatedly. Mara attempted to get out of their range by rising upwards, but they followed after her, bombarding her with holy light from every direction.

'_**PURGATORY'**_

"**You—!"**

Miku rose to its altitude and raised another mirror above her. Pouring her power into it, she enlarged it. It grew in strength and brilliance, the relic metal turning to pure light at her beck and call.

"EAT THIS!"

And as it reached its intended size, dwarfing both her and the demon, she threw it. Beams of holy radiance erupted in every direction as the gigantic disc flew, tearing through space with a high pitched screech.

Mara threw her spear at the disc, clicking her tongue as it was vaporized instantly upon contact with it. With nowhere to run, the demon stood her ground. She channeled her power into herself, causing black dust to swirl around like a twister and providing limited protection from the mirrors still firing at her.

The darkened pile bunkers cocked back as she readied her fists, prepared to take on the spinning light head-on. Standing firm, the demon bellowed as she threw her fists forward just as the disc reached her position. Shockwaves of competing fires erupted from the point of impact, torching the earth beneath. Solid concrete melted from the unbelievable heat, forming puddles of liquified rock and steel.

Mara struggled against it, clenching her teeth in fury. The armor on her gauntlets promptly began to bubble and vanish, the tremendous concept lining the disc overwhelming her defenses. The light it emitted seared her armor, the dark X-Drive form proving not enough to grant absolute protection against it.

But she was not done yet.

With another primal shout, the pile bunkers were released. Winning in a contest of pure power, the additional impact from them cracked the disc. Moments later, the disc shattered into a million motes of light, raining down with actual weight to the ground. Mara smirked derisively, having successfully overcome Miku's attack.

Only for her enemy to come charging forward through the shower of sparkles, her own fist reared back. Caught off guard, the demon could do nothing as it was once again struck with a mighty blow in the face.

The force of Miku's punch immediately sent it into a dive, and once again Mara found herself on the defensive. She swiftly flipped, crashing feet first and cratering the concrete beneath her. She looked up at the Shenshoujing wielder with a hateful glare, seeking to purge her enemy with nothing but her gaze.

"**Your tricks are getting old, nemesis! You're far too predictable!"**

Mara materialized her spear in her hand once again, and Miku followed suit with her fan. Looking down at the demon from high above, she called out to it.

"Do you have nothing of your own?" she asked it with a mocking tone. "You steal Hibiki's skills and techniques and pretend like you own them. You use Kanade-san's spear as if it belongs to you... but I suppose that is to be expected from an existence like yours. Killing, stealing, raging, that is all you can do."

The demon brandished the spear, snarling furiously. "**All in this world belongs to us. All that humanity has created was because of us. Even at the greatest paradigm shifts, their fears and hatred served as their motivation! Even the Symphogear that you use was created with that exact mindset!"**

"And now you throw a temper tantrum like a teenager who has never left the rebellious phase," Miku said in response, staring it with a wry expression. "How pitiful."

The demon bared its teeth again, and for the first time, Miku noticed that it even had elongated fangs in its mouth. How curious.

"**YOU CAN TAKE YOUR PITY AND CHOKE ON IT!"** It screamed back at her.

Miku huffed. "Pity? It seems I have misspoken," she said, and her eyes shone brightly. "I do not pity something like you. The only thing you deserve is oblivion."

Mara's rage roared at the words, prompting Miku to prepare herself. The demon's black fire erupted mightily, rivalling her own holy flame. The sky trembled from the sound of its voice, and all at once it took off, reaching speeds faster than sound as it made its way towards its enemy.

Miku chose to meet its charge head-on and rushed forward at equal speed, her fan raised like a sword once more. She yelled with all her might as the two closed the distance.

"UWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"**NEMESIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS!"**

The world shook as they clashed, sending gale winds in all directions.

-!-

The black hands proved to be a much bigger challenge than they had expected. Perhaps it was because their Symphogears were damaged and operating at a lower capacity, or maybe it was the large enemy numbers. Whatever the reason, the five wielders found themselves on the defensive, barely able to defend themselves from the massive onslaught.

The hands came upon them in waves upon waves of physical attacks, punching and slapping them from every direction. Tsubasa swung Kanade's spear as hard as she could, cutting through several of the hands in a single slice. Yet, more came in droves, a dozen replacing every single one they cut down.

Shirabe dashed as fast as her Gear could take her. However, without Cursed Eden, and her Gear barely holding on, she had a hard time avoiding the strikes of the hands. Her sawblades sliced and diced, yet there was no end in sight.

"We have to retreat!" Maria called out, her whip sword striking wildly. "We have to find a different strategy!"

"I'd join you if we had anywhere to run!" Chris yelled in return, shooting the approaching enemies with her gatling guns. She mowed them down as much as she could, but there seemed to be more of them than she had bullets!

The eldest Adaptor clicked her tongue, "And I thought we'd be able to help Miku... No matter! Tsubasa! Make us an escape path!"

"Understood!"

A moment later, a Heaven's Wrath sword planted itself into the side of a building by the group, creating a makeshift ramp. Immediately they began their retreat, running up the side of the blade in an attempt to escape the hands' reach.

However, they were relentless. The hands followed after them up the ramp, even as Kirika kept on throwing her emerald shockwaves at them. The hands grasped and tore, tearing the blade to shreds as the wielders made their way to the top of the building.

They were a black, unending mass, covering the ground in their entirety. They also moved as if they were alive, desperately clawing at anything they could touch. Even staying out of their reach did not stop the hands from trying to reach the wielders. They scaled up the side of the building, grabbing onto ledges and even each other in order to reach the top.

"We have to keep moving!"

They leaped to the next rooftop just as the hands finished their climb. The structure, clawed at from all directions, gave way and began to collapse, yet the hands kept up their chase. The wielders ran as fast as they could, heaving hard as they made their escape.

"_INCOMING VOLLEY!"_

Genjuro's warning came a second before a barrage of missiles impacted the pursuing hands, and a fireball rose above the city. Powerful winds erupted from the impact point, and as Kirika looked back, she could see how countless amounts of the hands were tossed into the air.

"Did that get them?!"

"You idiot! Don't jinx us!"

It was not enough. Even worse, it seems the hands had taken a strange sort of defensive formation. The cloud of dust was blown away, and the wielders looked on in horror as one absolutely gigantic black hand rose from within it. It was thin and writhing like its smaller counterparts which surrounded it.

Another volley came inbound to shoot it down. To their shock, the hand seemed to notice it, and its fingers shot forward, each one a hand in on itself. With unparalleled speed, they crashed into the missiles, detonating them before they could hit their main target. Fire and wind once again raged, and the Adaptors stood steadfast, keeping themselves balanced before the storm.

"Don't target the big one!" Maria yelled over the comm to Genjuro. "Try to clear out as many of the smaller ones as possible!"

She looked to the others, who nodded in understanding. It was simple enough: HQ would try and alleviate the pressure off of them while they dealt with their new opponent.

"This is too ridiculous," Chris said, readying her gatlings.

"There is nothing else we can do now," Tsubasa remarked, brandishing her weapon, "Everyone, we must all make it out of here alive!"

"Right!"

As missile volleys continued raining down on the city, further scarring it for future generations, the giant hand loomed over the wielders.

And their battle continued this time with much greater intensity.

-!-

"Hatches twelve to twenty-four, reloading! Hatches twenty-five to thirty-six are ready to fire!"

"Full-scale assault! Don't let up for even a moment! Use up our entire arsenal if need be!"

The submarine trembled as another volley was launched, filling the air with the shrieking of the firing of the missiles. The bridge was dyed in blaring red light, the alarm having remained on the highest alert from the very beginning of the final battle. Genjuro held onto his console for support, staring ahead at the screen displaying the fights. The wielders immediately engaged the new giant enemy, fighting for their lives amidst its legion of similar-looking minions.

Yet the battle between Miku and the demon remained the top priority, and they watched with bated breath as the two combatants dogfighted through the skies. Each of their clashes roiled the waters beneath the submarine, swaying it constantly.

It was also interesting to watch how the Aufwachen signals reacted. To say they too were fighting would be an understatement; even though the displays were a mere representation, their animosity towards each other was stronger than ever. Both Shenshoujing's and Gungnir's were swirling chaotically, rotating rapidly and crashing against each other again and again.

To think they'd oppose each other so mightily, it even affected electronic devices. It was a battle unlike any ever seen in the world, and it was becoming more intense by the minute.

"Incredible," Adam muttered by the hundredth time this night. "This is power even the Annunaki wished they had. To think humanity could stand up to their might... it's both infuriating, and fascinating as well."

"And it's out of your reach," Genjuro said to him, making the former lodgemaster narrow his eyes. "If Miku-kun loses, it's lost forever. If she wins, it's ours. You're not part of this equation anymore."

"Am I now?"

The commander didn't respond to him. All he could focus on was the nerve-wracking battles taking place, and his feeling of powerlessness, being unable to do anything but watch.

'_Miku-kun... do not falter. You must win. For us, her, and yourself. Take our prayers, our hopes, and our wishes, and turn them into your power. We believe in you.'_

-!-

_(Play: After Despair and Hope - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 OST)_

The two combatants struggled against each other, each pushing their weapons further in an attempt to cut down the other. Another clash destroyed both weapons, leaving them both unarmed. Mara roared as she immediately went to strike at her enemy, yet Miku moved her head aside just in time. She responded with her own blow, which the demon deflected with its appropriated skills.

Mara attempted to knee Miku in the stomach, but Miku raised her leg in time to block the blow with her knee guard. More of the curses were shaved off, yet they once again regenerated at a rapid rate.

Miku clicked her tongue. This wasn't her speciality. Even if she had learned how to fight under Genjuro, a mere month was not enough to close the gap between Hibiki's abilities and her own. But that didn't matter in the slightest, because not even a lack of skill would stop her. She'd dig deep within herself, and even use the techniques that Ver's system had installed in her muscles. Every single bit of her would be dedicated to the fight, regardless of origin and consequence.

She spun on her heel, attempting to hit the demon with a powerful back kick. Mara ducked under the strike and quickly grabbed her heel where she could. Miku yelped as she was picked off the ground and immediately screamed when her enemy smashed her back down.

"**YOU—"** the demon roared, repeating the action several times in rapid succession. Each time, the earth cratered and crash even more, tossing large chunks into the air. "—**CANNOT WIN, NEMESIS!"**

Miku clicked her tongue in frustration, resisting the pain as much as she could. Tired of being tossed around, she swung her right arm, causing the whip attached to it to fly towards the demon. The whip shone with light as it approached Mara's face, and she was forced to release her hold on the purple wielder lest she be struck head-on. Miku flipped, briefly landing before charging forward once again. She swung her left arm this time, bringing the whip down on the demon. Mara hurriedly punched it away, sending it off course.

Miku repeated the action, striking swiftly with the whips attached to her arms. She poured all of her strength into her swings, and the demon responded by smashing them away with its fists. The Shenshoujing wielder increased her speed with every blow she delivered, attempting to break through Mara's guard.

"I won't lose!" Miku roared as she continued her assault, leaving shockwaves behind with every swing. "I don't mind losing to anyone else, but Hibiki begged me to save her! Her wish, together with my love, will never be defeated! I will not lose to the likes of you! I swear I'll save her or die trying!"

She struck with both whips at once, forcing the demon back. Mara's forearms smoked as the curses that lined them quickly regenerated themselves. She grimaced, staring hatefully at her enemy.

"**THEN FEEL FREE TO DIE!"**

Gathering power in her arms, Mara slammed her fists down on the ground. Instantly it was blown to bits, and an explosion of earth rose into the air, blocking Miku's vision. She took a guarded step back, preparing herself for the counterattack.

The demon teleported next to her and she raised her arms to block the powerful kick that it sent her way. As she was sent careening back, she willed one her of whips to rope around the demon's leg. She swung wide, putting distance between the two of them. The demon planted its feet on the building it nearly crashed into and charged forward with a reared fist. It roared as it closed the distance, and Miku retaliated with her own light-infused punch.

And their fists collided in the middle. The air seemed to warp as the two concepts competed right at the impact point. Barely a second afterwards, the two combatants were catapulted away from each other, Miku skidding over the ground while Mara smashed with her back into the building.

They quickly recomposed themselves, and Miku took the initiative. Without giving the demon time to completely recover, she released dozens upon dozens of mirrors from her knee guards. They floated in the air around her, forming a gigantic wall of shining mirrors, all aimed at Mara. She materialized her Armed Gear and aimed at the demon.

"FIRE!"

The bombardment began as over a hundred concurrent beams of light shot at the demon. They fired indiscriminately, blasting everything in their line of fire. Miku didn't care that not all of them hit the demon directly, as that wasn't the point. No, she was intending to keep it hunkered down under her onslaught and chip away at it until it could no longer fight back.

Mara held her ground, raising her arms to protect her face once again. Her body was repeatedly blasted by the brilliant rays, and each part they struck was slowly shaved away by the concept lining them. Every time the curses tried to repair the damage, the hole would be made bigger, slowly but surely removing her protection. Miku kept on her assault, firing from her fan in tandem with her mirrors. Her own blasts were far bigger and stronger, and the demon could feel herself be pushed back with every hit she took.

"**Damn you—! We will not fall to you!"**

Quickly, Mara called forth her spear and stuck it in the ground. "**Do not think you can best us!"** she shouted, and heaved upwards, lifting a chunk of the concrete up to serve as a temporary shield. Miku's blast glanced against it, and with a powerful spinning kick, the demon launched the slab right at Miku's face. Forced to abandon her assault for a short moment, Miku dodged out of the way.

This gave the demon the chance to teleport once again, reappearing behind Miku and swinging down at her. Mara's eyes widened when the spear passed through her enemy with no resistance, her form shimmering from existence before vanishing into ethereal light.

Immediately the demon recognized the tactic. "**Your afterimages again?! Fool! We've already told you your tricks are useless!"**

But that was when she looked up and saw as every single one of the mirrors her enemy summoned transformed into transparent versions of her. All of the fake Mikus pointed their illusionary Armed Gears at the demon and immediately opened fire. Mara was forced to disengage and took to the air, maneuvering away from the blasts to the best of her ability. She clenched her teeth in fury as the illusions promptly began to chase her, firing at her relentlessly.

The worst part was that she couldn't tell who was the real one. There were so many of them, and even though they were transparent, the demon knew that Miku could pull off that trick as well. The presence of All the Hopes of this World was overwhelming, filling the area with its holy aura. Just the passage of the light through the air purged the lingering tainted miasma that had been released from the Treasury of Babylon.

As if they would be defeated by something so paltry!

The demon dove to the ground, landing with a mighty explosion of dust. As the illusions turned in Mara's direction, she stared up at them with hatred in her eyes and held her spear forward, tip pointed towards the ground.

She released her hold on the handle, and the spear floated in the air before her. She raised her arm, causing the spear to rise. With a puff of smoke, it vanished. As the fake Mikus closed in, firing their beams at the demon nonstop, Mara resisted, swinging her arms in front of her. Her fingers extended into claws, deflecting the light with high powered strikes. All she had to do was buy a little bit of time.

Miku, who had been hiding among her copies, came to a stop instantly. She let her transparent copies advance as she narrowed her eyes at the demon, realizing it was planning something.

"Whatever it is you're trying, it's not going to work!" she yelled to it. She didn't care that she had revealed herself because she was on the verge of changing tactics anyway. However, the demon smiled savagely as it held up its defense.

"**We'll see about that, nemesis!"**

With that last scream, it swung its arms wide, sending out a shockwave that diverted the beams of light and rattled the transparent copies. With the onslaught interrupted, Mara raised her hand and bellowed out her command.

"**DESTROY EVERYTHING, GUNGNIR!"**

A dark light twinkled in the nighttime sky. Miku's head hurriedly tilted upwards, and her eyes widened at the sight of something she had somehow missed.

The spear that the demon had teleported came down from the heavens, enveloped by tainted energies. It spun at unparalleled speeds, creating a massive storm as it made its descent back towards the earth. It had been enlarged to a size that she had not thought it would be capable of reaching.

The meteor that the spear had become came crashing down, bearing down on the ruined city right on Miku's position. The wielders, along with the crew at headquarters stared in horror at the approaching death, and they all braced themselves in preparation for the impact.

Mara laughed uproariously, tossing her head back in mirth. Her eyes wide with a crazed grin, she screamed to her enemy with all her power.

"**EAT THIS!"**

And swung her arm down.

'_**MRTYU-MARA'**_

The air screeched as the spear descended. Acting quickly, Miku immediately summoned her copies to her side. They floated in a ragtag formation and pointed their Armed Gears at the meteor.

"FIRE!"

As one, they released their light. The dozens of beams shot upwards, intending to destroy the gigantic spear before it hit the ground. With a combined effort, the lights bombarded the spear as it spun downwards like a drill, yet their effect was minimal. In the face of something so humongous that contained so many condensed curses within it, they were simply too lacking in strength.

The earth rumbled as the spear got closer. Miku's sweat dripped down her brows as she struggled to battle against the meteor, but to no avail. She unsummoned her fan and clicked her knee guards together, remaking her strongest mirror. Charging it up in mere seconds, she fired the stronger beam, this time crashing against the very tip of the spear. Once again the two concepts battled it out, and the air shrieked from their intense combat.

The sheer power emanating from the clash blew everything around the impact point into smithereens. Miku's copies were instantly destroyed, the mirrors making up their forms shattering into pieces. She struggled as much as she could, pouring as much power as she could into her light.

Mara teleported above the enlarged handle of the spear, her smirk still plastered on her face. She reared her fist back, and the pile bunker was pulled.

"**LET'S SEE YOU SURVIVE THIS ONE, NEMESIS!"**

An echo of a challenge rang out in the darkened skies. With a primal roar, the demon punched the spear's pommel. A second later, the pile bunker was released.

Immediately the spear's descent increased in speed. With its master's strength added to its fall, it pushed even more powerfully against Miku's light. She yelled as she pushed against it, her beam streaming over the spear's entire length. Hurricane winds blew away from the clash, uprooting buildings that had survived the initial assault.

Miku pushed as hard as she could, but no matter what she did, she could not stop the spear's descent.

But she knew she had to. There was no telling what would happen if it hit the ground, and she was in no hurry to find out. So she did the only thing she could do.

She pushed more. She pushed more and more power, feeding her light as she much as possibly could. The divine power, together with the curse slaying power, stirred within her. They pushed her onwards, forcing more and more out of her veins into the light.

Surrender was not an option for her. There was only going forward, without stopping, until she took back what was her. Memories of her happy days replayed themselves in her mind. Recollections of the sunny smiles she loved so much gave her strength, and her eyes shone as her light grew more powerful.

Even the demon was caught off guard by her resistance. The sound of something cracking was the only warning it got before the balance was broken.

With neither side able to overcome the other, the heat from their clash reached a critical point. The world was enveloped in bright light as a gigantic explosion erupted at the point of impact. Instantly both Miku and Mara were blasted away from the blast as the ensuing fireball engulfed everything around them. The earth was charred, and the remains of the buildings in their surroundings were torn to pieces and torched to the ground. A shockwave of immense proportions expanded in all directions, flattening the trees on the hills surrounding the city.

-!-

The giant hand struck and swiped at them with reckless abandon, forcing the wielders to abandon their offensive for the moment. It held no regard to anything, even its own smaller copies.

It didn't need to, for they were beyond expendable. Why care about a force that is virtually infinite? It also held no sentience, no will of its own, and only acted upon the orders of its master to crush and destroy everything. No matter how much damage they did to it, it always regenerated, its black mass seemingly both liquid and solid at the same time.

They knew that it was meant to keep them at bay. Mara wanted her fight against Miku and would allow no one to interfere. Still, this makeshift army the demon had summoned was strong, numerous, and incredibly annoying.

There was a short lull in the combat, and the three wielders huddled together, their backs to each other. They breathed hard, watching with the eyes of a hawk at the hands that surrounded them.

"This... is really difficult," Kirika mumbled.

"Y-yeah... we need to... find a different place—"

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"

Whatever it was Shirabe wanted to say was cut off by Chris's shout. Following her gaze, their eyes widened when they caught sight of the gigantic spear in the air descending towards the earth. They watched as Miku battled against it, her light veering off in many directions across the sky.

"That's... just ridiculous," Maria said in awe.

Tsubasa, who was equally as shocked, was the first to notice the cracks that began to run up the spear's form. Without even waiting for a moment, she screamed to her comrades.

"EVERYONE GET DOWN!"

They didn't even question it. Immediately the five dove to the ground and held on for dear life just as bright light filled the sky.

And then what sounded like a nuclear explosion followed suit. Incredible shockwaves spread over the area, washing over the ruined city. The Adaptors groaned and yelled in pain as they were buffeted by the winds, but they managed to anchor themselves to the ground just in time to avoid being blown away.

Tsubasa, who was at the front, opened one eye to survey their opposition. The smaller black hands were tossed away like paper in the wind and were vaporized shortly afterwards. The giant hand, however, also held on, digging its blackened fingers into the ground. She found the action both surprising and disturbing, considering its previous seemingly mindless assaults.

The hurricane winds raged on. The waters of the bay churned with the intensity of a typhoon, and the crew within HQ struggled to remain in their seats.

'_Don't lose, Miku-kun!'_

-!-

Miku skidded over the ground as the heatwave washed over her. Luckily, the protection of her Symphogear combined with the divine power reduced the damage. She quickly rose to her feet, just in time to see Mara teleport in front of her with a new spear in hand. Miku hurriedly summoned her fan again and blocked the blow, digging her heels into the dirt. The demon clenched its teeth in fury.

"**DAMN YOU!"**

It tilted its head back, aiming to headbutt and disorient Miku. However, she immediately realized its intention, and clenching her own teeth, acted accordingly. Their foreheads smashed into each other as the wind raged around them, neither giving ground to the other. Mara attempted to knock her back, but Miku would not relent and forced equal amounts of power out in resistance.

The demon raised a hand and grabbed hold of Miku's fan despite the white fire raging around it. It dug its fingers in, slightly cracking the relic metal even as the armor on its hand began to flake away. It smirked for a moment before opening its mouth, and black light began to gather within.

Miku reacted quickly. She disengaged, letting go of her fan just as the demon fired its blast.

The black light gouged the ground behind her in a line, missing her head by a hair's breadth.

She jumped back, putting distance between herself and her enemy. She summoned another fan and fired a quick shot in her own attempt to disorient the demon.

The shock on her face could not be described as Mara raised Miku's fan, the one that had remained in its hand, and placed it in the path of the light. She could do nothing as her light was reflected at her, striking her hand and sending her new fan flying from her grip.

'_Damn it, I forgot about this!'_

For all of its great power and relic-killing properties, Shenshoujing had a major weakness. With its power based on light, even a simple hand mirror could reflect its beam. That was the built-in flaw that the demon took advantage of. The Armed Gear had a mirror attached to its tip, and that was what the demon used as the reflective surface.

Miku was caught completely off guard, and her defenses were pried wide open. Mara charged in, grinning savagely.

Unbearable pain shot up Miku's spine as the spear pierced through her abdomen in one blow. Still holding onto the handle, the demon pushed forward, slamming her back into a toppled wall. The sudden resistance from behind her only served to lodge the spear deeper into her stomach, and she coughed up blood right onto it.

Mara's glee was unquantifiable. She threw the fan she held aside, grasping the spear's handle with both hands. She pushed deeper, causing Miku to scream and gurgle further. She locked her hands around the spear, trying to drive it out.

However, the demon's grip was too strong, and it stared into her eyes with a maniacal expression. "**You believed you could surpass us, nemesis?! Stupid bitch, you are nothing before us! We are the will of humanity, and you are nothing more than an insect to be squashed by us! You have contributed to our existence, and so now you'll be eradicated by the very thing you swore to destroy!"**

Miku struggled, focusing on trying to free herself. Feeling more blood and saliva rising in her throat, she chose to spite Mara and spit right in her face. The demon ignored her feeble act of resistance and pushed harder, expanding the hole in her stomach.

And what's more, the curses were now running up her stomach in the form of blackened veins that crept up around the massive gouge in her abdomen. It was a horrible feeling, like having slugs crawling around inside her body. Feeling violated and invaded, she tried her hardest to overpower the demon's grip. She was equally confused as to how that was possible, as her concept was supposed to be mightier than the curses.

Mara noticed her confusion and decided to taunt her with the information. "**Shocked, nemesis? That's right, the divine power is not safe from us even in this wretched form of yours! We can claim it back from you at our leisure!"**

Once again, Miku's shock could not be described. To think the demon would be so powerful that it would be able to tear away the divine power from her and reclaim it. This explained why she was feeling so weak right now. A part of the divine power was stuck in a loop of being corrupted, and she couldn't muster enough strength to fight back.

The demon relished in her suffering as it drove the spear further and further in, gouging out her insides. What she had of the divine power kept her alive, but it would not be long before she too succumbed.

She got completely outplayed by her own forgetfulness!

The demon continued to taunt and ridicule her without end. "**Maybe we should turn you into our plaything as we ravage the world for our vengeance! You'll become nothing but a toy for us to torture as we please, and we will relish in the opportunity to make you suffer for as long as the universe exists! Not even death will release you from our hold!"**

It had no intention of stopping, it seems. Why would it? Mara managed to gain the upper hand on her, and as per her nature, she'd continue doing so even if her enemy died right away. She made sure to contort and twist Hibiki's features as much as she could to spite Miku further.

Miku's mind raced to do something, anything, to escape her predicament. With every second that passed, the spear was being pushed deeper, widening the hole in her stomach further. If she did not hurry, it was going to damage the rest of her organs. Many were already obliterated, but luckily the divine power kept her alive.

But even that had its limits. It was not complete, and its influence wasn't all-encompassing. What's more, slowly bits of it were being taken from her, slowly cutting off her life support.

Anything! Anything that could possibly let her escape! No matter what it was! Even if it was something that the demon did—

'_Oh.'_

It was that simple, wasn't it? Well, she had an idea now. If the demon was going to use her own weapons and techniques against her...

Then it was only fair she'd do the same to it.

It wasn't the most elegant thing she could do, but at this point, elegance wasn't even a part of the equation. There was no point in even considering it, as not using everything in her arsenal would only lead to a faster defeat due to pride.

Left with no other choice, she acted.

Miku took a deep breath, pushing down the fire that rose in her lungs in response. Grasping onto the spear tighter, she leaned forward slightly and opened her mouth as wide as she could.

The demon's expression of sheer confusion gave her a moment of small satisfaction. It looked on in shock as the sound of a heavenly chorus escaped her mouth, and its eyes widened further when violet light began to gather within it.

Realizing what she was about to do, it immediately let go of the spear and jumped away just as she fired.

'_**SERAPHIM'S CRY'**_

The light erupted in a large cone, and the demon found its right arm consumed by the blast as it left her mouth and tore through the air.

A few seconds later the light dissipated, and the demon looked down at its now naked arm with narrowed eyes. The armor already began regenerating, but the impromptu attack had done its job.

Steam escaped out of Miku's mouth, and she hurriedly closed it, rubbing her lips with her forearm. Without the demon to hold onto the spear, she grasped the weapon lodged in her by the handle and forcefully tore it out of her stomach, causing huge amounts of blood to leak out from the wound.

Feeling a bit floaty, Miku embedded the spear in the ground and used it as a crutch as she focused her power, forcing the curses out of her injuries. She only spared her enemy a glance as she focused on keeping herself steady.

"**You... you..."**

It seems the demon was unhappy. For a short, twisted second, that knowledge gave Miku great pleasure, and the corner of her mouth upturned into a smile. With Mara too preoccupied with gaping, Miku took the opportunity to do something she remembered the divine power was capable of. The curses in her body were purified, so her lifeline was returned to her.

Time to give the bastard another moment of shock.

She held her arm to the side, channeling her will. Dimensions tore open, spreading to the sides for dozens of meters. Each of the tears in reality displayed the tired wielder, and a moment later, they collapsed into her.

And her wounds were gone as if they were never there in the first place. The hole in her stomach that threatened her life was erased from existence, given to an identical copy in one of the infinite parallel universes that existed beyond her own. It was an extremely odd feeling as if the pain was suddenly switched off with the push of a button.

'_How convenient,'_ she said to herself. It was the same regenerative ability Hibiki had displayed against Tsubasa, courtesy of the divine power. So, if she could pull it off, so could Miku. Now recovered, she stood to her full height, still gripping onto the spear the demon left behind.

The demon, of course, was not pleased. It wanted to show more of its displeasure, but she was not done quite yet. With her strength back, she had one further taunt she could give the demon.

With the spear no longer in the hands of its master, Miku was now free to do with it as she wished. She channeled her power through it, and her concept ran over the weapon, working to rid it of the curses that lined it. A short time later, the wretched blackness that coated it flaked away, revealing the original spear in its orange glory.

But she was not done yet.

With the curses gone, she forced her concept into it, filling the spear with her own power. It shone with bright violet light, and the demon watched as the weapon's colors were replaced. Now, it sported Miku's signature white and amethyst, with the core shining a deep purple. She dislodged her appropriated weapon from the ground, holding it with one hand by her side.

Mara, shaking off her shock, roared with unchained fury, absolutely livid.

"**YOU WOULD DARE, NEMESIS?! YOU WOULD DARE MAKE A MOCKERY OF US?! YOU WOULD DARE IMITATE US?!"**

Still feeling moderately exhausted, Miku inhaled and exhaled again, regulating her breathing slowly.

Then she smirked, inwardly laughing to herself. "Shocked, nemesis?"

And threw its words right back at it. Her mocking tone only further enraged the demon, but she didn't care. She kept on speaking as it continued to fume, Hibiki's ashen face becoming redder by the minute. "Why are you so surprised? We both have the divine power, so it's only logical that everything you can do, I can do, and vice versa, with the only real difference being the sides we stand on."

Her smirk dropped, and she tightened her grip on the spear's handle. "So yes, I dare make a mockery of you. In fact, I'd do so gladly. After all, your existence is nothing but an eyesore, and you are the one that must be purged."

"**YOU DARE LOOK DOWN ON US?! YOU ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A HYPOCRITE! A USURPER WHO ACTS SOLELY OUT OF HER OWN SELFISH DESIRES AND AMBITIONS!"**

Miku huffed, amused by the demon's anger. "You are absolutely right," she said in response, rendering the demon speechless for a moment. "I really am acting out of nothing but selfishness. That's all I used as my motivation, nothing more."

"**And you even have the gall to admit it!"** the demon roared back to her. "**YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF HOLDING ALL THE HOPES OF THIS WORLD! YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF BEING SLAIN BY US! YET YOU DARE STAND BEFORE US WITH SUCH AN IDEAL?!"**

Miku sighed. "All the Hopes of this World? Such a thing is wasted on me. I don't have any great ambitions or grand ideals to make the world a better place, nor do I care about what other people truly feel or believe... because I'm only acting out of a single, selfish desire, and wishing for my own happiness above all others'."

"**YOU—!"**

"But you know," she interrupted, starting her march towards her opponent. "I guess... that's where true human hope lies. All those small selfish wishes, just like mine, that come together to form a greater whole; and thereby lies the truth beneath it all."

With every step she took forward, the demon grew more furious. It materialized its own spear in its hand, matching yet greatly contrasting Miku's stolen own. Miku mentally apologized to Kanade for allowing her legacy to be abused and used in such a manner. She found the notion humorous, as in her heart, she somewhat resented her for leaving such a thing behind.

"To live is to pursue happiness. To pursue the pleasure of happiness, and to live as such for the remaining days of the future; life is nothing more than a collection of selfish actions and decisions that people make in order to obtain that happiness."

She stopped only a few meters away from the demon, standing at her full height while it growled at her like a beast, its teeth bared and its fangs visible.

"You are no different. Your happiness lies in your pursuit of vengeance, so you can say that you too hold a certain hope. The hope that you'll be able to achieve it, and stain everything with your existence."

Her own rage rose, and her white flame was reignited. "That was your mistake, for you see... your desire and mine clash. Only one can be granted," she said, glaring back. "And you know what the funny part is? Had you gone on about it any other way, I wouldn't have cared. I see only my own happiness, and nothing more. Someone else could've dealt with you, and I would be none the wiser. However..."

And then energy exploded from her in huge amounts, dwarfing the demon completely. This time, Mara found herself taking a step back away from her, astonished by the power she radiated.

"You got Hibiki involved in your quest, and that is something I will never forgive. You made her believe that her pursuit of her vengeance was just. But it wasn't at all, for it was nothing more than a way for you to achieve your vengeance. THAT was your mistake, demon, and that's why I got involved. That's why I dare stand before you shamelessly, because I couldn't give less of a damn about anything else."

"**For that reason alone, you—" **

But Miku cut it off, again. "For that reason alone. You are an obstacle in my path to obtaining my happiness, and it just so happens that Hibiki is my happiness."

Her expression became fearsome as her face scrunched up in fury, the energy whipping about all over the area. "So know this, demon: no matter what you do, and no matter what you say, I will pulverize you for the crime of trying to take Hibiki from me. For trying to take away my happiness from me."

There was a memory.

A memory of gentle days and heartfelt smiles. Even though behind a deep sorrow hid behind them, she cherished them more than anything else. Smiles that only she ever saw, smiles that were only displayed in her presence. along with the suffering, sadness, and grief that had burdened her heart since that day. And it was Miku's fondest wish…

To have Hibiki finally be able to show those regrets... to show those smiles in front of others.

She could hear it, the screaming of All the Evils of this World in her ears, locked in a battle of fire and flames with its nemesis within her.

But she couldn't care less about that.

Because she had exactly one more thing to say.

"You are getting in the way of that."

Her fury reached its peak.

And her roar echoed throughout the battlefield, piercing through the night.

"DISAPPEAR! WE CAN'T SMILE AS LONG AS YOU EXIST!"

Throwing the demon's words right back at it.

Mara exploded in anger, screaming her enemy's name.

"**MIIIIKKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"**

_(Play: Hikari no Metamorphosis - Konomi Suzuki)_

Power raged in all directions, blazing off of the two archenemies. Their stances shifted, and the two held their spears in similar positions, facing each other head-on.

And at once, they charged towards each other. The spears collided with an enormous explosion of dust and wind, black and white mixing wildly in the storm of divine power and energy.

Baring their teeth, the two seemed almost identical, pushing against each other in an attempt to overcome the other. The very center of the impact between the spears became the meeting point of the two superior concepts.

And so time and space warped, yet the two did not stop for even a second.

Like wild animals, they roared at each other, their spears lighting up in their respective colors. Their auras flared higher and higher, reaching the sky. Their exchange of blows was monstrous in its scale, and their combined fires danced wildly with the fury of a war god.

Miku had no idea how to use a spear. She had never held one in her life, not even during the training Genjuro had provided for her. Her swings were instinctual, containing only pure force within them. There was no technique, no skill. She grasped the handle with both hands as she let her wrath explode against the demon. Mara too did not know how to wield the spear, her skills only directly copied from Hibiki and no one else.

And that was their battle. Two opponents, both containing overwhelming power and none of the skill to put it to good use.

But they didn't care about that.

The two spears smashed into each other again and again, neither of the two giving ground to the other. The battlefield around them shook and roiled, the earth quaking with each clash. It was rent asunder, forming cracks in the gouged out crust beneath their feet.

And between the two of them, it was the demon that screeched, expressing its anger in the only way it knew how.

"**DAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOU!"**

With every new clash, it screamed those two words at her, cursing her with each heavy breath.

"**WE ARE UNDYING! WE CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY YOU! YOUR EXISTENCE IS AN AFFRONT TO OUR PURPOSE, AND WE WILL NEVER ALLOW YOU TO ACHIEVE YOUR DESIRE!"**

On and on it went, rambling on without end.

"**YOU DARE DERIDE US FOR OUR GOALS, AND YET YOU BOLDLY BARE YOUR SELFISHNESS AS YOUR MOTIVATION! YOU ARE NO BETTER THAN US! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A PRODUCT OF OUR CREATION!"**

"SHUT UP!"

Miku screamed back, tired of Mara's incessant and endless rambling. She had no room in her heart or mind for its childish taunts. She had long gone past the point of unbridled fury, yet she didn't let it cloud her judgement. Just like Saint-Germain had told her, she was turning it into power, making it her strength. Love and hatred mixed in a concoction that threatened to blow the world apart.

Two sides of the same coin. The farthest twins and the closest strangers.

Another massive strike sent both spears flying from their grips. Now disarmed, the two enemies were reduced to just their bare fists. Not letting the recoil push them back, the two opponents took a step forward and planted their feet, mirroring each other.

Their teeth bared, two right hooks roared towards their targets. Screeching through the air, the fists passed by each other, the connected arms grinding. The armor covering was shaved away from the contact with a shower of black and white dust.

"DO YOU REALLY THINK—"

The fists approached their targets at the same time, setting up for a double knockout.

"—I CARE—"

However, Miku was having none of it.

"—ABOUT THAT?!"

Her yell echoed throughout the city. The demon had only a tiny moment to be surprised as its fist passed by Miku's head harmlessly.

Allowing her own to crash into its face with the force of a supernova. The blow nearly caused its head to spin, and its cheek was caved in by the powerful punch. Following the strike, the demon was thrown back once again, bouncing over the ground several times. It grit its teeth as it flipped back to its feet.

Miku, however, did not remain still. Even as Mara was blown back, she had already charged in once again. She held her arm to the side, and her stolen spear rapidly returned to her grip. Mara hurriedly did the same and managed to bring her own spear up just in time to block Miku's gargantuan blow.

The power behind it nearly brought Mara down to her knees. Indignant, she yelled and pushed her enemy away, responding with an equally enraged series of strikes.

"**YOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU—!"**

They took off towards the skies, leaving streaks of light in their wake.

"What is my name, demon?!" Miku bellowed as she struck back, putting the demon back on the defensive. "WHAT IS MY NAME?!"

Her shout was followed by another powerful blow, and Mara growled in frustration as she was forced to dodge out of the way. Yet Miku continued onwards restlessly, her eyes shining brighter than even the fire around her.

"Do you know what it means?! It means future! That's what I embody, and that's what I desire to obtain!"

Knocking the demon's spear aside, she uppercutted her enemy. Mara was momentarily dazed, and spittle flew out of her mouth.

"AND YOU HAVE NO PLACE IN THAT FUTURE!"

The demon clenched its teeth and responded with its own powerful punch as it roared.

"**YOU FOOL!"**

Miku used her spear to block it, but the force behind it sent her reeling back. The demon went on the assault, striking wildly with all its wrath.

"**YOU WILL NEVER BE RID OF US! WE ARE ETERNAL! FOR AS LONG AS MANKIND EXISTS WE WILL NEVER DISAPPEAR! YOU ARE THE SPECK OF DUST BETWEEN US!"**

Its black flame flared, making Miku grimace. Mara's spear was fully cloaked in the black fire, burning even the oxygen in the air. Chain reactions birthed fireballs as spilled fuel was ignited. The world around them seemed to be exploding as the flames rose as high as the clouds. Miku was forced to listen to the demon's ramblings once again as she protected herself.

"**WE WILL BURN THIS UNIVERSE TO ASHES, AND TO SPITE YOU, WE SHALL DO IT WITH THIS BODY! SHE SHALL BE OUR PRISONER AS WE PURGE THIS WORLD, AND SHE WILL DROWN IN HER SUFFERING FOR THE REST OF ETERNITY!"**

Until it said that, and Genjuro's training echoed in her mind.

"WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT, NEMESIS!"

Her pupils shrunk as she focused. As the thrust forward once again, Miku surprised it by slamming her forearm against the side of the spear, sending it off course. Taking the opportunity, she lunged. Mara clicked her teeth and did the same, parrying her enemy's desperate attack.

Miku, now in close range of her opponent, reared her head back and slammed it as hard as she could into the demon's forehead. An absurd amount of energy was released from the impact, and both combatants were sent flying in opposite directions, dazed from the daring blow.

They came to halfway and turned over midflight. Mirroring each other, their feet planted against the ruins of buildings on opposite ends. Both pouring power into their legs, they launched themselves forward. The structures they leaped off of were blown to pieces from the force.

And so, two streaks of otherworldly flames roared towards each other with fury hotter than the core of a star. Their identical weapons upraised, they screamed as they closed the distance at breaknecks speeds.

It only took three seconds.

The clash that followed was the most powerful the two had ever produced. Akin to a nuclear explosion, a wave of pure force blew everything around them away. The two struggled against each other, pushing and heaving against the other in midair.

In a brief moment of respite, as they pushed each other away, they dove to the ground. The two combatants landed on their feet, shattering the earth beneath them.

They glared at each other.

Miku, with her emerald, shining eyes. Mara, with her crimson stare.

The former filled to the brim with deadly determination, and the latter with unbound primal rage.

And their exchange of blows resumed. The two spears blurred, smashing into each other with unparalleled might. The fires that enveloped them took on a life of its own, lashing out unabatedly.

"**YOU ARE A FOOL, NEMESIS! YOUR BONDS WITH HER ARE NOTHING BUT A FABRICATION! EVEN WHILE THINKING OF YOU, SHE CHOSE TO ACCEPT US! SHE PRIORITIZED HER RESENTMENT OVER HER LOVE FOR YOU! THAT IS HOW WEAK YOUR BONDS ARE! WE SHALL CUT AWAY WHAT REMAINS OF THEM!"**

Yet the demon's strikes were mightier. The curses all bound together, screaming so loudly it became audible over the blazing sparks. Miku was feeling herself be pushed back, and she dug her feet into the earth. She gritted her teeth as the demon's assault intensified, picking up speed with every blow it delivered.

"**YOU CANNOT WIN! YOU CANNOT COMPETE WITH US! A SINGLE HUMAN LIKE YOURSELF CAN NEVER STAND AGAINST MANKIND'S EVIL! DROWN IN YOUR DELUSIONS AND DIE, MIKU!"**

But she was not going to have any of that. At the last second, she deflected aside one of the demon's strikes, and with all of her strength, delivered one final overhead blow.

"THE BONDS BETWEEN HIBIKI AND I—"

Yet the demon was more than ready. It swung its spear with all of its power, clashing against Miku's stolen weapon one last time. The spear in her hand shattered to pieces, and her attack was rendered meaningless. Her empty hands met the ground, and Mara raised her own spear to deliver the killing blow.

Only to be caught completely off guard.

"—WILL NOT BE SEVERED—"

Her fan reappeared in her hand, and she immediately launched an upward swing. A streak of light was the only thing Mara saw as the spear she held was cleaved in two by the white flame erupting from the fan. The sudden loss of weight in her grip caused her to lose her balance and stumble, leaving her wide open.

She was awed by the sight of her opponent, who held her holy sword above her like a sacred beacon. The light expanded, becoming a second sun in the night that embraced everything in its field of influence.

With the divine power boiling in her veins, and her love carrying her forward, Miku swung her blade down.

"—BY ANYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE!"

And she struck true, her sword of light slicing through the demon from shoulder to hip. The remaining force exploded behind it in a large cone, continuing onwards through the rest of the ruined city.

Time seemed to slow down for the two as the impact registered. Mara's shock, finally dissipating, was replaced with indescribable pain.

And like a wild, cornered beast, she roared in agony as Miku looked on victoriously.

-!-

"YES! SHE DID IT!"

Cheers echoed in the bridge of S.O.N.G even though electricity sparked from damaged power lines. Their monitors were barely working, and the displays glitched with static endlessly, but they could still see enough of the battle to understand what had taken place.

Miku had finally done it. She had delivered a critical blow on the demon, and the Aufwachen signals showed it. The Shenshoujing's still shone brilliantly, while what was once Gungnir's began to lose further and further cohesion.

It was a telltale sign. The scales had finally been tipped in their favor. However, Adam remained cautious, and he made sure to make that skepticism known.

"We cannot celebrate just yet," he warned. "It's not over yet. I will remind you that in order to free her, the curses must be purged in their entirety. This was a good turning of the tables, but it's not done."

"We know," Genjuro responded to him, but he couldn't hide his slight smile. "But we'll take what we can get. With this, we're just one step from our goal."

And what a powerful declaration Miku had made. It made the commander's blood boil with pride. '_That's what I like to see.'_

Selfishness turned into overwhelming power. Love becoming an unstoppable force and an immovable object that will not bend or be stopped by anyone. He had seen such a thing before with Fine, and at the time it was unnerving... but now, it was grandiose. It was inspiring, and it was awe-striking.

It gave them strength they didn't know they've been missing, and Genjuro felt himself fill with resolve.

All that was left was to finish this enemy off once and for all.

-!-

_The blackened world churned around her. Bound and made immobile, she hung her head silently as the hands held her in place, suspended in the dark domain. Pushed to the recesses of her own mind, she wallowed in her misery. She had long since run out of tears and regrets and had silently accepted that she had brought this upon herself._

_It took only a single moment of sudden clarity for her to realize what she had done. The guilt had so consumed her, she had reacted without thought, and that allowed that monstrosity to grab hold of her._

_She knew what she had done. She allowed that dark force to twist her mind, and bring about a result she never wished for..._

_Or so she thought. She knew what it had done; it only brought those hidden feelings up to the surface, and she had acted upon them._

_It was shame she could never live down. It was guilt she will never be able to be rid of._

_It was a crime she could never atone for._

_And so, she allowed herself to be bound. This was her self inflicted punishment, letting her body be used for such purposes. She believed she deserved it, and so she let it happen_

_It was a normal train of thought for Hibiki, who hardly ever considered her own circumstances, much less other people's._

_Yet... a tiny speck of a wish remained within her. A tiny desire that screamed out, hoping to be acknowledged. If not by its owner, then by anyone, someone... or perhaps, just one._

_And then, that prayer was answered. Within the darkened world, a light shone. It tore away at the canopy slowly, and Hibiki, whose strength had fled her long ago, groggily raised her head to look at it._

_Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped. What she was looking at was... was..._

_Was...!_

-!-

Mara's footing wavered as silence descended upon the battlefield. Miku rose to her full height, her fan still alight with fire, and she watched her enemy stumble back uneasily. The demon fell to one knee, its breathing heavy and lumbered

The armor that Miku sliced was vaporized in an instant, and a line of bare skin showed through where it once was. Awkwardly, the demon raised its arm to the side, attempting to use the divine regeneration granted upon it from the power it had corrupted. The dimensions tore open and promptly collapsed onto it, healing the burned skin and other injuries it had incurred.

Yet somehow, the armor did not regenerate. Mara stared down with her mouth agape at the carved out scar, shocked beyond belief that the curses were failing. The tiny, tainted tendrils tried to reach each other to sew up the hole, yet they could not. An unseen force was preventing them from doing so, and the demon stared up at Miku with eyes wide as saucers.

"You're done," Miku said with a tone of finality. "You've lost. Surrender quietly and vanish from this world."

"**Y-you! You think—!"**

"You can feel it as well as I can," Miku cut in. "Your hold on her, together with your power... they've lost their strength. You didn't know what you were getting into, and that was the price you paid."

Mara clenched her teeth so hard they nearly broke from the force. She stood up to two feet, wobbling for a moment before balancing herself on uneasy legs. Now the superior one, Miku dug in further.

"I don't give a damn how similar you think we are, and I don't care how eternal you can be. All of that means nothing to me. I'm not a hero; I'm just a person who selfishly pursues her own happiness. I'm selfish, possessive, and I get jealous easily; I already know what I resent, what I hate, and what I hold a grudge against. All of that was clear as crystal to me from the moment I laid my eyes upon her all those years ago. From the very moment I fell in love with her."

She took a step forward, and instinctively, the demon took one step back. Mara's eyes widened further at her involuntary action, and she looked down at her feet, watching with wide eyes as they shook in...

"**Impossible..."**

Fear?!

"You sealed your fate the moment you decided to _fuck_ with me! Do you really think I'd let you lay your hands on Hibiki and get away with it? No... no, that is unforgivable. She begged me to save her, and I have no intention of letting her down! You will have no mercy from me, demon!"

That was the moment the tables turned.

That was the moment Mara realized she was completely outmatched.

All it took was a single strike. A single, well-placed attack and Miku stole the advantage. She wasn't lying, as even the demon could feel their increasing difference in strength.

"**No... nononononononononononononononononononononononononono!"**

The demon raged and screamed, throwing its head back as its voice shook the world. Miku stood undaunted, no longer affected by the force behind the shockwaves. They were now paltry to before, barely able to ruffle her hair.

And it wasn't over just yet.

Within the demon, something pulsed. Miku could see it and feel it, digging deep down with her expanded senses. Mara was further shocked and clutched at herself tightly as if attempting to hold something down from within her.

"**I-it can't be... no, this is not—!"**

"It seems you're no longer welcome, demon."

Miku's brief answer was compounded with the steady shakes of the demon's body. It shook and writhed uncontrollably, barely able to stand. Mara clenched her teeth, attempting to force it down, but it was becoming all the more powerful by the second.

"**She's... resisting?! No, that's not possible! She's supposed to be under our thrall! The moment she took us in, we should've been in control! This can't be! What have you done?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"**

"My voice reached her, it seems," Miku announced. "Did you really think you could keep her under your control forever? You truly are a fool, blind to everything except for your own vengeance. You are but a ghost of the past, carried all this way by mistake, never letting go of your hatred for even a moment. You hid inside Gungnir, just waiting for the day you could escape again and let the world know of your anger."

"**G-GRAAAAAAAH!"**

"And you even managed to find the perfect person to inhabit, but you miscalculated," she continued, forcing the demon's attention back to her in its search for answers. "You never expected to be facing your direct equal. You never expected to be driven into a corner, because you are used to being eternal and undying, lying at the back of human existence as a byproduct of evolution."

"**GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR YOUUUU—!"**

"And you never expected for someone to start rejecting you, especially someone like her. You were lucky that Hibiki was your container because she had plenty of grudges and hatreds she secretly hid from the world. Grudges and hatreds you used to try and achieve your goal. And because of that, you never expected her to turn on you like now, and fight against your influence."

The demon grabbed its head in an attempt to stop the pulses. It glared at her with one eye, once again speaking her name. "**Mikuuuuuuuuuu!"**

"You are already starting to lose your foothold," she said. "It's almost ironic how All the Evils of this World are being surpassed by two simple girls, don't you think?"

Nearly losing its balance once again, Mara's voice faltered, the inhuman and wretched edge of the legion of voices being slowly deprived. "**How is it possible I am being usurped?!"**

Miku didn't miss that change in self-reference.

"You lost the moment you decided to mess with us, and now you're paying the price."

That was enough to blow up the fuse completely.

Once again, the demon screeched. Its voice now even louder than before, it put up the last bit of resistance it could. From afar, Miku could see how the shadowy hands it had created sped back to its body, attempting to fill in the gaps in its power with their own.

She already knew it would not be enough to help it turn the tables. However, this time, she'll stand still and wait. The curses needed to be purged in their entirety after all.

And once it was done, she was going to bring down the hammer of god upon it.

-!-

The wielders danced around the black hands that assaulted them from all directions. Chris jumped up, firing a barrage of missiles that blew them apart, yet their numbers hardly dwindled. As she landed, she switched back to her gatlings and resumed her cover fire for the rest of her comrades. They've been fighting nonstop for god knows how long, and it was starting to take its toll on their stamina.

They tried very hard to ignore the ridiculously powerful and violent clashes they could hear in the background, even if their shockwaves reached over to them. HQ had long stopped assisting as they had to focus on maintaining the stability of the submarine in the bay.

More projectiles from Maria, Tsubasa, Kirika, and Shirabe sliced through the hands, as well as impacting the giant one that loomed over them. A small explosion occurred as it wavered in place, somehow shrieking with a voice it should not have.

As the smoke cleared, however, they saw that it did not fall just yet. The two elder wielders clicked their tongues and took point, standing in front of the formation.

"Kirika, Shirabe, you two go around and try to hold it in place," Maria ordered her juniors. "You know what to do. We'll cover your advance and then we'll join in too."

"Roger that!"

Their Symphogears could barely hold on any longer. They had maybe one more attack left in them until they'd completely run out of energy. If they don't finish it now, they'd be left completely defenseless.

The number of smaller hands were countless, but they were simple to destroy. So long as they could take down the big one, their chances would vastly improve. They had tried all manner of strategies, but they were all quickly shut down as they kept on being interrupted.

Now was the opportune moment. Chris had cleared a path just big enough for the two younger Adaptors to get into position to arrest its movements.

But then, as soon as they were about to make their move, something happened. The wielders stood in silent shock as their opponent was summarily stolen from them. The giant hand, together with its smaller companions, almost instantly turned to black smoke and drawn away from them, just like the black beasts and the titan. The trail sped through the air to its source, concluding the battle in a very sudden and unexpected manner. They watched for a moment as the smoke vanished over the rubble.

Tsubasa was the one who had shaken them out of their stupor. Feeling a tinge of dread welling up within her, she barked the order to her comrades.

"We have to go! Miku will need our assistance!"

Their agreement was unanimous. Following after the black trail, the wielders leaped over the wreckage and made their way towards the divine combatants.

-!-

_The blackened world, now filled with bright light, wavered. It roiled, attempting to shut out the source of the disturbance in its domain. Yet, it was much stronger than it, and it reeled away in fear and loathing away from the source._

_But even so, it kept on holding onto its captive. Despite its authority being usurped, it held Hibiki in place, still suspended in the air helplessly. _

_Or at least, that is what it meant to do._

_The hands' strength had been drained just enough for Hibiki to renew her struggles. She pulled with all the force she could muster, successfully liberating her right arm from the grip of the hands. With her now free hand, she grasped at the blackness covering her and tore at it, scratching and pulling relentlessly. The shadows resisted her attempts, trying to envelop her in their grasp once more._

_The two battled like so, one seeking freedom and the other seeking stagnation. She fought as hard as she could, even as the hands began to pull on her hair and claw at her eyes._

_She reached out for the light, making her voice known._

_And called out the name that gave her much needed strength._

"_Miku, my sunshine!"_

-!-

The black smoke finished coalescing onto the demon's body, settling within it. The scar on its armor was only halfway repaired now, and some measure of strength returned to its frame.

Still, Miku knew it was a lost cause for it. Even with all of its power returned, it was still far too outmatched by her. Yet, it still put up a measure of resistance.

"**Do not get cocky!"** The demon screeched at her. "**One person cannot hold me back! Her will shall be pushed aside like before, and I will drag you through the dirt this time!"**

Its talk wasn't very convincing now that its control was slipping. "Try it then, demon. Let's see how far that gets you. Because now... I'll do everything I can to finally erase you."

"_This is the opportune moment, girl. You will never get this chance again if you let it slip,"_ Adam's voice suddenly echoed to Miku through the comm, spurring her onward.

Mara recreated the spear once again, smashing it into the ground in a show of defiance. "**WE'D LIKE TO SEE YOU TRY, MIKU!"**

_(Play: Testament - Nana Mizuki)_

It still had some fire in it, it seemed.

Good, because she was going to snuff it out.

"_Do it, Miku-kun!"_

It was time to impose her will upon it, and crush it until nothing is left.

Their Armed Gears at the ready, Miku's eyes shone with resolution. The demon continued to struggle with Hibiki from within, forcing its attention to break between the two of them.

They charged towards each other again, the demon roaring all the while. The fan and the spear clashed for the millionth time, grinding against each other once more. With her power now reduced, Mara was forced on the defensive, her guard slowly but surely breaking.

Unwilling to give in, she poured power into its strikes, clanging against her enemy's fan and managing to throw it off course for just a single moment.

She smirked and swung at Miku's head. However, she dodged it by ducking underneath the blow, and immediately twisted, weaving her way to stand behind her and struck at her back with her fan.

The demon hurriedly turned to face her and tried to block with the spear.

But just then, Miku abandoned her attack midswing, and rather than strike it with her light, she instead charged ahead, crushing her shoulder into its face. The demon was knocked off balance from the sudden strong blow, and Miku took the opportunity to strike at the hand holding the spear. Her fan found purchase, and the sudden rush of pain up the demon's spine caused it to involuntarily drop its weapon.

Grimacing once again, it jumped back and put distance between them before she could strike at it again. Now nearly a hundred meters away from her, it roared once more and leaped into the air before coming down on her with an extended fist.

Miku held her ground, and grasping the handle of her fan tightly with both hands, blocked the mad strike with its flat surface.

Baring its teeth again, the demon launched its other fist at her. But she managed to block it as well, her arms moving swiftly to put the barrier in between them.

Angered beyond a shadow of a doubt, the demon rained down a barrage of blows on her, picking up speed with each punch it sent her way. Yet Miku's guard was unbreakable, more resilient than the strongest steel.

And as the demon's fists became blurs, it roared with inhuman ferocity.

"**DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE—!"**

It was endless, each punch becoming a thousand with every pass. Yet Miku's own arms became blurs as well, the fan successfully deflecting every one of those thousand punches with frightening accuracy.

It continued to yell, not letting up for a moment.

"—**DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!"**

Mara finished her mad assault with a stronger punch, but Miku managed to block it as well, the sheer force causing the ground beneath her to crater and shatter. Not giving her an inch, the demon pulled both arms back, the gauntlets on its fists enlarging and the pile bunkers pulling back as far as they could go.

And launched them both at once, preparing to finish her off with this one final strike.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Only to be completely denied as Miku's fist passed through the demon's guard completely, stopping its attack halfway. It crashed into its face, sending it flying backwards through the air.

Furious, Mara flipped and skidded over the ground, calling the spear back into her grip.

"**THIS HUMILIATION WILL NEVER BE FORGIVEN!"**

With a crazed roar, she slammed the spear on the ground, producing an explosion of dust and debris. Not having expected this sudden move, Miku was forced to bring an arm up to protect her eyes.

'_When will it just stop?!'_ she wondered to herself.

Until her senses screamed, and she tilted head towards the sky.

The demon hung in the air high above her, the face of madness returning to its features once again. It held the spear pointed in Miku's direction, and an orb of black light began to gather at the tip.

"**IF WE CANNOT SURPASS YOU, THEN I'LL JUST BLOW THIS LAND TO KINGDOM COME! I WILL SEND HUMANKIND TO THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION!"**

Miku's eyes widened in horror, realizing the demon's threat was not an empty one. The light coalesced at a rapid rate, becoming larger and more powerful by the second; it left her with very few options as to what to do.

"**REND THE EARTH, DRY THE SEA, AND PURGE THE SKIES! CONSUME THEM ALL WITH THE FIRES OF DETESTATION, DEMON KING OF THE SIXTH HEAVEN!"**

She couldn't dodge out of the way, because that would allow the attack to hit the ground and blow everything to hell.

She couldn't stop it, because it was already underway and would be done in less than a second.

She couldn't divert it, because the demon would aim at the earth regardless.

So there was only one thing left for her to do.

'_Pierce through it!'_

"SEED THE EARTH, FILL THE SEAS, AND CLEAR THE SKIES! PURIFY THEM ALL WITH THE FIRES OF LIFE, BUDDHA OF IMMEASURABLE LIGHT!"

The thrusters on her lower back roared to life, and she opened her fan, holding it in front of her as a shield. With an earth-shaking boom, Miku took off, her wings of pure light unfolding behind her as she rose.

The demon flashed a maniacal grin and screamed once more.

"**DIE, HOPE OF MANKIND!"**

And fired its final attack.

'_**LAST TESTAMENT'**_

It was unlike anything she had ever faced before. It was an all-consuming blast that threatened to destroy everything, and nothing could ever stand in its path. And yet, Miku soared. The light of destruction blinded her, and she closed one eye as she made her way to the sky.

But she wasn't sure she'd succeed. Betting everything on her power, she charged in with a roar.

And just as the light was about to strike her mirror...

Was the moment a translucent barrier in the shape of a five-pointed star bloomed to life in her path.

The black light crashed against the shield, causing it to fragment in all directions. The loose beams detonated as they struck the ground, exploding with mighty force. Miku could only look in surprise as her mirror impacted the other side of the shield, and with its assistance, she pushed forward. She took a tiny moment to glance at the direction the shield came from.

Maria stood, her arm extended towards the barrier, with her other supporting it. But she was not alone, for the other wielders held onto her as well, keeping her steady.

The eldest wielder felt her arm spasm wildly as she pushed more energy into keeping the shield stable, letting Miku continue her charge towards the demon on the other side. Tsubasa, Chris, Kirika, and Shirabe all aided her, using the special property of her Symphogear to transfer their energy to her.

And all five screamed, their Symphogears breaking apart as they fed their power into Maria.

"GO! MIKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

The world erupted around them, yet the five held their ground, putting all their efforts in assisting Miku. Grateful for their help, she faced forward, pushing her power as much as she could. The thrusters roared even more loudly, slowly breaking through the beam.

But it was a very slow process.

Faced with the almighty power of divinity, the Symphogears' barrier was not able to hold itself together for long. Not willing to let it drop before Miku achieved her objective, Maria forced her entire being into it. The veins in her arm popped and bled as she struggled against the pressure. The others aided her, their energies being consumed at a rapid rate to try and keep the shield in one piece.

"GUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

'_COME ON COME ON COME ON! DON'T GIVE UP!'_

Their minds and bodies screeched in pain, yet they held on.

Miku pushed even further, but it was far too slow. The beam was too powerful and far too daunting. The barrier was not going to hold up at this rate!

And she was going to be vaporized instantly once it shattered!

But she pushed onwards. This was the last hurdle. She had to finish it here and now!

The first crack appeared on the barrier, and it began to crumble under the might of the light.

The demon screamed once more.

"**DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"**

But then...

Something else entirely shattered.

Mara could only look in shock as the emerald core of her spear exploded into a million shards. Immediately the beam began to falter, the spear no longer able to channel its power without its intact core.

The demon's head darted downward, desperate to catch sight of the one who had interfered.

And there, standing a fair bit distance away from them all, was Saint-Germain. On her feet, and her arm pointed towards the sky, she met the demon's gaze halfway.

Along with the smoking barrel of her gun.

"YOUR OPPRESSION OF THE WORLD ENDS TONIGHT! DISAPPEAR INTO OBLIVION, ALL EVILS OF THIS WORLD!"

The demon could only scream out her name in astonishment and fury.

"**SAINT-GERMAIN!"**

And completely forgetting the one person it should have kept its eyes on.

With the beam having lost the majority of its power, it flickered on and off as it crashed against the barrier. While the shield was still cracking, it gave Miku the perfect opening she needed.

And the others, whether it was her teammates or comrades in HQ, made sure she knew.

"_MIKU!"_

"_MIKU-KUN!_

"_KOHINATA!"_

"_KOHINATA-SAN!_

"_MIKU-SAN!"_

"_KOHINATA MIKU!"_

And together, their voices rose in a chorus in her ears.

"_NOW'S YOUR CHAAAAAAAAAAAAANCE!"_

That was all she needed to hear.

"**UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"**

Her roar pierced through the night. The thrusters on her back exploding with power, and her wings beating with unparalleled strength, Miku charged through the faltering light. She soared and soared, higher and higher, her speed unmatched by anything.

And the demon was helpless to respond. Breaking through the destructive ray, the shield touched the tip of the spear.

And promptly shattered to pieces.

Miku's mirror smashed into the spear, and both weapons were flung from their owners' hands with a powerful yank. Caught off balance, the demon could do nothing as Miku crashed into it, immediately wrapping her arms around its waist.

And together, the two streaked through the air, leaving behind a trail of violet light.

The face of madness still etched upon its face, the demon screamed.

'_There was a memory.'_

'_The girl held her tight.'_

"**LET GO OF ME!"**

'_That was what she screamed, begging her to let her go. To let her save her.'_

'_But she didn't, and answered back with all her strength.'_

"NO! I'M NEVER LETTING YOU GO AGAIN!"

'_And held on, not willing to let her leave her arms.'_

"**MIKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"**

Miku channeled all of her power into the mirror that flew from her hand, and by her will, it shot towards the sky high above them. Its shining surface aimed at the ground, it grew.

And grew.

And grew.

And grew.

The mirror enlarged to sizes no mirror in the world had ever reached, spanning nearly one hundred meters in length. Bigger than anything she had ever created, Miku continued to pour power, divine or otherwise, into the construct, keeping her tight grip on Hibiki all the while.

And it began to shine, the power she sent it starting to take form.

It was truly a second sun in the night, lighting up the battlefield with its blinding violet glow.

And Hibiki, unable to escape Miku's embrace, was helpless to do anything in response.

The mirror fired.

'_**CELESTIAL TESTAMENT'**_

The surge of light erupted from the gigantic mirror. All spectators, whether they be tired Symphogear wielders, alchemists, or crew members, watched with wide eyes. With the might of an orbital cannon, the tower of light dropped upon the two, immediately consuming them both.

The storm raged on, shaking the world as it impacted the earth.

_-!-_

_She was screaming, but no sound came out of her mouth._

_She was enveloped in light, covering her from head to toe. It locked her muscles in place, leaving her at its mercy._

_And yet, it was not painful. In fact, it was warm, and it embraced her gently._

_She saw how many shadowy hands were pulled away, peeling from her skin. They tried to keep their hold on her as tightly as they could, yet they could not._

_They were drawn upwards and away from her sight. They flailed wildly, unwilling to surrender here._

_But they could do nothing._

_And so, slowly but surely, the many shadowy hands that had kept her company for all this time disappeared, leaving her all alone. At the edge of her vision, she swore she could see an angelic figure rising into the light, its bright holy wings carrying it upwards together with the struggling shadows._

_Her arm moved, raising it up and above towards the source of the light._

'_I wanted to save you,' she said, or thought. She wasn't sure which she was doing. 'But I couldn't. I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry...'_

_A single tear fell from her eyes._

_And her consciousness vanished as she disappeared into the light._


	36. Chapter 36: Glimpse of a Dream

The submarine rumbled wildly, the frightened crew holding on for dear life. The alarm rang out loudly, together with the red lights that further disoriented them. Sparks erupted from machinery on the bridge, several systems failing and shutting down. Genjuro, holding onto the railing with his gigantic hands, looked towards the display with one eye open.

And was shocked to see what was happening.

The rocking came to an end after a very long time, the gigantic mirror in the sky finally powering down. Almost as abruptly as it had appeared, it vanished, popping into violet twinkles that melded into the night. Genjuro rose to his feet unsteadily and immediately checked on the wellbeing of his subordinates.

"Is everyone alright?!"

His answer came in the form of several pained groans and curses that rose from their lips, and he smiled. His eyes darting to his second in command, he roared out his orders. "Tomosato! Are you well?! Give me a status report as soon as you can!"

The woman groaned as she raised herself to her seat, her back aching due to having fallen off her chair. Squinting her eyes at the glare of the screen, it took her a moment to understand what was it she was seeing.

So instead, Elfnein spoke up, her voice filled with excitement. "Genjuro-san!" she yelled, causing the commander to turn to her. She pointed to the display. "Look!"

And he looked.

"Check it again!" He commanded, his eyes wide in shock. "I want a quintuple check to make sure what we're seeing is certain!"

"I already did!" she answered. "That's all there is!"

He could barely believe it, especially after the previous time.

Everything was gone. Shenshoujing, Gungnir, and the curses that had lined it...

Were completely erased. The two competing signals had vanished without a trace.

"Pure divine power has been detected!" Someone on the lower level yelled to him.

Pure divine power? But that meant...

That it was not bound to anything. That no one held it.

And that the outcome was clear.

His heart began beating rapidly. "Dock into the harbor straight away! We'll send teams to the field to make a direct confirmation!"

"Roger!"

"Sir!" Someone else yelled to him.

"What?!"

"We're seeing familiar signatures on the radar!" the crew member said. "They're human!"

"What?!"

Familiar human signatures? But the wielders were all accounted for! Who could it possibly—

And then it hit him.

'_Oh... shit.'_

-!-

This time, waking up wasn't as pleasant as in the dream. Miku's eyes fluttered open weakly as she pushed herself off the ground, rising to her hands and knees. She groaned as dust fell off of her bare skin.

"U-ughh..."

Her everything hurt. No muscle in her body didn't scream in pain, and she felt so weak she could barely move. She was naked now too, her Symphogear having been disintegrated in the powerful light.

She had landed inside of a fairly shallow crater, smoke rising from it in the aftermath of the blast. She blinked several times as she scanned its diameter, surprised at its size.

But then her eyes landed on something else that lay unmoving on the other side and immediately her breathing stopped. She muttered weakly.

"Hi-biki..."

Through her failing vision, Miku could see her there just lying on the ground on her side. Her eyes were closed, but she could see that Hibiki's hair and skin had regained their lively appearance, causing Miku's shoulders to sag in relief.

But... she needed to reach her first. Moving forward as much as she could, Miku stumbled halfway, falling on her face back to the dirt. She groaned in pain again and kept her gaze on Hibiki's prone form.

"Hi-biki..." She muttered again, clawing at the ground under her. "I'm... coming... I... promise... Hibi-ki..."

It was like trying to crawl through glass. Pointed stones dug into her skin, puncturing it and causing her to bleed as she dug her fingers into the dirt, forcing herself forward slowly.

"Ugh...ugh..."

It was so difficult. The battle up until now was nothing like this, and she felt her strength falter with every inch she covered. But she pushed on, unwilling to give up. "Hibi-ki..."

She crawled. And crawled and crawled, completely ignoring all other sounds in the crater.

It was a slow process, but eventually, she made it nearly three-fourths of the way to her. She pushed forward harder, cracking her fingernails against the heated earth. "Hibi—"

The rest of her words were swallowed in her throat when she saw someone else show up out of nowhere. They moved to stand by Hibiki's fallen form, and for a moment, Miku felt relief, believing it to be someone from S.O.N.G.

She tilted her head up, and her eyes widened when she saw...

Someone she did not recognize.

'_Who...'_

What was happening?

A man with short black hair, wearing a black suit and tie and wearing sunglasses in the middle of the night. He leaned down, picking up Hibiki with both hands. She did not stir even a little bit in his hold as if she were a ragdoll. With a small heave, he threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"W-wha—"

Miku tried to speak, but the man beat her to the punch, his hand rising to his earpiece, and he spoke in a monotone, professional voice.

"Target SD01 has been secured. I'm bringing it to the extraction point now."

His alien words made her heart race in a panic. Her eyes widened further as the man turned away and began his climb out of the crater.

"No... wait... give her... back! Hibi-ki!"

He completely ignored her, as if she wasn't there at all. She weakly reached out with her arm, attempting to reach him despite the distance. Her protests fell on death ears, and she couldn't stop him from taking her loved one away.

"Sto—"

But then, cutting her off, a pair of hands suddenly wrapped themselves around her arms, lifting her upper body off the ground. She turned her head as much as she could, and she was struck with shock as another man she did not recognize grabbed hold of her. His appearance similar to the first, although his hair was slightly longer than his comrade.

"No!" Miku screeched, struggling as much as she could in his hold. However, she had not even a bit of strength left in her body, leaving her helpless and unable to free herself.

"Let go of me! HIBIKI!"

Her scream echoed in the open space, yet it was ignored. The man carrying Hibiki nearly reached the crater's opening and was about to disappear from her vision.

"NOOOOOOOO!"

And then a guardian angel in the form of a heel crashed into the side of the man's head. Knocked out cold in an instant, he crumpled to the ground in a heap. Hibiki slid off his shoulder, and she slid down the side of the crater, coming to a stop on her stomach.

The man holding Miku, prioritizing retaliation, promptly dropped her. He reached for his gun in his holster, releasing the strap. "You—!"

But then he was struck as well. Another heel slammed into his right temple, knocking the lights out of him in an instant. He dropped like a ton of bricks, and his gun fell from his hand.

Miku's face hit the ground, and she huffed and coughed up dirt from the harsh treatment. Shocked at the development, she opened her mouth to speak. "Who—"

"Miku!" A familiar voice called out to her. This time, a pair of much gentler arms picked her up, and she twisted her head to look upon a much welcome pair of eyes.

"Chris..."

"Oi Miku, you alright?" Her friend asked her in worry.

"Yes... but Hibiki... someone, please..."

"Don't worry, we got her," Chris informed her and gestured towards Hibiki.

Miku turned her head weakly and watched as Kirika gently lifted Hibiki with Shirabe's help. Unparalleled relief filled her, and the tension escaped her frame instantly due to the timely arrival of her precious friends.

"Thank you, everyone... thank you..."

"I'm glad we made it in time," Maria said. She walked up to her as Kirika brought Hibiki over. Meanwhile, Shirabe dragged the unconscious man to the group. She struggled somewhat but made it in due time. Miku noticed the five were in their casual clothes; she reckoned their Gears had disintegrated after using up all their energy to power the shield.

Maria's arm was still bleeding from earlier, although she counted herself lucky she could still move it. She looked between the two men they had downed and narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"Who are these people?"

Kirika gently placed Hibiki on the ground in the meantime and looked to Miku with a smile on her face.

However, Tsubasa wasn't as joyful. Quickly she went over to study the man that Chris had downed, and she clenched Kanade's spear tightly in her left hand. She bent down and turned him over, and reached into his coat pocket for any identification. "Perhaps..."

It didn't take her very long. Finding a single handkerchief, she tossed it aside as she recognized the emblem upon it.

Maria looked to her in confusion. "Tsubasa?"

Her idol partner raised her head, staring at the top of the crater. "It seems... our victory will have to wait just a little bit longer," she said ominously.

Puzzled, the others followed her gaze and froze.

They had appeared out of nowhere. Over three dozen men, all of them wearing black suits and ties stood at the crater's rim, surrounding the wielders. Shirabe's head darted to and fro, trying to count the number of agents that seemingly popped into existence out of thin air.

Before her younger comrade could comment, Tsubasa spoke up again.

"Isn't that right..."

Her question was directed at an approaching figure.

She knew that figure alright. His yukata, white hair, and beard were unmistakable even in the night. He finally stepped to where she could see him clearly, the moon illuminating his form.

With his usual judgemental look, the patriarch of the Kazanari made his appearance on the battlefield.

"Kazanari Fudou?"

Her voice declared his name with a sense of finality. The tension in the air was palpable. So much so that it could be sliced with a knife, or in this case, blown away with a single gunshot. Wisps of smoke continued to rise slowly from the crater, the remnants of the final attack of the battle still making itself known to those within it.

A battle that had just come to an end, and the culmination of over a month of hardship, sorrow, suffering, and nonstop training.

And against all odds, and through the effort of everyone involved, it ended with a victory. The malignant force responsible for recent events had been completely vaporized along with everything else, leaving behind nary but a reminder of its existence.

But... celebrations had to wait.

Because even though they had successfully surpassed a power more overwhelming than anything they'd ever faced...

...It still reared its ugly head in more ways than one.

The dozens of agents surrounding the wielders' position in the center of the crater remained unmoving; they simply waited for a single command from their superior. One command that will cause all hell to break loose in a far more human way than before.

A way that would definitely leave bodies behind.

Chris and Kirika carefully placed Miku and Hibiki back on the ground while Tsubasa continued to glare at her elder from across the distance. Acting slowly and carefully, the two approached the fallen agents and removed their black coats, uncaring for their current state. Meanwhile, Maria and Shirabe watched carefully as each of the dozens of agents moved their arms to their holsters, hovering close to the loaded guns waiting to be fired.

"Chri—" Miku tried to speak, but before she could say anything her friend put a finger to her lips, forcing her to keep quiet. Anything could set the agents off, and they'd only know how to proceed once Tsubasa confronted the Kazanari elder.

Following this, Chris and Kirika draped the coats over the two naked girls, protecting their modesty from the gazes of the men and the cold night. Maria's careful stare eventually landed upon Chris, who gestured silently towards the two fallen men.

Specifically, to the guns they carried, waiting to be used.

Maria's eyes widened, immediately understanding Chris' implication. She was about to voice her refusal when Chris suddenly narrowed her eyes.

'_We have to.'_

That's what her purple orbs were saying. Biting her lip in frustration, Maria stared down at the fallen agent that Kirika had knocked out.

'_If things go south, we might have to use them.'_

To think they'd get to their ugly point like this...

But right now, there was only waiting for Tsubasa to somehow get rid of them.

"You've arrived quickly, Grandfather," her idol partner suddenly said. She was the first person to speak up out of all of them. "What is your purpose here?"

It was indeed somewhat of a mystery to her. They'd barely just finished the fight and he was already here? How was that even possible? Was he lying in wait the entire time, looking for the chance to show up?

"You know very well what I've come here for, Tsubasa," the elder answered. "I've come to claim what is mine."

Tsubasa narrowed her eyes. "What is yours? I must ask for an explanation."

"I did not raise you to be a fool, Tsubasa," he said, causing his granddaughter to clench her teeth slightly. "I've allowed you to do as you pleased in order to eliminate the threat that was posed to our country and humanity, and I've allowed you to act without restraint in the matter. Now that the danger has passed, I've come to lay claim to what has been agreed upon: the vessels for the divine power."

Tsubasa's eyes widened. "The vessels... for the divine power?" she repeated to herself. Hurriedly, she glanced back behind her to her comrades, eyeing the unconscious Hibiki and the debilitated Miku.

He was... trying to take them? But why?

"You already know that answer to that, Tsubasa," Fudou said, somehow reading her mind and forcing her gaze back to him. "That power is not one I can simply ignore. It has proved itself to be mighty, and such a tool will be useful for the sake of our goals. I will not allow it to fall into the wrong hands again."

'_The wrong hands?'_ Tsubasa wondered to herself. '_And you are claiming yours are right?'_

She didn't believe it for a second.

"With the divine power in our grasp, Japan will become the strong nation it needs to become. With the threat the Americans pose, we must answer them with overwhelming force, and that is something the divine power will provide. The vessels will become the embodiment of Japan's might, and will bring to heel all those who dare oppose her."

His explanation was so outlandish to her ears Tsubasa wanted to facepalm in frustration.

But she couldn't, because knowing him he would definitely make that into reality somehow. However...

"Unfortunately Grandfather, the divine power is gone. It can no longer—"

"Is it now?" Fudou interrupted her. "Then you may need to look more carefully, Tsubasa."

He briefly gestured with his chin to the sky, and finding herself confused, she followed his gaze.

And her eyes landed on the one thing she realized she should have noticed way earlier.

It just hung in the air high above them. A cloud of golden sparkles swirled in place at the spot where the two fighting wielders were struck by the light.

The sight jogged her memory, bringing up Saint-Germain's debriefing to her mind. That's right, the alchemist had said that the Shenshoujing could destroy the curses, which it did. It destroyed the curses, Gungnir, and even itself.

But not the divine power. The concept could not erase it, and as a result of losing its anchor to the two girls, it was ejected out of them the moment they were struck. It now hung in place, just like it did way back then in the battle against the Divine Weapon, waiting to be claimed.

It could not disappear on its own, so right now it could be grabbed by anyone that desired it.

And Fudou eyed it very greedily.

Now that she thought about it... where was Saint-Germain? The woman was not in the crater with them, having disappeared after she landed the decisive shot on Hibiki's spear. If anyone knew how to get rid of the divine power, it would be her.

Or... they could claim it themselves, Tsubasa figured. They could keep it away from Fudou's hands by binding it to the two anyway, and use it to keep him in check.

The thought however very quickly left her mind, and she was horrified at herself for even considering it. It was exactly what he would do, albeit slightly differently.

She could not allow herself to think like him.

She kept on glaring at him as he continued speaking. "Do you understand now, Tsubasa? Then if you remember your duty, you will do as I command..."

Her eyes widened.

"...And step aside."

It was a declaration that put the wielders on immediate high alert. Maria stared at her partner's back worriedly, unsure of how she'd respond. She knew Tsubasa took her duty very seriously and was essentially bound to Fudou's will by her family connections.

That's why... she wasn't sure what was going to happen.

"Force your comrades to stand down, and bring the two vessels over to me. If you do not, I cannot guarantee the safety of everyone here, or the safety of those at S.O.N.G."

So that's how he wanted to play this.

Tsubasa's eyes darted left and right as she studied the agents, carefully looking at the arms hovering over the guns hanging around their waists.

The madman would actually order his men to open fire on them should she not comply?

He dared to threaten her comrades to make her obey?

"I do not see how this is relevant to me, Grandfather," she said back to him. "There was no agreement to hand them over that I am aware of, therefore I am not bound by any duty to comply."

"Then you seem to be in the dark, Tsubasa," he countered. "My foolish son has already agreed to do so."

The wielders' eyes widened in shock. Tsubasa raised her hand to her earpiece and was about to ask the commander what the elder meant.

Only for his voice to ring out in the ears of everyone in the area, communications having been connected to all suitable devices. "_An arrangement was indeed made, Tsubasa," _Genjuro said, his voice slightly distorted. "_However, I never agreed to anything, Father. You decided it all on your own."_

He was making sure they all knew that he had no hand in this. He was making sure their faith in him was not shaken by Fudou's words, for indeed it was the elder who made the decision, not anyone else.

However, that decision was not without influence behind it. It was Fudou after all, and the old men in the cabinet constantly bent over to his whims to get him on their side.

She loathed to admit it, but for all intents and purposes, Fudou was the one who ran the country. The prime minister? The emperor? Mere figureheads to soothe and control the people. No, it was Fudou who made the decisions, Fudou who sent out the orders, and it was Fudou who led the country to where it is now.

And should he achieve his ambitions, it was entirely possible the entire world would be under his thumb, with the two girls acting as his puppets and enforcers. Two girls wielding power no mere mortal should ever wield, and he could use it to make all the nations of the world bow to him.

It was a frightening prospect, made all the more terrifying by the fact that it wasn't so ludicrous to believe. It was entirely possible it could come true.

And the only thing standing between him and that outcome were the five wielders, currently depowered and unable to access their wide range of abilities.

"It matters not, Genjuro," Fudou said, narrowing his eyes. The man did not move an inch from his spot on the edge of the crater's rim, standing slightly closer than the rest of his men. "You should know as well that this is an opportunity we cannot pass up; both of you know your duties very well, and you will act accordingly. Your petty attachments are not even an afterthought in the grand scheme of things."

He was no longer asking now.

"So I will not repeat myself: hand them over, or face the consequences."

Silence fell on the crater, the tension rising. Sweat poured down Maria's brows as she waited for everything to erupt, or perhaps for the heartbreaking moment that Tsubasa would turn on them and take Hibiki and Miku by force.

Unfortunately, it seemed that Genjuro was forced to cave in first. "_...Very well," _he said, shocking the group. "_Tsubasa... you know what has to be done."_

The girls clenched their fists tightly, not believing their commander was giving the order. They understood logically that he had no choice in the matter, but it was still astonishing that he'd go through with it.

With Genjuro out of the picture, all that was left was Tsubasa. She was the final barrier that Fudou had to face, as the others were not even worth considering in his eyes.

Maria and Chris remembered it vividly, the night he had boldly proclaimed he saw them as nothing but tools. Less than humans, machines, to be used until they broke or until they were no longer needed.

And if he got his way, they really wouldn't be needed. No threat in the world could possibly stand up against the divine power, not even the Alca-Noise. The Symphogears would be a thing of the past, and their role would be at an end.

So whether they lived or not was none of his concern. All he needed was the two vessels and the divine power, that's it. In Kazanari Fudou's eyes, the Symphogear wielders were expendable and were to be replaced by something far more effective and powerful.

All of that Tsubasa understood in an instant; she was after all keenly aware of his way of thinking, the super pragmatic and no-nonsense attitude he took to everything. He cared not about what anyone felt about it, for feelings were irrelevant. All was for the sake of what he believed to be the 'greater good'.

And so, Tsubasa thought. She thought long and hard about what she should do, her mind churning for an answer; one part of her cried at her to obey his command. The part of her that remained deeply rooted in her heritage and training, that believed she was a sword. The part of her that she had struggled with for a very long time, especially after the day Kanade died.

Which brought to mind the other part of herself that vowed to resist. Her eyes darted downwards, and at that moment she remembered what it was she was holding in her hand. Kanade's spear reflected a tiny bit of the light shining on the group, and she gazed at it thoughtfully, as if trying to hear what it was saying to her.

For this was the last thing Kanade gave to her, along with some very important choice of words.

_Despite the difference in status, age, and influence, the girl stood before him defiantly, challenging his authority._

This memory of Kanade was burned in her mind, reminding her what she stood for.

And along with it, the promise she had made with Miku, and the heartfelt request she had made to her.

'_Please, let me have my sister back.'_

Yes, there was no use even contemplating on the right course of action.

They were family, first and foremost.

The family that Tsubasa never truly had.

And the family she was not willing to lose, no matter what.

She turned around, and her eyes met the gaze of the other four wielders. Their eyes widened in brief surprise as she looked between them, wordlessly conveying to them her intentions.

The four nodded, and Chris smirked slightly. Turning her head back around to face Fudou, Tsubasa clenched her grip around the handle of Kanade's spear tightly. "That's right, I know what has to be done," she said, exhaling. "You are indeed correct, Grandfather. I remember my duty very well."

He narrowed his eyes further, judging her words in his mind.

"And I made an oath to uphold that duty no matter what, for it is what defines me in my entirety,"

"Then you know what you have to do," Fudou said.

She nodded, "Yes, I do."

Silence fell once again, and a light breeze swept through the open area, rustling hair and clothes alike.

A glint appeared in Tsubasa's eye.

At that moment, several things happened at once.

She moved, her feet pushing against the ground with unparalleled force. At the same time, Shirabe and Kirika threw themselves on top of Miku and Hibiki respectively, draping themselves over the two and covering their bodies with their own. Miku yelped in surprise, and in sync with their juniors, Maria and Chris hurriedly for the guns of the two fallen men.

The sound of drawn steel alerted Fudou's men, and they hurriedly drew their own pistols from their holsters and took aim at the wielders, prepared to open fire.

Only for one of them to be missing entirely.

In a move that seemed to be instantaneous, Tsubasa charged and rose up the side of the crater, making her way to Fudou at blinding speeds. The elder stood, narrowing his eyes at her as she closed the distance.

A brush of wind caused his hair to flutter. He found himself glued to the spot, staring down at the form of his granddaughter.

And at the sharpened steel of the spear she was holding, pressed against his neck.

The men closest to Fudou immediately turned, aiming their guns at Tsubasa. The rest kept an eye on their targets inside the crater, facing down the firearms Chris and Maria were holding. Maria had only ever used a pistol once before in her life, while Chris was familiar enough with them due to her speciality.

The tension multiplied a hundredfold as it now became a standoff between the two sides. Dozens of guns aimed at them, Maria and Chris stood valiantly against Fudou's agents. Kirika and Shirabe used their bodies to cover as much of Hibiki and Miku as they could, doing their best to guard them against any gunfire that could make its way to them.

No one moved. Still as a mountain, Fudou questioned his granddaughter's resistance. "What do you think you're doing, Tsubasa?"

She held onto the handle of the spear tightly with both hands and answered.

"Upholding my duty."

It was a response no one expected to hear from her, not even Genjuro. The bridge of S.O.N.G was dead quiet, staring in shock and awe at the current state of the confrontation.

"You seem to have lost touch with reality," Fudou said in admonishment. "You would dare point your sword at me?"

Tsubasa chuckled, the sound causing Fudou to narrow his eyes further. "Fool," she said mockingly and applied more pressure to his neck. "Does this look like a sword to you?"

He did not respond to her blatant provocation and remained calm despite the obvious attempt on his life.

"Do you know what this spear is, Grandfather?" she asked him, raising her gaze to meet his own. "This belonged to someone who stood against you; in your eyes, she was nothing more than a pest and a child to be ignored and tossed aside when the time came."

Kanade's words echoed in her mind, and she grasped onto them with all her might, "This is all that remains of her now. This spear is a symbol of her—of _our_ defiance."

"Defiance," he repeated. "So you will turn your back on your duty. On your heritage and your name."

"No," she answered back to him. "I'm turning my back on you."

Her heart began beating a mile a minute, yet she continued. "I've done a lot of thinking since the beginning of this incident. I thought about what it is I want to protect, and what it is that truly matters to me. I thought I was set in my ways, that my path as a Sentinel was a given, however..."

She turned her eyes to the side for a brief moment, then looked back to the elder. "I made a promise. A promise for the sake of the happy days that we cherish; and from that point onwards, I swore to do whatever it takes to make that dream a reality... even if I have to give myself up for it."

"So you are shedding yourself of that role now, is that what this is supposed to be?" Fudou said. For someone with a blade at his throat, he sure was calm and collected. As expected of him.

"No," Tsubasa answered. "The title of Sentinel can be exchanged with many other names. In the end, the purpose of a Sentinel is to be the sword and shield of the people. To defend against threats that they cannot face... and to make the sacrifices where they can't."

Her grip tightened.

"That is not a role I can simply cast aside, for that is a role that I chose for myself," she said, her gaze turning into a glare. "However, it is not something I do for your sake. You are no longer a part of that equation... no, the Kazanari as a whole are no longer a part of it."

"The Kazanari are a part of the people you swore to defend," he argued.

"No, the Kazanari are an outdated relic. It is a name that has lived for far too long. A name that could only thrive on deception, lies, and betrayals. No matter how old or prestigious it is, that is the truth of that name," she countered back, and she could feel his anger begin to rise as she derided the very name she was granted since birth. In response, she pushed the spear a bit deeper into his neck, slightly piercing the skin. "And it is about time that name came to an end. If you refuse to back down... then that outcome will become a reality."

Fudou knew what she meant by that statement. He knew her well enough, and he had lived long enough and experienced many hardships in the past to know her intention.

"Threatening my life will not net you the results you desire, Tsubasa. My death will change nothing," he said without a shred of fear. "Those girls will be claimed whether or not I live."

"Is that so? Then how about we find out."

And she pushed more, the tin papercut she gave him widening. His blood began to flow down the side of his neck, yet Fudou remained unfazed as if the injury was of no importance.

"Let me make myself very clear to you, Kazanari Fudou," Tsubasa said, the last name spoken with a tinge of venom. "I—no, we—will never allow you to put your hands on them. We've sacrificed far too much to allow you to take our hard-earned victory away from us; we are not afraid to put our lives on the line for their well-being. You are merely an obstacle to be overcome, and we will make sure you gain nothing from our efforts."

"Your sentimental nonsense lacks an edge, Tsubasa. There will be repercussions for this transgression; I will give you one chance to prostrate yourself and beg for forgiveness, and I might decide to spare the lives and families of your colleagues," he warned. "Do not test me."

Tsubasa huffed in response, not intimidated by his threat. "You seem to be greatly mistaken. _You_ should not test _me_. You're a traditionalist, aren't you? Then you very well know what happens when the enemy commander loses his head," she said, her tone laced with bloodlust. "If you dare stand in the way of our happy days, I will not hesitate to cut you down!"

It was a statement as certain as the rise of the morning sun.

"There are no bargains, and there are no negotiations. Make yourself scarce, Kazanari Fudou. I will not warn you again: your ambitions will bear no fruit here, and if you dare try to fulfill them regardless, then we will do all in our power to make you regret it."

Their battle of wills held nothing back. "And you will die in the attempt," he responded.

"Yes, we will," she admitted. "Our Symphogears are unusable. The moment your men will open fire, that will spell certain death for us... that is, of course, after we take them all down first. Do not underestimate us; we are not so fragile as to die so quickly. You and all of your subordinates will have their blood spilled along with ours. Until our very last breaths, we will stand against you and what you represent; that is our will. Try and surpass it, Kazanari Fudou."

His disappointment and anger were immeasurable. "So that is your decision, Tsubasa. You've chosen to cast aside justice and righteousness for your petty attachments. No, you've chosen to cast aside even the blood in your veins that goes back generations. Have you lost all sense of pride, Tsubasa? You were not brought into this world to be a part of the sheep. You are meant to represent the power of the country, and to give yourself for the sake of our household."

"Susano'o is of no concern to me, and neither are righteousness, justice, the household, or pride," she answered back. "My comrades... they are a thousand times the family that you ever were. They are my sisters, my light, and I will never cast them aside for something as meaningless as pride!"

She smirked and glanced back to her fellow Symphogear wielders for a moment. Putting her gaze back on him, her eyes filled with resolve. "With that in mind, let me put this in a way that Chris will definitely appreciate:"

It was uncharacteristic for her, but just like she had told her junior back then, sometimes trying new things can be liberating.

"You can take that pride... and shove it up your ass."

A few choked gasps rose from the group, and Chris flashed a wide smile at her words.

All loyalty Tsubasa held to the elder evaporated completely, and her will flared higher. Keeping her eyes locked on his, she raised her voice so her teammates could hear her.

"Maria, Chris, Kirika, Shirabe... will you join me? Will you journey with me to the depths of hell for the sake of our dream?"

The four looked to each other briefly and smiled. Their answer was unanimous, and their voices echoed throughout the crater. "Of course!"

It was an answer she had expected, yet she was still relieved. Her heart filled with warmth, she continued. "Then on my count, we finish this! The moment I take his head, eliminate his underlings! Leave none alive that could lay their hands on Hibiki and Miku!"

Miku immediately panicked and tried to push Shirabe off of her to no avail. Yet, despite her short stature, she was unable to shake her off, and so she screamed in an attempt to stop them.

"No, everyone! You can't!"

But she was ignored.

Her grip on the spear tightening, Tsubasa stared Fudou dead in the eye as he fell silent.

And began.

"Five!"

Feet shuffled, and hammers were cocked back in preparation.

"Four!"

Maria laughed inwardly at herself. '_To think I'd be forced to kill people again... but now, for some reason... I don't feel so guilty. I guess this time... there is something worth killing... and dying for.'_

"Three!"

Not even Genjuro could do anything to stop this. Try as he might, nothing would get in their way now. They would not listen to his orders in the face of this danger, in the face of the final obstacle to their happy days.

But he could not help but think... that they would not be so happy without them there. That Hibiki would never forgive herself for letting them die for her sake.

It would crush her, and he knew it. Yet, the five were adamantly going to do so, if only so she can smile again.

"Two!"

A bloodbath was going to take place, and he knew for a fact that nobody was going to be alive at the end of it. Fudou, his men, and the five wielders were going to die here and now.

And he would only be able to watch uselessly as their lives came to an end.

He would only be able to watch... as he failed his duty for the final time.

Fingers tightened on triggers, and only a fraction of an inch remained for bullets to start flying. Pouring all the remains of her power into her arms, Tsubasa screamed the final number.

"On—"

BOOM!

The earth shook as the sound of an explosion erupted out of nowhere. Fudou's men lost their balance and their aim was thrown off by the sudden powerful quake.

Tsubasa's eyes widened, and she instinctively began turning around to locate the source of the sound, but held herself back and kept her focus on Fudou.

"What have you done?" she asked him, suspecting him of pulling some kind of trick.

But she found herself bewildered when she noticed that not only the elder's gaze was not on her, but in fact, pointed towards the sky. His eyes were wide as well, an expression of shock etched on his features that she had never seen before in her life.

The four wielders in the center of the crater looked between each other, searching for answers for the sudden interruption.

Only for a male voice to ring out above them, his laughter blasting through the ruined city.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

All heads immediately tilted upwards.

And they gasped in shock.

"YOU HAVE MY THANKS, SYMPHOGEARS! WERE IT NOT FOR YOUR IMPECCABLE SKILLS I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME THIS FAR! I COMMEND YOU FOR SURPASSING THE MIGHT OF ALL THE EVILS OF THIS WORLD!"

"Adam Weishaupt?!" Maria announced his name in horror. "When did he—"

"What?! When did he manage to slip away?!" Genjuro shouted over the comm. "I thought he was supposed to be immobile!"

"I-I don't know! It must have been when the submarine was shaking! We were too distracted to notice him leaving!" Elfnein said in a panic.

"The bastard has been lying to us the entire time!" Chris said through clenched teeth. "He could move the whole time but pretended he couldn't!"

"THAT IS TRUE INDEED, SYMPHOGEARS! AND NOW, THANKS TO YOUR EFFORTS, I WILL CLAIM MY PRIZE!"

Adam, or at least what remained of him, was suspended in the air high above them, looking down on them all.

And surrounding him was the cloud of divine power. His head glowed a golden hue as it began to flood into him, the nearest vessel too far away. Overcoming the divine power's will, Adam began to take it within himself.

"IT WAS INDEED WORTH THE WAIT!" he screamed, a diabolical grin etched on his face. "THE INFORMATION WAS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR THIS! NOW, MY AMBITIONS WILL FINALLY BE REALIZED, AND THERE IS NOTHING LEFT FOR YOU TO PLACE YOUR HOPES IN! WATCH AS THE HUMAN WORLD IS REFORMED UNDER MY RULE!"

A powerful rush of wind tore through the area, buffeting all those who remained standing. Their focus lost, the wielders held themselves up with sheer force of will, keeping their gazes locked on the treacherous puppet.

"This motherfucker!" Chris screamed in frustration.

"What the heck are we supposed to do now?!" Kirika yelled, deciding to remain prone on top of Hibiki to protect her from the rubble being tossed about.

The divine power flowed into Adam without interruption, and another loud explosion rang out as he began to morph under its influence. His once human head enlarging and bloating with every second that passed, grotesque blobs that vaguely resembled flesh began to bubble and shake as his body was slowly being reformed.

He laughed once more, and this time his voice was not nearly as comfortable to listen to. "**YESSSSSSSSSS! THIS IS WHAT I'VE DESIRED! WITH THIS, THE CUSTODIANS WILL BOW BEFORE ME! THIS POWER, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MINE FROM THE START, WILL NOW BE PUT TO PROPER USE!"**

The wild storm continued. Tsubasa found it difficult to remain focused on Fudou as she planted her feet, not willing to let the elder go just yet. Just then, he turned his gaze to her again, his expression stern and furious.

"Look at what you have wrought, Tsubasa."

She clicked her tongue. She couldn't have expected this, no matter what he said. "By denying me the divine power, you let a usurper claim it for themselves. The death of humanity will be on your hands."

Tsubasa groaned painfully, unsure of what to do.

What could she do? Killing Fudou would serve no purpose now that Adam Weishaupt had the divine power in his grasp.

This was bad.

"**YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD KEEP IT AWAY FROM ME?! FOOLS! YOU CANNOT OUTSMART ME, HUMANS! I AM PERFECTION, AND YOU ARE NOT!"**

The maniac screamed again for all to hear, this time his voice causing them to wince reflexively. Fudou's men fell to their knees from the noise and the wind, while the wielders could barely keep themselves standing.

"Damn it! What the hell are we supposed to do!" Chris screamed again, her voice nearly going unheard despite standing close to her teammates.

"I don't know!" Maria yelled back. "We can't use our Gears, and even if we could, I don't know if we could do anything!"

"FUCK! Are you serious?! Are we gonna die because of this bastard now?!"

The storm raged on, and this time Chris's question went unanswered.

Or at least, that's why she believed.

Suddenly, somehow rising above the noise, a strong female voice made its appearance.

"I would not be so quick as to make assumptions."

"Wha—"

What the?

Where did that come from?

Somehow, they also heard footsteps, and immediately the wielders turned their heads in their direction.

"It may be that I've lived my whole life in preparation for this moment," she said, approaching the side of the crater. "I had expected him to turn on us at the first opportunity, and it seems I was not mistaken. Unfortunately, we could not have foreseen this outcome."

There, coming from between the ruined remains of the city's structures, was a silver-clad figure with only one arm.

The look of surprise that flashed across their expressions granted her strength.

Maria called her name above the noise. "Saint-Germain!"

And indeed, appearing at the last possible second, the alchemist walked up to the edge of the crater, ignoring the confused stares of Fudou's men around her. She looked down to the center of the crater fondly, then raised her head towards the sky.

"Adam Weishaupt cannot be allowed to get his hands on the divine power. We have kept it away from him all this time, and I have no intention of handing it over to him now. However, in our current state, we would not have been able to do anything to counter him."

Maria squinted, realizing the alchemist was holding something in her one hand. With the amount of dust and rubble flying about she could barely make it out.

And once she did, she responded with a shocked and horrified gasp.

There, in her hand, was the jet-black spear.

The darkness still flowed from it just like when Hibiki had used it; however, one thing remained unchanged. Its core was still blown out, and only tiny fragments of the previous emerald core remained embedded within it. As it was now, it would not be able to channel its full power.

But that did not concern Saint-Germain in the least. After all...

It was the last hope left to defeat Adam Weishaupt.

How ironic, the alchemist thought to herself, that their last hopes... rested in the remnants of All the Evils of this World.

"_How did it survive?!"_ Genjuro asked over the comm. "_I thought all of the curses were blown away!"_

"Yes, they were all vaporized, but this one piece remained untouched. It was flung far enough away from the light to not be caught in its influence, and now, it will serve its purpose," Saint-Germain answered, a magic circle of green light appearing on the ground beneath her feet.

Chris' eyes widened in realization. "No way, you can't—"

"_NO! SAINT-GERMAIN, DON'T DO THIS!"_ Tomosato screamed, quickly understanding Saint-Germain's intent.

The alchemist was silent for a moment, breathing in and out. "Tomosa—no, Aoi," she said, and the woman fell quiet at the sound of her first name being spoken by her. "My apologies, it seems we will have to postpone our outing... for some other time."

Tomosato sobbed, and the sound of her cries made Saint-Germain's heart clenched slightly.

The alchemist briefly glanced to the wielders from the corner of her eye, their shocked and questioning gazes remaining glued on her.

And then her eyes drifted to the unconscious Hibiki, looking at her a moment longer before turning back to Adam. "All of you have the duty of living to see tomorrow. I am nothing more than a sinner that lay a path of destruction in her wake, and claimed countless lives for the sake of her goal."

The wind continued to churn, yet she stood steadfast. "And now is the moment I must give back for all the lives I've taken with the only thing I have left to give... my own."

No one could respond to her, for her mind was already made up.

"Maria, you said we are friends, did you not?" she said, and the eldest wielder found herself speechless. "So it is only right... that friends care for each other, and if the situation warrants it... give their lives for each other, just like you are prepared to do now."

And so, she began to rise into the air, slowly hovering above the battlefield, her gaze locked onto the still transforming Adam. His torso had already reformed at this point, so it would not be long until his whole body regenerated.

She had to make sure that did not happen.

"Thank you... for all of the irreplaceable memories. I will be sure to cherish them... wherever I may go."

"_Saint-Germain, please, no—"_

The alchemist cut communications, letting Tomosato's voice fade away. She gazed back down to the battlefield, burning their faces into her mind for the last time.

'_This is the one time... I find myself not wanting to die.' _

"Can I do this alone?" she asked herself, closing her eyes briefly.

They opened, and she exhaled.

"No... but even so, I have to try."

Her gem shone brightly.

And once more, a song rose over the battlefield.

_(Play: Shito -Ewigkeit- - Saint-Germain, Cagliostro, Prelati)_

She sang. Surprised with her herself more than anything, Saint-Germain sang, the song of her heart pouring out for all to hear.

Yet, somehow, she was not alone.

Shimmering into existence to her right, a familiar voice joined in on her song. She hurriedly turned her head to it.

'_Cagliostro?'_

The teal haired woman did not answer back to her and merely kept her gaze on Adam as she sang. Saint-Germain could not help but notice that Cagliostro's form was transparent as if she were a mere ghost.

Then, to her left, another familiar voice joined in. Turning her head once again, she was shocked to see who it was.

'_Prelati?'_

The short alchemist also did not answer, and just like Cagliostro, kept her gaze on Adam.

And just like her comrade, Prelati's form too was transparent.

How? How were they here now? What was the meaning of this—

Suddenly, memories not her own rushed into her mind, giving her all the answers she needed. Huffing to herself, Saint-Germain charged towards the storm together with her departed comrades, the cursed spear still clutched tightly in her one hand.

_-!-_

"_Do it, Prelati."_

"_But Cag—"_

"_We... don't have time. Neither you nor I... have long left to live... but even so, we need to help out Saint-Germain. The poor girl is helpless without us after all..."_

_Prelati bit her lip. Cagliostro was right. The two of them had been summarily defeated by the Symphogear wielders and were now on their last legs. Whether or not they went through with this wouldn't matter, they'd die all the same. _

_The Lapis shone dimly before them, awaiting their input. "This is the only way... we can give our lives to help her... and I know... you think so too."_

_There was nothing Prelati could say in response. Clenching her fists tight, she raised her hands over Cagliostro's body weakly. Having retreated to Saint-Germain's room, Cagliostro was lying unmoving atop the bed, waiting for Prelati to start._

"_Cag..."_

_And so, she began. Magic coursed through her, and slowly but surely Cagliostro's form began to glow with a golden glow as it began to break down._

"_Make sure... to hide this from that asshole, yeah?" Cagliostro requested. "Hide it... where he won't be able to find it."_

"_I will," Prelati answered, holding back tears. "I will."_

_Cagliostro smiled. "Thanks. Thanks for everything, Prelati. I was glad... to be your friend."_

_And so, she vanished into golden sparkles that were immediately absorbed by the Lapis._

_Prelati winced and brought one hand to the fatal wound in her stomach. "Can't hold it back anymore, can I?" she said to herself. She quickly grabbed the Lapis from the air and walked over to where Saint-Germain kept all of her materials, equipment and crystals alike._

"_She'll find it later. Now... it's my turn, basically."_

_There was no time to waste. Placing the Lapis inside the bag, she channeled the magic once again, this time on herself._

_Her body began to glow golden as well, and she smiled to herself. "I'll see you later, Cag... Saint-Germain..."_

_And soon enough, Prelati vanished, the golden sparkles left in her wake drawn into the Lapis. The gem shone brightly for a brief moment as it accepted their essence, then dimmed._

_Leaving the room empty._

_-!-_

'_I see... so you two went this far for me,'_ Saint-Germain thought to herself, touched by her friends' gesture.

Their bodies may be gone, but their spirits were right there with her.

Accompanying her on her last endeavor.

On her last journey.

Reinvigorated by their wills, Saint-Germain thrust the spear forward as they ascended, their song soaring along with her.

'_Let us go... and use our lives for mankind.'_

"**YOU ARE A FOOL, SAINT-GERMAIN! YOU WILL NEVER REACH ME!" **

Adam's yell was followed by the sudden appearance of a golden barrier in their path. The spear's tip promptly crashed into it, generating a multitude of sparks. The divine shield groaned against the influence of the god-slaying power but still managed to hold it back due to its condensed and weakened state.

'_Is that so? Then...'_

The ghostly Prelati charged forward, a shining gem clutched in the palm of her hand. Rearing back her fist as she sang, she slammed her hand into the spear's destroyed core.

And then pulled back, revealing her handiwork.

'_Lapis Philosophorum...'_

Now, embedded in place of the spear's old emerald core, was a bright crimson gem. Immediately it went to work, the thousands of life essences that had been poured into it feeding the spear's charge.

The Lapis that had been hidden amongst Saint-Germain's belongings the entire time was finally being put to good use.

The divine barrier cracked.

And in a single lunge, Saint-Germain crashed through the shield. Not having expected her to bypass it, Adam was unable to respond as the spear impaled him, piercing through his reformed torso.

"**W-WHAT?! WHAT IS THIS?!"**

The storm of wind and golden light intensified as the contradicting forces began to grind away at each other. Gritting his monstrous teeth, Adam moved his new arms and grasped at the spear, attempting to pull it out of his midsection.

"**WHAT ARE YOU DOING, SAINT-GERMAIN?!"**

She did not bother giving him a response.

A pulse of energy erupted from the meeting between the two competing concepts, the god-slaying power working to break down the divine power Adam now held in his hands.

The trio continued to sing as Saint-Germain pushed further, pouring as much power as she could into her one arm.

But it was difficult, extremely difficult.

Sensing her hardship, Cagliostro and Prelati floated to her sides, their translucent forms shimmering in the storm.

And together, placed their hands on the spear's handle, joining Saint-Germain's struggle.

'_The Lapis we researched and developed as a means to break the curse... is finally being used for the sake of mankind. It is far from what I had imagined, however... there will be no better opportunity."_

Yes, for the sake of mankind. To be rid of the oppression of the divine, and finally, bring an end to the cycle of suffering that had plagued humanity to this day.

She could not voice how much she appreciated the two's help. The song soared again, and this time, Saint-Germain's body began to glow golden as well.

'_Sacrificing my life for the sake of mankind... I guess there are worse ways to go. My apologies, Genjuro, for breaking my promise.'_

She poured her life into the spear, increasing its power further. Adam struggled against the weapon, but with that final push his resistance failed, the god-slaying power beginning to tear his reformed body apart.

He groaned and screamed as his form started to crumble, and a white sphere of light began to surround the two.

"**Y-YOU! THIS POWER IS SIMPLY UNFAIR! IT SHOULD NOT EXIST!"**

And again, she did not answer him.

She only looked forward, her vision filled with whiteness.

_-!-_

"_Everyone, I'd like to welcome a new member to the group!"_

"_Hello, my name is Saint-Germain. I look forward to working with you."_

"_Wow! That's so cool! I'm Tachibana Hibiki! Nice to meet you!"_

"_The pleasure is mine."_

_-!-_

"_Here."_

"_What is this?"_

"_A ticket to our concert. We'd like to see you there, Saint-Germain. Tsubasa said she'd be glad to have you watch our performance."_

"_I see... then I'll come. Thank you, Maria."_

"_You're very welcome."_

_-!-_

"_Oh, you're Saint-Germain? My name is Kohinata Miku. I heard you joined their team."_

"_Yes, I have. It is a pleasure to meet you."_

"_Likewise. You seem very reliable, so I'm counting on you to keep an eye on Hibiki out there, okay?"_

"_I will, I assure you."_

"_Thank you, and take care of yourself too, alright?"_

"_...Very well, I will try."_

_-!-_

"_Saint-Germain! Are you okay?!"_

"_It's nothing. My apologies, I was careless."_

"_You really saved us out there! And... we're sorry... we didn't mean to—"_

"_It is fine, Kirika, Shirabe. I'm glad you two are safe."_

_-!-_

"_You need a place to crash? No worries. Until your place gets fixed I can give you the couch."_

"_Thank you, Chris. I appreciate it."_

"_No problem. It's what friends do, right?"_

"_Yes, it is."_

_-!-_

"_Well then, let's drink for the success of the mission! Cheers, Saint-Germain!"_

"_...Hmph. Cheers, Aoi."_

_-!-_

_~Deny it~ _

_~Deny it~_

'_Why am I seeing something like this now?'_

It was a question she didn't know how she'd answer, the strange visions of an impossible future in her mind throwing her off.

_~The mind is~_

_~what is absolute~_

Suddenly, between the wisps of golden light before her, another form shimmered into existence. It was a woman, with long white hair and a bright smile, her complexion similar to her own.

_~Nail a period~_

And she finally solved the equation she had been struggling with for centuries.

_~Through the falsities~_

She sighed in relief and content. '_I see... thank you... for showing me a glimpse of a dream.'_

Her hand closed tighter around the handle of the spear, and she forced all that was left of herself into it.

_~Rend the Heavens for the sake of liberty~_

The white sphere around them grew, becoming as bright as a star

And then, it began to shrink, closing around the two of them.

"**SAINT-GERMAIN, YOU—"**

This time, she answered him.

"LET US DISAPPEAR INTO THE ANNALS OF HISTORY, ADAM WEISHAUPT!"

_~Let's take pride in perfection to shine brighter than the rising sun~_

_~oh final song!~_

The sphere pulsed, shrinking around the two even more.

"**GRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH—!"**

Adam threw his head back, and with a final scream, he was consumed by the light, disappearing into the vast white.

_~Give a shout to freedom~_

'_Thank you... for everything.'_

Her form began to crumble.

'_Farewell, my friends.'_

_~and illuminate the light of death!~_

Did she smile in her last moments?

The alchemist vanished from the world, leaving that question unanswered.

The sphere of light shrunk, becoming as big as a ping pong ball and drawing the wind within it. A second later, it bloated like a red giant.

And then exploded in a shower of white light, blinding all those watching.

The shining twinkles floated down, illuminating the night with their ethereal glow.

-!-

Once again, S.O.N.G HQ was quiet.

Their gazes glued to the shine on the screen, they could gather no response to what had just occurred.

They could only gasp, and stare in awe, hypnotized by the remnants of the light.

And then, a sob rose from Genjuro's right, and he slowly turned his head.

"Tomosato..."

The woman was crying, tears flowing down her cheeks, barely hidden by her downcast head. Her woeful moans filled the bridge, silencing all those who wished to speak. Except one, her voice coming out in disbelief.

"It's... it's gone..." Elfnein murmured.

Genjuro turned his head to her instead, and she continued, transfixed.

"There's... there's nothing left. The divine power, the god-slaying power... they're gone. No response from anything."

He could barely believe it.

Shenshoujing, Gungnir, the divine power, the god slaying power...

Everything was gone. Zero signatures. The display showed absolutely nothing, not even a remnant of an Aufwachen signal.

It was just... all gone.

-!-

The wielders stared with their mouths agape, watching the remains rain down on them softly.

Maria clenched her free fist. "Saint-Germain..."

She could not voice her sadness. The alchemist had given her life to destroy the divine power, denying it to anyone who ever desired it.

And all that was left was this beautiful shower of shining sparkles.

It truly was mesmerizing. Lifting her hand, Chris opened her palm and watched curiously as one of the sparkles landed in it. She blinked and saw as it disappeared a moment later, leaving behind not a speck of its existence.

"This is..."

"It's like... it's life itself," Maria muttered. "This... is what she left behind for us."

Chris closed her hand, making a fist and gritting her teeth in frustration. "Damn it..."

A serene quiet fell on the crater, and even Fudou's men found themselves awed by the sight.

However, the same could not be said about the man himself. The elder narrowed his eyes at the spectacle, then lowered his gaze to stare at Tsubasa once more. Despite herself, the Kazanari heir managed to keep her eyes on him, even with her instincts nearly forcing her to turn around.

But considering the song she heard, and the silence that pervaded them, she already knew the outcome.

"Are you satisfied now, Tsubasa? We have lost a perfectly useful tool for nothing. You have by your own hands pushed our nation to the bottom once more."

"Then perhaps it should stay that way," she said back to him. "Maybe Japan is not ready for that burden just yet."

Noticing that their confrontation had continued, the men closest to Fudou shook themselves out of their stupor and rose back to their feet, signaling to the rest of the agents to get back to business. At once, the agents surrounding the crater followed suit, once more aiming their guns at the group at the heart of it.

Realizing that the standoff had resumed, Maria and Chris both raised their guns as well, putting them back where they started despite Adam's interruption. Kirika and Shirabe, who had slightly moved off the duo they were charged with protecting in a daze, immediately threw themselves atop the two again. Miku let out another shocked yelp as Shirabe's full weight dropped on her again, and was still unable to push her off.

With the tension back to its all-time high, no one moved.

"What will you do now, Kazanari Fudou? The divine power is gone. Without it, those two are nothing but normal, weak girls. There is nothing more for you here," Tsubasa reminded him.

The elder said nothing as he stared at her. She could see the gears in his head spin as he thought of a solution, and she waited impatiently for him to respond.

But his silence continued. On and on it went. One minute, two minutes, three minutes. The crater remained completely quiet even as the white light finished raining down on the group, restoring the darkness of the night.

She waited.

And waited.

And waited no more.

"I see how it is then," Tsubasa said, and once more shouted to her comrades. "I'm starting the countdown again! Ready yourselves!"

The threat of a gruesome bloodbath returned as she yelled out the numbers.

"Five!"

Feet shuffled once more, and Maria gulped.

"Four!"

Shirabe shifted herself, covering Miku as much as she could.

"Three!"

Sweat dripped down from cheeks and chins, adrenaline running in the veins of all participants.

"Two!"

Fudou narrowed his eyes, and she narrowed her own in response.

He seemed to have no intention of backing down, even with what he came here to get having been destroyed. Whatever he was planning to do with Hibiki and Miku, she wouldn't let him.

She grasped the handle of the spear hard and prepared to make the decisive swing.

"One!"

She planted her feet.

Fingers tightened around triggers.

"NO—"

"Very well."

Only for him to speak up at the last second and catch her by surprise.

_(Play: Koi Yume - Suara)_

Tsubasa's eyes widened at his capitulation, throwing her off. Saying nothing more, the elder raised his hand and gestured to his men to lower their weapons. Looking between each other in surprise, the agents followed his orders, lowering their arms.

Shocked at the development, Chris and Maria followed suit and gazed towards where Tsubasa and Fudou stood.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tsubasa asked him.

But yet again, he did not respond. He looked to the man closest to his right and nodded his head. The agent immediately understood, nodding in response. He raised his hand to his earpiece to communicate his orders to his subordinates.

"All units stand down! We are withdrawing!"

Tsubasa could barely believe it. She looked towards the agent, realizing she had seen him around the household several times in the past. He did not notice her stare and continued. "Retrieve the fallen and retreat!"

The men surrounding the crater put their weapons back in their holsters. Four of them stepped forward, sliding down the side of the crater towards the wielders' position. Immediately on guard, Chris prepared for a confrontation.

But Maria raised an arm, forcing her back as they approached. "The guns and the coats stay," she said, making herself clear.

They did not respond to her and went to grab the two fallen agents that the wielders had knocked out. Putting an arm on each shoulder, the four picked up their unconscious comrades and turned back around, heading back to their transports.

Maria watched them go with caution, ready for them to turn on them.

Yet, they did not. One by one, the many agents shuffled away from the crater's perimeter, emptying the area.

A car rode to a stop a small distance away from Fudou and Tsubasa, and still shocked at his change of heart, the Kazanari heir removed the spear from his neck and took a step back.

He said nothing in response. Ignoring the cut on his neck, the elder turned, his kimono swiveling around behind him.

And he began to walk away, leaving her to stare in disbelief at his retreating back. She expected him to simply enter the car and say nothing more, owing to her familiarity with him.

Yet, he surprised her once more. Fudou stopped halfway to the car, and without turning around spoke to her. "It seems you have inherited more than just my blood, Tsubasa," he said. She could not help but notice that the tone of his voice was not judgmental as usual, but...

Almost... proud.

"Live with your decision for the rest of your days, and know what are the consequences of making it. The world is not so kind as to simply hand you your victory, for there will be moments you will realize you must cast away your desires for the betterment of others; I know that cruelty all too well."

She couldn't say anything in response.

"That resolve of yours... never allow it to waver."

And that's where he stopped. She opened her mouth to speak but found that no words would come out. Fudou continued walking, and soon enough the door to the car was opened to him by an agent. He stepped inside without another word, brushing off the offer of treating his wound.

Before the door closed, he sent one last glance to his granddaughter.

The sound of engines revving filled the air as Fudou and his subordinates left, leaving only the wielders' in the crater. Tsubasa stared at the spot where he stood barely a minute before with silent contemplation, internalizing his words.

She turned around, and carefully slid down the side of the crater to join her comrades, who looked at her with surprise.

"It is done," she declared. "We can relax now."

As if a heavy burden was lifted off of their shoulders, they all sighed in relief, grateful to have been able to avoid what should have been an inevitable massacre.

On cue, Shirabe and Kirika pushed themselves off of their charges, sitting beside them. Shirabe helped Miku to a sitting position, and Miku graciously accepted her assistance.

Miku's head hurriedly turned to the side as panic filled her once again. "Hibiki!"

She fruitlessly tried to rise to her feet again, but her body still felt heavy and so she was unable to bring herself to stand. Noticing her distress, Kirika carefully wrapped her hands around Hibiki, bringing her unmoving form to Miku.

That's right, Chris realized. They didn't even get the chance to check if she was alive after all of that. They had assumed she was just out cold, but after such a big fight there was no way to know for sure.

After all, Fine had crumbled to dust after her own final battle. With that in mind, Chris found herself terrified of the prospect, almost expecting the same to happen to Hibiki any minute now.

They all sat down, surrounding the duo as Kirika handed Hibiki over. Grasping her with both hands despite the heaviness, Miku looked at her with concern, her heart racing in her chest.

"Hibiki..."

Her beloved offered no answer, her head turning to the side limply. Biting down the sorrow and stopping herself from jumping to conclusions, Miku did the one thing she could think of to check on her well-being.

She lowered her head as much as she could, and placed her ear right on Hibiki's chest, exactly over the scar. Her lips shaking, she waited.

And waited.

And waited.

_Badump._

Her eyes widened.

_Badump_.

She choked back a sob.

_Badump._

Miku raised her head, staring at Hibiki with astonishment.

Her startled expression not giving any of them answers, Maria lightly grabbed Hibiki's limp hand. She put two fingers on her wrist, checking for a pulse.

And she too was shocked to discover the truth.

She murmured the reality in disbelief, witnessing as the dream came true.

"She's alive."

They all gasped.

"She's alive."

The words came out of Maria's mouth with unparalleled relief, and she felt the dread vanishing from her frame. They were all silent for exactly one second.

And Tsubasa said the words that finally brought it all to a close.

"We did it."

The dam broke. As one, the six cried, holding each other for support.

"We did it."

Miku hugged Hibiki as close to herself as she could, the tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Hibiki..."

Her joyful cries were a wonder to behold.

"We did it," Tsubasa repeated, the tear of joy streaming down her face. "We got her back."

"Hibiki..."

It was a cause for celebration.

Cheers erupted from S.O.N.G HQ, shaking the submarine. Genjuro leaned back in his seat, grabbing his head in silent mirth. The bridge was in an uproar as his subordinates applauded and clapped, jumping from their seats. They cried and yelled, proud of their collective success. He stared between them all, barely able to hold back his own tears.

And he could only think one thing at that moment.

'_Ryoko-kun... Kanade-kun... we did it.'_

Dawn arrived, bathing the ruined city in sunlight.

"Hibiki... Hibiki..."

Miku could not bring herself to stop.

She did not want to stop.

The group of friends basked in each other's presence, gathered around the girl in the middle.

"Hibiki... Hibiki..."

"We did it..."

The six girls cried in joy.

For they finally made their wish come true.

The sun rose on the morning of November 7th. It was a day that they would all remember for years to come.

"Hibiki... Hibiki..."

For it was the day All the Hopes of this World triumphed over their nemesis.

Much was lost, but by the sacrifice of one selfless woman who desired to bring peace to the world, a dream was fulfilled.

They had all stood in the face of certain death, and won.

"We did it. We did it..."

Holding her loved one in her arms, Miku cried her heart out.

For it was the day...

"Hibiki... Hibiki..."

...That love proved victorious.


	37. Chapter 37: Shadow's End

It all passed by like a blur.

Perhaps it was the sheer exhaustion, or perhaps it was the overwhelming relief, but from the moment she had finished crying, Chris could only vaguely remember everything that had happened since then.

She could only slightly recall herself being helped up by one of S.O.N.G's members. She could barely remember herself entering the car back to HQ, and she could faintly place where she was and who she was with once she arrived back in the submarine itself.

And then she found her focus returning suddenly, muffled voices becoming clearer by the minute. The lights flickered slightly, and she reckoned the wiring must have been messed up a bit during the battle.

"That was a ballsy thing you did, Tsubasa," she heard Genjuro say behind her. Perking up, Chris turned around, staring at her upperclassman just as she answered.

"I know. If you wish to punish me, then do so."

There was no hesitation nor regret in her voice. Blinking a few times, she spotted the familiar orange spear resting against the wall. Tsubasa herself was seated on the foot of the foot closest to the door, her face and arms adorned with bandages.

Genjuro, who stood in the middle of the room, said nothing for a brief moment. Then he smiled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I won't," he said. Tsubasa was not surprised. "There's no reason to; you acted out of your best intentions, and frankly I'm glad you stood up to him. We don't know how he'll respond, but... we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

She let out a sigh of relief regardless. "Thank you, Uncle."

It was spoken with true gratitude, Chris realized.

She smiled to herself. '_At least that's out of the way.'_

Taking a moment to recompose herself from her blurry episode, Chris surveyed her surroundings again.

She was in the medical room, that much she already figured out. She was sitting on one of the beds closer to the door, with Maria sitting to her left by her side. Across from the two were Shirabe and Kirika, both with their heads turned as they looked towards the other occupants of the room.

And that's where Chris' full attention was drawn.

She watched as the bespectacled doctor checked Hibiki over. The monitor above her head was beeping constantly and at a steady rate, indicating a stable heartbeat. The doctor, along with four of his assistant nurses, went back and forth as they continued their check-up, not at all bothered by the rest of them.

And they had no reason to. The only one who had gotten any real treatment was Maria. Her entire right arm was bandaged from shoulder to wrist due to how much it had bled in the final phase of the battle. The rest of them weren't that badly injured, somehow, aside from a few bruises here and there, and in Chris' case a numb jaw. She once again rubbed the side of her face, moving the muscles to relax them.

With everyone else in a fairly good condition, it was only logical that the medical team's full attention would be on the currently unconscious Hibiki. Now wearing a hospital robe, the rescued wielder was lying on her back on the bed, her eyes closed and her chest rising and lowering steadily as she breathed.

Despite the urgency in their movements, Chris could tell that things were going to be alright. So far, it didn't seem like she was in a life-threatening condition. She couldn't see very well from where she was sitting, but she could tell Hibiki was in good hands.

After all, lying similarly unconscious beside her, holding her hand tightly in her own, was Miku. If there was anything Chris could remember vividly among all the things she couldn't was how Miku simply refused to let go of Hibiki for even a second, almost lashing out at the away team that came to get them.

Upon calming down enough to cooperate, and far too tired to do anything in response, Miku had relented and allowed the paramedics to raise Hibiki to their specialized ambulance. Of course, she had stayed by her side the entire time, not releasing her for even a moment.

Chris didn't know when it happened, but eventually, Miku too blacked out and was then brought in together with Hibiki for the checkup. Until just a few moments ago she too was receiving treatment, but she figured they couldn't find anything outstanding to treat so they focused on Hibiki.

It was obvious that the two conjoined beds, which originally were never supposed to be conjoined, were giving the medical team a harder time in the overall process.

Yet, they still found a way to work around it out of kindness for the two.

It caused Chris to flash a tiny smile.

"We should give them some space," Genjuro said, moving towards the door. "We'll leave it to them and not get in their way."

He stepped out first. Tsubasa from the bed and clutched the spear to follow after him, and soon enough the other wielders did the same, each one sending one final glance towards the duo on the beds. Once the door slid closed behind them, the girls let out a collective relieved sigh.

"So what now?" Kirika asked.

"We wait," Genjuro answered. "Not much left for you to do."

"For us?" Maria asked, perplexed by his specificness.

He nodded as he looked at them, his eyes glancing between the group. "The battle is over, and your Gears are currently unusable. You all need your rest, so I suggest you take it."

There wasn't any real argument any of them could make.

However, Kirika then raised a point they had been ignoring up until now. "...What about the city?"

That was a question that caused Genjuro to grumble, and he contemplated the best way to deliver his answer.

"Not much was left standing," he said, making their faces fall. "It's a total ruin."

Chris bit her lip in frustration. She did not have much she was truly attached to... except for one thing.

"All of our homes are gone, aren't they?" she asked.

Genjuro closed his eyes for a moment.

Then nodded in confirmation. "Yes."

The girls let out discouraged sighs as he continued. "Only two things remained standing in the aftermath: the old concert hall... and the entire campus of Lydian."

Chris, Kirika, and Shirabe looked at him with surprised expressions as he explained. "It's true. Aside from the damage it took during the first skirmish, Lydian remains fairly in one piece. The vast majority of the dorms are still standing, and from what I can tell it's still habitable... but aside from that, not much."

He spoke with a sorrowful tone as he looked to Chris. "All of you can stay here of course, for the time being, at least until we can set something more permanent up for you... and everyone else as well."

Despite his reassuring words, Chris could not help but feel slightly depressed.

Because the shrine to her parents was gone along with the rest of her things. She didn't care about everything else, but this...

Genjuro noticed her crestfallen expression and spoke warmly to her. "I'll help you make another, Chris-kun," he said, reading her distress on her face and knowing exactly what she was thinking about. "I can promise you that."

"It's fine," she said, sighing. "It's fine, just... make sure the civilians get their homes back first, okay? At least... at least we have somewhere to stay. They... their homes are gone. They have nowhere to go."

"I know. We're still stuck in the immediate aftermath, so it will take a while. A lot of wreckage needs to be cleared away, and you can bet that international forces will come and assist us as much as they are able."

"But what about the rest of the world?" Shirabe asked. "Noise made their way to a lot of places, didn't they?"

"Yes, and casualties have been... massive. Rebuilding is going to take a very long time, but not before governments all around the globe will start looking for explanations, answers, and something to blame. But that is my job, so all of you shouldn't worry about that. Just focus on resting and getting your strength back."

They fell into a small silence. But then, Maria crossed her arms and chuckled, and they looked to her. "But at least... we got Hibiki back."

That raised a smile in the rest too, making a picture-perfect moment between them. "Yeah... and just because of that, it was all worth it."

That was something they could all agree on.

"In that case—"

"Genjuro-san!"

Pulled away from their conversation, the group looked towards the hallway, spotting Elfnein running down its length towards them. She stopped just in front of Genjuro and took a moment to catch her breath. "Everyone! You're alright!"

"Yes," Maria answered her. "We're fine if a bit shaken up. Thank you."

The small homunculus put a hand on her chest in relief. "I'm glad," she said, then looked up at Genjuro. "How are Hibiki-san and Miku-san?"

"They're doing well from what I noticed. The doctor still needs to give us a proper diagnosis, but considering the circumstances, I believe there is nothing life-threatening. We just need to wait for him to finish," he reassured her.

She smiled. "Then, now we can—"

"I would wait, Elfnein," Tsubasa cut in. "Let everything settle down first. As the commander said, we first need to think about our next move. Even after the battle ends, one must not leave the battlefield just yet. There could be a lot of things that we are missing."

"That's right," Genjuro said in agreement. "The first course of action we'll take is a general study of the damage. We first need a proper assessment before we send in any more men, as we must first see if there are people who might have gotten stuck in the wreckage. We must also grab anything that could stand out, including fragments of Gears and anything that could be potentially stolen that would reveal more than we are willing. It is only then that we will coordinate with the rest of the relief forces. We must do our jobs first and foremost."

"But... what can we do?" Kirika asked.

"As I said, don't worry about that now. You girls have done enough; it's now time for the adults to do their work," Genjuro said, cutting off any attempts at arguing once more.

"I know, but still..." Kirika mumbled, hugging her arm. "Saint-Germain..."

It was the one name that was destined to make them feel saddened.

And this time, they fell into a deep contemplative silence, taking a moment to think of the alchemist that had sacrificed everything for their sakes.

"She..." Maria began, exhaling. "She did... what she thought was right. She told us... that it's our duty to live."

"That's true," Genjuro added. "We must never forget what she did for us. She took it upon herself to fix a mistake she believed she had made, and by doing so she eliminated the problem at its root. She left this world with pride. We must honor her final wishes to the best of our ability."

Their agreement was unanimous and silent, and together, the group gave a silent prayer to the departed soul of the alchemist who became their friend despite their initial meeting as enemies.

And whenever a friend is lost... the hole left in the hearts of those who remain grows all the bigger.

"You should go rest now. Sleep tight, all of you," Genjuro said, wanting to bring the sorrow to an end.

"Y-yeah, we should," Kirika muttered, a few tears forming at the edge of her eyes. She quickly wiped them away with her sleeve to hide them, but the others had already noticed, choosing not to comment on them.

"Before you go, please give me your Gears," Elfnein said. "I'll fix them up for you while you're sleeping."

Nodding in acknowledgment, the five wielders handed over their pendants to her. Elfnein clutched them tightly in her hands for a short moment, then put them in the pocket of her lab coat. "Everyone... I'm so happy that you succeeded. I'm really, really... really happy."

Nobody was sure why she suddenly started getting emotional, but they knew that when it came to Elfnein, it was best to let her emotions cool down on their own.

Tsubasa then spoke up. "I won't be going to sleep just yet. I'll be coming with you to your lab, Elfnein if that's alright with you."

Caught by surprise, the homunculus flubbed on her response. "A-ah, okay."

"Then I guess this is where we part ways?" Maria asked. "In that case, I'll be coming with you, Tsubasa."

Her partner idol did not bother arguing with her. Maria turned to her juniors, looking at them with a warm smile. "Kirika, Shirabe, sleep well, okay?"

The two nodded, and Shirabe responded with a smile of her own. "We will. Good night, Maria."

"Good night."

She didn't bother to correct them or herself, seeing as the sun had already risen above the horizon. The duo turned towards the hallway, quickly disappearing around the corner hand in hand.

Chris rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Alright, I guess it's my turn now too. I need to sleep on everything before I lose my mind again."

"Sounds like a plan," Genjuro said to her. "Good night, Chris-kun."

"Night," she mumbled in response, saying nothing else in her drowsy state. Then she too turned around, following after her underclassmen towards her quarters.

Leaving Genjuro, Tsubasa, Maria, and Elfnein in front of the door to the medical room. "Then, shall we head to my lab?" Elfnein suggested.

The other three nodded, and clutching Kanade's spear tightly in her hand, Tsubasa followed after the homunculus in silence.

-!-

The small group entered the lab one after the other. Elfnein approached her station and took the pendants out of her pocket, putting them on the small cushion on her work desk. Letting out a breath, she turned towards the display case where she had kept the severed arm of the black beast.

"As I thought, it's gone too."

Indeed it was. The glass case was now completely empty save for the cushion she had rested the arm on as she studied it.

To have a specimen disappear was unnerving for any scientist, but in this particular case, Elfnein could not help but be happy. With the reason to use it gone, it would just be a burden and a reminder of all the bad things that had occurred.

It was better that it was gone, even if now the glass case was nothing more than a pristine decoration.

"Elfnein," Tsubasa said, breaking the silence. The homunculus turned to her, and her eyes widened when Tsubasa walked forward and presented the spear to her. "Take this. It would be far more useful with you."

"Tsubasa-san..."

Before speaking again, Tsubasa placed the spear on the table carefully, causing Elfnein to stare at it in shock and then turn back to her.

Tsubasa looked at the spear with a melancholic expression, running her hand over it gently as if it were a precious object. Genjuro and Maria stood silently, letting her muse.

"Even now, I wonder... why did she appear before us all of a sudden. She claimed to be a ghost, and yet..." Tsubasa said wistfully. "I wonder... why was it Kanade of all people? And why... how could she leave another memento behind?"

The true answer to that question was not something any of those gathered in the lab had. They remained quiet for a long moment, pondering the mystery that Tsubasa had brought up.

Truly, what had triggered Kanade's appearance? She had claimed that her duty was to stop their advance, yet... she didn't. She only kept Tsubasa at bay more than anyone else. What was it that had happened?

To that, Elfnein had a conjecture. "I think... I think that it's because of Hibiki-san."

The idol slightly turned her head towards the homunculus, who proceeded to explain.

"I don't really know if this is true, but... maybe the reason Kanade-san of all people appeared was... that Hibiki-san caused it. Maybe Kanade-san wasn't so much a ghost as she was... Gungnir's will, given form."

"What do you mean, Elfnein-kun?" Genjuro asked.

"She said the miasma was what allowed her to exist. I'm thinking that maybe... she was the last vestiges of resistance that Gungnir had against the curses. And that out of everyone, Kanade-san embodies Gungnir for Hibiki-san. It used to belong to her, and... she was saved by it. Maybe Kanade-san's appearance was less to stop us, but to help us. To give us the means to save Hibiki-san."

She looked to Tsubasa as she finished off her hypothesis. The idol remained still, but her expression seemed to change from melancholy to... reminiscence. Relief.

"I see..."

She gave a small smile.

"If that is really the case, then... I suppose I have to thank her."

Not one of the three knew who she meant by that comment. However, they did not pry, and let Tsubasa say her piece. She slightly turned her head away from Elfnein's gaze and spoke up once more.

"I wonder... if I lived up to her image of me. I'm older than her now, yet... I'm still such a crybaby. She couldn't leave me alone... even beyond the grave."

"Tsubasa..." Maria uttered her name sorrowfully. However, her partner idol simply turned around and zoomed past her and Genjuro to the door of the lab. Without looking at any of them, she left, leaving Maria to look at the closing door sadly.

"Go," Genjuro told her. She looked to him in surprise for a moment and then nodded in response. Without another word, she ran out of the lab to follow after her partner idol, leaving Genjuro and Elfnein.

Another short silence befell them. The spear's core shone dimly in the lab.

Genjuro leaned back on the wall and heaved out a sigh. "Seriously..."

"Genjuro-san?"

"It's nothing. I'm glad at least that something remained," he said, then pushed himself off the wall. "Speaking of which, Elfnein-kun, there's something we need to discuss..."

-!-

Tsubasa trudged down the hallway in thought, barely acknowledging the fact that Maria was right on her heels. Catching up to her fairly quickly, Maria quickly fell into step by her side, studying her expression carefully as she walked beside her.

A pair of conversing employees passed by the two, stopping in their tracks as they stared in confusion and watched them move down the hallway. Eventually, Tsubasa and Maria found themselves in the small recreation area, the view to the outside visible through the large pane of glass built into the side of the submarine.

Through it, they could see the ruins of the city with sunshine illuminating it, finally giving them a full view of the destruction. Not much was left behind except a few columns of smoke rising from the further end of the city, and they could see helicopters of all shapes and sizes landing in several areas all around the wreckage.

It was then however that Tsubasa broke the silence. "There's truly... nothing left, is there?"

Blinking twice at the sudden words, Maria was perplexed, and Tsubasa continued. "No, I suppose a little bit is left, even if that little bit is also damaged and crumbling."

"Tsubasa..." Maria could only murmur as she listened.

"It almost feels unreal, looking at it now," Tsubasa said as she put her hand on the glass. "It has only been a few hours, and yet it feels so distant already as if it has been years since the battle ended. And yet... even though we won, a few things still weigh on my mind."

"Like what?"

She stared at her unclear reflection for a moment, melding in with the sight outside. "Like what Hibiki said about us, for example," she answered.

That was something that Maria could admit bothered her as well. Nobody raised that point while they were speaking with Genjuro, and so it went undiscussed completely.

Was it out of a lack of desire to find a justification, or was it simply... that everyone had already accepted that ugly truth?

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised that she had always felt that way about me," Tsubasa said, letting out a huff. "And quite frankly, she was right. Due to my grief, I painted her as an enemy from the very beginning. I let it consume me, and this only added fuel to the fire that was her quest for vengeance, as influenced by the curses as it was."

"Yeah... it's the same for me as well," Maria added. Tsubasa did not turn to her as she spoke. "I too was so consumed by my desires that I failed to see how mistaken I was, and let atrocities occur in the name of a broken justice. And through my familiarity with Kirika and Shirabe, I'm sure the same holds true for them, and Chris as well."

"It took a horrible incident like this to finally make us see the truth. We really have been taking her for granted, haven't we?" Tsubasa said.

For some reason, Maria started laughing softly behind her and confused by her reaction Tsubasa turned around, staring at her with narrowed eyes. "What's so amusing?"

"Oh, nothing, it's just..." Maria explained. "I thought the same thing too, and I told Miku that as well. I just found it funny that we reached the same conclusion."

Finally understanding what she was on about, Tsubasa let out another amused huff and turned back around to stare at the outside. "Yes, that is... quite amusing. We only began coming to terms with it because it was laid out before us so blatantly and forcefully that we had no choice but to confront it... our own misgivings and regrets."

Her somber tone worried Maria, who once again looked at her with concern. "Tsubasa?"

"I suppose it's time for me to come to terms with something I've ignored for a long time, for I never truly had the opportunity to do so... but with recent events, I suppose now is the best time."

'Recent events...?' Maria wondered. Truly, she was speaking about this incident, but it seemed like she was referring to something specific about it.

And that caused Maria's heart to race anxiously.

Silence fell between the two.

But then, Tsubasa took a deep breath as she stared towards the outside...

And spoke.

"I loved Kanade."

Maria felt as if a knife was run through her stomach by those three simple words. Her bottom lip quivering, she struggled to keep herself from shaking as Tsubasa continued.

"I can finally bring myself to admit it. I loved her, and I wished for her to stay by my side forever. But fate had a different idea, and so she vanished from the world, leaving me behind. I thought I was able to move on, but seeing her again made me realize just how much I didn't..."

She removed her hand from the glass.

"But now... I feel like I can. I, by my own hands, struck her down, and by doing so, I found myself finally able to let her go. It was by far one of the most difficult things I ever had to do... but I know I had to. I know that if I did not, I would never have been able to cast away the burdens that I shouldered... and to accept myself and the past. I cut her down, and with that, I found some sense of liberation; it's quite ironic, isn't it?"

Tsubasa herself wasn't sure what she was feeling at the moment, speaking these words to Maria. She could only vaguely see her partner idol's reflection in the glass and was unable to make out her figure completely.

And perhaps, it was for the better.

For she would not see her conflicted expression, and how she was biting her own lips.

"This time, she left me behind something more than just a memory. More than just a legacy forced upon someone else... no, this time she left me her will and her approval that it's time to move on. I suppose this incident... shed a light on everything for me. Of course, threatening Grandfather was quite a big step up for me. Looking back, I never thought I'd have been able to stand against him."

Breathing in and out to calm herself, Maria spoke up. "But you did."

"Yes, I did. Even though the Sentinel's path is not one I wish to abandon, I will no longer hesitate on fighting for what I truly believe and what I truly desire. I will no longer allow those shackles to hold me down."

A wave of relief washed over Maria. She felt ashamed at herself, feeling this way from what Tsubasa was saying.

Her partner turned around, looking straight at Maria with a smile on her face. "However, I'm quite unfamiliar with such freedom, so I must ask you to assist me in that regard, Maria."

Maria's eyes widened in surprise at her request. Letting out a small laugh, Maria smiled back as she answered. "Honestly, I'm a bit unfamiliar with it too, so I guess we can help each other."

"Sounds good to me."

It was a strange, unexplainable moment between them.

But for Maria, it was all she ever wanted to hear.

"Shall we go to sleep, then?" She asked her idol partner.

"Yes, let us go."

And so, the two walked back down the hallway to their quarters.

A passing-by employee would smile to herself as she noticed their proximity, their hands almost instinctively seeking out the other.

-!-

_The next day..._

"Move that part out of the way first!" Ogawa commanded the workers, his voice somehow reaching them despite all the noise of the machinery.

Holding his phone in his hand, Ogawa surveyed the area as it was slowly but surely cleared. It had taken Genjuro exactly one day to start working on cleaning up the wreckage, and all in all, Ogawa agreed with the sentiment.

Even though he just came back from Chiba, he was already given an additional assignment immediately, which was to spearhead the clearing operation.

It was also the first time Ogawa got a good look at the remains of Tokyo, and he had to admit it was worse than he had imagined. There was barely anything left to salvage, so his presence there was more of a formality than anything else.

Or at least, that's what they wanted the world's governments to think. With so many eyes on Japan, it was crucial that recovery of any leftover elements from the fight would be as secretive as possible.

And there was no one better at being secretive than Ogawa Shinji. As a result, he understood Genjuro's need to have him on site. Still, it was quite a sight to see; the former bustling metropolis was leveled so completely it could hardly be called a city anymore. Such devastation was only seen way back during the war, something none of the currently working personnel had the displeasure of seeing.

At least, Ogawa thought to himself in relief, this was the aftermath. Genjuro had updated him on everything that had happened, and he was as glad as everyone else that Hibiki had been successfully rescued. All of the hard work the wielders had put in order to achieve that objective finally came to fruition.

And now that they were resting, it was up to the adults to deal with the rest. Luckily, this was his area of expertise.

Careful not to dirty his suit, Ogawa trekked through the wreckage. Nothing was on fire, which was good, and the midday sun was not so oppressive as to make the operation a living hell. Supervisors screamed and shouted to their subordinates, and the veritable army of bulldozers filled the air with exhaust and noise.

And that was just the tiny part he was in. Seeing as the vast majority of Japan was spared the destruction, many sent their rescue teams along with plenty of equipment to assist the capital. He had to give credit to the government's response as just a day after the incident and they were already all over the place.

Still, reconstruction would take time. A lot of time, he figured.

Continuing his surveillance, Ogawa eventually reached the site of the end of the battle; the crater in which the final confrontation with Fudou occurred. He stood on the rim, looking down towards the center of it, imagining in his mind the situation the wielders had found themselves in. It was by a stroke of luck nobody died that night.

No, that wasn't correct, he said to himself. There was a single casualty among them.

And part of his job today was to try and find anything that might have been left of her, as small a chance as it may be.

Turning away from the crater, he ventured towards a different direction. Having been debriefed on the sequence of events, Ogawa took it upon himself to investigate various points of interest that could narrow down his search for evidence. While the vast majority was gone along with the Gears, he had a gut feeling that something was left behind.

And that was what he was going to figure out.

Ignoring the many workers around him, Ogawa continued his search, his hawk-like eyes scanning every piece of debris he lay his sight on. Left and right he looked as he walked, circling the crater.

'_Perhaps...'_

He stopped, standing at a particular location he recalled he saw in the footage. Unless he was mistaken, this was where Saint-Germain stood before she rose to destroy Adam, meaning the direction she would have come from would be...

He turned, heading further into the wreckage. Climbing over a few collapsed concrete walls in his way, he reached a yet uncleared area.

Retracing her steps turned out to be more interesting than he had anticipated, Ogawa noticed. Wherever the spear had landed, it must have been in a hard to reach place, made all the more difficult for her due to having one arm. She must have also tried to remain as quiet as possible as to not alert Adam or Fudou to her presence.

He jumped over a bigger pile of rubble, landing on a leg and a knee on the other side. Lifting his gaze, he stared ahead.

And that's when he realized he had reached the right place.

It made sense to him why anyone would miss it. Even the satellites wouldn't have been able to find this easily since a piece of a nearby wall had fallen on top of it. However, from his angle, it was almost too obvious.

He walked over slowly and tossed aside the piece on top of the object.

And promptly picked it up, staring at it with a curious gaze. "So you simply left this behind, haven't you?"

In his hand was none other than Saint-Germain's Spellcaster, the core of her Faust Robe. From what he had gleaned, this was what made her transformation possible.

And now, it was the only thing that remained of her.

Sighing to himself, Ogawa quickly opened a channel to HQ.

"Commander, I've found something."

-!-

A few days later...

_Beep_

_Beep_

_Beep_

Her eyes fluttered open slowly.

The first thing she noticed as she awakened was the total darkness in the room, her eyes taking their time adjusting to it. The ceiling above her was vaguely familiar, and only the beeping coming from her left gave her any idea at all as to where she was.

She turned her head to the right, spotting the several empty beds of the medical room, as well as the door that led out of it. Other than a few dim LED lights, it truly was very dark and quiet inside; almost comfortable, even.

_Beep_

_Beep_

_Beep_

The obnoxious noise continued, ringing in her head.

It was then that she noticed that her left hand was warmer than the other and that something was grasped in her hold. Tilting her head, she looked down to where it was.

And saw her own hand holding another's.

Instantly her mind rebooted, and memories returned to her in full force. Her eyes wide open, she quickly turned her head fully to the left.

"Hibiki..."

She murmured the girl's name in shock. She was there, right next to here, her eyes closed and her chest rising and lowering slowly as she breathed. From what she could see, she was sleeping, and the EKG above her was monitoring her heartbeats.

To her untrained ears, they sounded stable.

That was enough to cause her to lose her composure immediately.

"Hibiki..."

Miku turned over on her side, staring at Hibiki's sleeping face. Tears welling up in her eyes, she cradled the hand she was holding to her chest, enveloping it with her other as well.

She clutched it tightly, as much as she could, not letting it go for even a second.

"I'm glad... I'm so glad you're okay..."

Barely a minute into waking up, Miku was already crying in relief. Hibiki may not be conscious, but she was alive. She did not know what state was she in at the moment, but she had hope.

The beeping continued as she sobbed, getting it all out of her system once again.

She briefly wondered to herself; how much could she cry in a single month? She didn't count, but she was sure she cried more in this one incident more than she ever did her entire life.

That's a long period to compare to, yet she couldn't bring herself to stop. The huge shift from horror to relief, from sorrow to happiness... it was just too much for her.

She could face down the grudges of humanity, yet she couldn't control her own emotions.

But no one would ever blame her for such a thing, for what she and the others had achieved was an act worthy of being called a miracle. Saving Hibiki from the grasp of All the Evils of this World will always be the one triumph they'll forever consider their greatest accomplishment.

Their greatest victory.

It took Miku the better part of half an hour to finally calm herself down enough. The sheets stained with her tears, she raised one hand to brush away a loose hair that fell on Hibiki's face, being gentle and slow as she did so.

Truthfully, she didn't want to leave her side at all. She was content with lying in the darkness and just watch her sleep, being ready to respond to absolutely anything that came up. She was resolved to do so as well, and in fact, it was she was doing just at that moment.

Unfortunately, she did not take into account the call of nature.

Reluctantly, Miku released her hold on Hibiki's hand and rose from the bed, putting her feet on the ground. It was cold, and it was only now that Miku noticed that she was clothed in the normal hospital gown that she had worn last time she was hospitalized in HQ.

Putting that thought aside, for now, she put on the provided slippers. She rose to her feet, stumbling once before regaining her footing.

And so, Miku uneasily made her way to the door, her legs moving forward a tiny step by step. When it slid open, she winced at the sharp sound and stepped into the bright hallway.

The door promptly closed behind her, leaving her completely alone. She looked left and right, trying to spot anyone she might recognize, but she wasn't what time or even what day it was.

Her confusion was pushed aside as her bladder burned again, and deciding to put aside all other matters away, for now, made her way to the restrooms where she remembered them.

During her trek, she could not help but inwardly laugh at the familiarity of the situation. Walking through the empty hallways of S.O.N.G HQ with only her own mind as company. She could only assume it was night time, but the lack of windows on the submarine made it difficult to ascertain. No employees were around to tell or her even notice her awakening, and so she was once again alone, just meandering through the hallways.

Fortunately, it served as the perfect opportunity to just think to herself now that her mind wasn't as groggy and her emotions were far more controlled.

She could barely believe it. She had indeed, with everyone's help, defeated the demon and took Hibiki back. It threw absolutely everything it had at her and more, and yet despite all of that she had surpassed it and proved victorious.

It was almost surreal. Here she was, limping forward half-aimlessly looking for a toilet, when just before she had been channeling heavenly power and sowing destruction in her wake, clashing against the evils of mankind.

For a change, she felt proud of herself. Relieved and calmer than she had ever been, all she had to look forward to was the moment Hibiki would wake up.

However, thinking about it now, she knew for a fact that such a process would bring about its own share of difficulty. Miku could admit that she knew Hibiki very well at this point, maybe even better than herself, and she could say with absolute certainty that Hibiki was not going to wake up very happy.

No, her reaction would be one that would paint Hibiki in a new light for them; complete and utter horror and crippling guilt at what she had done, followed by completely shutting herself away from the world in order to not deal with it.

She could already see it play out: Hibiki would awaken with everyone around her, see their faces, and almost immediately start panicking. Miku remembered the face Hibiki when she had saved her the first time, and she had noticed what kind of expression marred Hibiki's face at the approach of their closest friends and allies.

Yeah, she could see it clearly. Hibiki, so horrified by her own actions, would deem herself unfit to be in their presence. She would shy away from the world, just like back then, in order to avoid others' scrutiny.

Only that this time, she would definitely feel it was justified. Hibiki was afraid of the world after all, and now would be even more so seeing that she had directly threatened it.

The fact that she was influenced by a dark force would not even be a part of the equation for her. She would shut herself away and wallow in grief and guilt on her own without telling anyone how she was feeling.

The same deal as always with her. Miku had already gone through iterations of the same thing in the past, and she resolved to deal with it the same way as she had always done:

Be there for her. She had promised her she would, and not even the near destruction of the world would be enough to make her rescind that promise.

But of course, everything comes at its own time. She first wanted to hear how Hibiki was doing rather than rely on a beeping machine above her head, and then she could start brainstorming her approach to her inevitable nervous breakdown.

It was no secret to her that Hibiki had problems. Quite a few of them, in fact, a fair bit of them stemming from that fateful day in the Zwei Wing concert.

But so did everyone else, herself included. And she, of course, remembered clear as crystal how she brazenly and unashamedly admitted to her own right to the demon, completely undoing its apparent plan to break her down.

It didn't matter to her what the demon thought. Miku was first and foremost on Hibiki's side, no one else's. She had made that abundantly clear to Genjuro, and she was glad that everyone else shared in that feeling with her. She didn't think she could do it without them. Their support was paramount, and in the end, the fruits of their labours ripened magnificently.

All that's left to do is plant the new seeds, and carefully watch everything grow from there.

Her bladder burned again, shaking her out of her inner stupor and pulling her back into the real world.

First, taking care of her basic bodily needs.

-!-

About ten minutes later, Miku began making her way towards the bridge of S.O.N.G. Still unaware of what time it was, she walked through the halls again silently, this time not falling into any internal monologue or deep thought on the way.

She reached the door in due time, and it slid open before her.

Immediately, Genjuro turned around, and his eyes widened when they landed upon her. "Miku-kun?!"

The rest of the bridge turned as well, surprised by her appearance. "Are you alright?" He asked her.

She stepped inside, walking forward to stand in front of him. "I'm fine, thank you," she answered, looking around. She could see a few familiar faces among them, particularly Fujitaka and Elfnein.

For some reason, Tomosato was nowhere in sight.

"I see, I'm glad to hear that," he said in relief. "You've been asleep for a couple of days, Miku-kun."

"A couple of days?!" she said in shock. "How? I thought... what happened so far?"

He crossed his arms. "Surprisingly, not much," he admitted. "At least, nothing aside from general damage control and wreckage clearing. It's the quietest it's ever been."

"Ah... I see..." she murmured in silent contemplation. "Where's... where's everyone else?"

He laughed. "Sleeping. It's almost midnight after all."

Miku's eyes widened in shock, taken aback. "M-midnight? How did I—"

"Don't worry about it, Miku-kun," he interrupted her. "You blacked out after the fighting. You expended so much energy and effort that you needed all this time to recuperate. It was a hard-fought battle after all."

"I know, but..." she muttered in concern. She then perked up, staring up at him in alarm. "How's Hibiki?! Is she—"

"She's fine," he answered calmly. "She's fine. The doctor checked her over time and time again and he couldn't find anything physically wrong with her. She has a clean bill of health, so you can rest easy."

Miku hugged her arm, clutching it tightly. "I'm glad... I'm glad she's alright."

"This is the result of your hard work and dedication, Miku-kun. Never forget that. You fought against certain death and came out victorious," Genjuro said in an attempt to cheer her up.

"I know, but now... Hibiki will..."

"I can imagine," he said, grumbling to himself. "Unfortunately, this is something I'm not qualified to deal with. This is something... only you can do, Miku-kun. This is where you'll be needed more than anywhere else."

So he figured it out too, she realized. That the real challenge will come after Hibiki wakes up, and all the memories of what had happened will rise to the surface. That was, of course, assuming she'd remember.

And assuming she'd wake up at all.

It was a concern Miku had to voice straight away. "Do... do you know when she'll wake up?"

"No. The doctor found no fluctuations in the brainwaves, so we can only assume that she's sleeping, just like you were. We don't know if there'll be long term psychological effects, but I'd like to believe the results more than my own assumptions; I don't want to jump to conclusions." Genjuro said, eliciting another sigh from Miku. "I know you're worried; we all are. We're all anxiously waiting for her to wake up, to see how we can help her through this... and I know it won't be easy. It looks like you're once again our trump card."

Trump card... last time she heard that pair of words be spoken, it was at the very beginning of when it all started. Just before the cocoon hatched and fell, kicking off the worst conflict they ever had to deal with.

But Miku knew that it was going to be a repeat of what had happened after the concert.

So he was right, no one else was more qualified to handle it. As the person who knew Hibiki the most, there was no other solution. Still, she wasn't looking forward to it. She wasn't looking forward to seeing more despaired expressions on her face or listening to her spouting out words of grief, just like back then.

It was heartbreaking enough the first time.

She fell silent, unsure what to say in response this time. Seeing her hesitation and concern building, Genjuro spoke up again. "You should go back to bed, Miku-kun. You don't want to mess up your sleep schedule after all. You want to be alert when Hibiki-kun wakes up, don't you?"

He was trying to dissuade her from racking her brain, she noticed. "I don't, but..."

There was much she wanted to ask him. "How are Hibiki's parents? And what about the citizens? What will they do?"

"Hibiki-kun's parents are alright. Ogawa personally saw to their safety during the battle; in fact, just today as a gesture of goodwill we had the house repaired, so they don't have to sleep in an unsafe environment. As for the people of the city... we're still trying to figure out some solutions, but in the meantime, they were spread throughout the country to lodge in hotels and other temporary housing complexes. We're still bathing in the aftermath, so we can't do much until we have the full picture."

"I... see..." she murmured again. It was a terrible thing, hearing that so many people were displaced from their homes due to the fighting. But there was no other choice, for even the shelters weren't safe from the destruction. "I understand that... there was also fighting... in the rest of the world, right?"

He fell silent for a moment, his expression grim and sorrowful. "Yes. And there were casualties... nearly a million of them."

She could barely believe it. '_A million dead...'_

The thought terrified her in more ways than one. Not just because it got so bad that even those uninvolved got caught up in it... but that the very knowledge that she was responsible for the death of nearly a million people would shatter Hibiki completely.

And that would be the best-case scenario.

It was a piece of information that she was almost adamant to keep hidden from her. She couldn't allow her to know that—

"I know what you're thinking, Miku-kun, and I have to say that I think likewise," Genjuro suddenly said, cutting her off from her thoughts. "But... there might come a time she'll have to know. We have vowed to no longer keep secrets, so we intend to keep it that way, even the heavy ones."

"But this is different," she argued. "If she hears about this, then even I don't know how she'll react."

"I know, which is why we'll have to break it to her at the right time, only after everything. This is going to be a long process we'll have to approach carefully, amongst many other things. But don't you worry about the world at large; leave that to us, the adults. Your concern should be her and her alone."

He knew Miku was prone to worrying incessantly about pretty much everything. Like a snowball, every thought she has escalated until the moment she can no longer handle it, at which point she can end up making mistakes.

Her obtaining her Gear the first time was a result of such uncontrolled snowballing concern. He wasn't willing to let that happen under his watch again.

"I know, but what about the others? Are they alright?" she asked.

"Yes, they're doing fine," he responded with a chuckle, confusing her. "If any anomalies popped up, we'd already be all over them. Concern yourself only with Hibiki-kun and yourself right now, nothing else. Conserve your energy for when you'll need it."

She wanted to argue further, to say something back to him. There was so much on her mind right now she could barely sort it all out, but she knew he'd just answer the exact same way. "I-I understand," she relented. "I'll try to... calm down."

"That's what I like to hear," he said with a smile. "Now go. You don't want to leave Hibiki-kun by herself do you?"

She blushed slightly at his words despite herself and nodded in response. She yelped when he suddenly placed his hand on her head, petting her gently. "Seriously, Chris-kun was right. You really can't help but worry, can you?"

Her eyes widened at the implication of his words. "How do you—"

"What, you think the simulator doesn't have internal cameras?" he said, tilting his head. "Of course I'd know about your little rendezvous in the middle of the night to train. It's not that much of a secret, especially since Elfnein gave you that tablet to use."

It surprised her, knowing he was aware of what they were doing... of what she was doing.

And that brought up another thought, something that she wasn't proud of. "Genjuro-san, I..."

She swallowed, and he removed his hand from her head. "I want to apologize... for the way I acted. I don't have any excuse for it. I didn't mean to—"

And he put his hand on her head again and huffed. "I know. Your apology is accepted, Miku-kun; I'm aware of the circumstances. In fact, I think I should be the one to apologize to you. I've manipulated your feelings in a very cruel manner."

She remembered that now, how he tricked her time and time again to get her to move. In hindsight, she couldn't really fathom exactly why she held such a mindset at the time, or why she fell to his tricks so easily. She was vaguely aware of the why, but not the _why_ why.

It was all very strange for her, even in her own mind. Maybe now that the multicolored haze she had been engulfed in all this time was gone, she could finally see more clearly.

It wasn't a blurry memory as she had expected. No, she remembered every detail of that one-month downtime; she just couldn't explain it. Even to herself, it made no sense. But there was no point in dwelling on it now. The source of it was gone, along with the enemy they had been desperately fighting.

All that remained was the heavy emotional baggage that they were going to have to sift through bit by bit.

"It's okay, I... I understand too. I don't blame you for it, so it's fine... it's fine," Miku responded. "Then I guess I'll head back now."

"Alright. Sleep tight, and we'll see you again tomorrow."

She responded with one final nod and turned back around towards the door. Miku briefly glanced back at him once more, and then took the final step forward, leaving the bridge behind.

Genjuro stared at the door for a moment, contemplating their conversation.

"Genjuro-san?" Elfnein called to him, making him turn back around.

"It's nothing. Give me a status report on those repairs."

-!-

She wasn't sure why she was in this room now of all times.

Tomosato sat on the bed, staring down at what she held in her hands right above her lap with a saddened expression. "Saint-Germain..."

The gun did not do anything in response. Ever the dutiful commander, Genjuro had noticed her shift in attitude and mood following the conclusion of the battle. While he did not know the extent of their correspondence, he knew that Tomosato and Saint-Germain had struck up a close friendship.

And for someone like her, who was dedicated to her job, close friendships were few and far between. She had indeed found the coincidence to be amusing, seeing herself making friends with someone who was once their enemy.

But she treasured those moments, every single one of them.

And now, all that remained was this gun, the symbol of Saint-Germain's resistance to oppression and the tool that allowed her to get this far.

Upon finding it on the battlefield, Ogawa had handed the gun over to Genjuro, who in a surprising move handed it over to Tomosato for safekeeping, seeing that right now it had no real use. She figured that maybe one day they could reverse engineer it to perhaps make some upgrades for the Gears now that Ignite is gone.

But still...

"Seriously... leaving me hanging like this... it's a bad joke..."

She wasn't one who was prone to crying. In fact, it happened so rarely nobody could remember the last time she did so.

Until the moment Saint-Germain sacrificed herself, which was the moment she could hold it back no longer. Since she had already done her own fair share of crying, all that remained in Tomosato's heart was a hollow hole.

She grasped the gun tighter and raised her head to look at the table in the room. It was clear and cleaned, not a single reminder of Saint-Germain's presence remaining upon it.

To see it unused once more brought down her spirits further, her memories playing back again to the times she had helped the alchemist. Placing the gun on the bed by her side, she rose, heading over to the table. She placed her hand on the metallic surface, simply staring at its reflective shine.

"Can't even say goodbye properly, can you? Sheesh..."

She spoke those words merely to comfort herself, and their effectiveness was... dubious, to say the least. As one that seldom mourned, she was unsure how to confront such feelings on her own. Fujitaka had extended a helping hand, asking if she wanted him to do something for her.

She responded with her usual teasing, leaving him behind with a flushed face.

But now, in the quiet of Saint-Germain's vacant room, there was nothing but memories of bliss.

She studied the table semi-carefully, remembering her own attempts at making jokes and Saint-Germain's flat responses. She had tried, seemingly in vain, to get a laugh out of the woman, but it was an incredibly difficult endeavor. In the end, she failed to do so, but she had to admit it was fun either way.

Is this what it felt like, she asked herself. Is this how a person is supposed to feel in this situation?

She didn't know, and quite frankly, she didn't want to.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she noticed something strange sticking out from behind the table, on the side closest to the wall. It was so small it was barely visible, but she could see something tiny protruding from its back.

Putting both hands on the edge of the table, she pulled it back slightly so she could reach the mysterious object. Reaching over with one hand, she grabbed it by the exposed tip and pulled, tearing it out of its resting place. Turning it over in her hand, she read what was written upon it.

"_For S.O.N.G only."_

She tilted her head in confusion. Why would this piece of paper be stuck to the back of the table?

Curious as for the context, she reached over with her hand once again. Placing it upon where she had grabbed the paper from, she felt something out of place in the table's construction. Something was attached to the back of it, as her hand was not touching metal but rather what felt like plastic.

Opening her palm, she wrapped her hand around the object, realizing it was square-shaped. With a small yank, she pulled it out of where it was hidden and straightened herself, looking at it in further confusion.

"A hard drive?"

That was... odd. Why would Saint-Germain hide a hard drive behind the table? Turning it in her hand, she confirmed what it was by the USB port on its front, and she noticed it was one of the more common ones.

It was a fairly basic hard drive, but if Saint-Germain went through all the trouble of hiding it, then it must be important. And considering the note signified it was for S.O.N.G only...

This needed a deep look into. Whatever it was it contained, it was probably extremely important. And if it belonged to Saint-Germain of all people, then...

There was no more need to think about it here. Quickly grabbing the gun from where it lay on the bed, she clutched the two objects the alchemist left behind and exited the room, heading back to the bridge.

-!-

Miku entered the medical room once more, heading into the comfortable darkness once again. The familiar beeping broke the silence, signifying Hibiki was still asleep. She looked at her prone form from afar, her mind churning at what would happen the moment she'd wake up.

She walked towards her, opting not to lay on the bed this time. Quietly, she took the doctor's chair, raising it above the floor as to not make noise, and placed it gently next to the bed.

She sat down and held Hibiki's hand with her own once more. She clutched it tightly, placing her elbows on the edge of the bed and leaned forward, touching the hand to her forehead in silence. She closed her eyes, content with this simple closeness.

"Hibiki... it'll be alright. Everything will be—"

She stopped herself. No, that phrase was forbidden now, never to be repeated.

"No... but even if things are not alright, I'm here for you, just like I've always been. I'm not letting you go, just like I told you."

Those words were her lifeline, her strength. They were what pushed her forward, giving her the power needed to overcome that evil.

"I'll never leave your side. So please... don't go anywhere..."

She stopped herself from crying again, holding the tears back through sheer force of will.

And the effort, combined with the sheer relief of everything she had heard in the short time she was awake, began to take their toll.

Her eyes closed slowly, and she lay her head on the edge.

"Don't go... anywhere..."

Leaving those words behind, Miku drifted off into the land of dreams.

-!-

...

...

...

...

Her eyes fluttered open.

She raised her head slowly from the side of the bed and winced as she felt a sharp pain in her neck. '_Ah... I fell asleep...'_

With eyes only half-open, she noticed the room was still completely dark and quiet, not a single sound piercing through the blackness. She twisted her head slowly, looking around groggily, yet could find nothing out of place.

"Ugh..." she murmured. As nice as it was to sleep beside Hibiki like this, it still wasn't all that comfortable. But apparently, she was so tired that she dropped like a baby anyway, even after being unconscious for days.

"What time is it..." she asked, not expecting a response from anything or anyone.

She leaned back and raised her arms above her head to stretch.

Only to notice something was amiss.

There was no beeping.

She wasn't holding Hibiki's hand when she woke up.

Her eyes flying open instantly, she looked towards the bed in front of her...

And froze.

For the person that lay on the bed just hours before—

"...Hibiki?!"

—was nowhere to be found.


	38. Chapter 38: Call Your Name

"Hnnn..."

Shifting once again in her sleep, Shirabe drearily opened her eyes to the darkness in the room she shared with Kirika.

Her eyes immediately fell upon the blonde, who was currently snuggling up to her. Kirika tended to be a very messy sleeper, but whenever she was together with Shirabe in one bed, she was far more tame in terms of where her limbs were.

The small bed made the experience slightly uncomfortable, but ever since the end of the battle, the two found solace in just being close, not willing to leave each other's sight. Perhaps it was Miku's unbound resolve, or perhaps it was her bold declarations, but ever since then, Shirabe found herself wanting to be in Kirika's presence more.

To be closer to her at all times, not willing to let her go.

Usually, her thoughts would be far more cheerful, especially in a situation like this. Kirika's sleeping face was always goofy, with her mouth slightly open and drool leaking out to stain the sheet beneath.

Yeah, Kirika was goofy, and a bit hopelessly naive...

But that's how she loved her. If there was anything Miku's dedication did for her, it was to make Shirabe realize just how much.

Which why she was a bit tad worried when she woke up feeling so... cheerless. As if some sort of pit formed in her stomach, Shirabe found herself unable to fall back asleep.

So she did the next best thing, and simply watched Kirika instead.

The last few days had been... odd, to say the least. Left without anything substantial to do, the five wielders were next to useless in this new situation. With no enemy left to fight, their contribution amounted to nothing, as Genjuro adamantly refused to allow them to do anything on the account of "you've earned your rest."

It didn't sit well with any of them, and he even disabled their ability to use the simulator and the training room to further enforce this rule.

With their Gears a total mess, they were essentially confined to the submarine without anything to do. Shirabe had taken that opportunity to do the reading she wanted in the archives, but aside from that, the grueling boredom started to take its toll.

And not only that but the sheer inability to help in the city's reconstruction only made them more depressed, which was completely the opposite of what they were supposed to be feeling. This was supposed to be a winding down from the fighting, a time to get a breath of fresh air before doing whatever came next.

But the sheer inability to do anything was frustrating beyond belief.

And that, combined with that bad feeling Shirabe had, kept her up. Kirika was probably hit the hardest with it, as she was more empathetic than herself. She was more prone to noticing shifts in attitude and more prone to her own emotional moments, and she was hit hard with that feeling as well.

The fact that she was sleeping so soundly right now seemed almost comical. Well, at least one of them was getting a good rest tonight.

Shirabe's thoughts continued to rage as the minutes passed by, the clock on the wall clicking and ticking with every second. Like a tempo, she felt her breathing synchronize with it, somewhat falling into a rhythm that calmed her concerned mind bit by bit.

It was the wee hours of the morning, barely 6 AM. Perhaps she should try and drift off again. A good night's sleep always helps to—

It came out of nowhere.

All of a sudden, the alarms blared powerfully throughout the entire submarine, waking up everyone on board. Kirika, who had been sleeping soundly up until that moment, woke up with a start.

"WHA—!"

Shirabe barely had time to be surprised as the blonde shot upwards and backwards, her hands in the air. Already too close to the edge of the bed, she cleared those final inches and slipped, yelping as her back hit the ground.

"Kiri-chan!"

"Owowowow..."

Kirika rubbed her head with her hand. Quickly recomposing herself, her eyes widened as the red lights joined in on the noise, further raising their alert levels. Looking towards the bulb responsible for the obnoxious colors, Shirabe and Kirika then looked to each other, one on the bed and one on the floor, trying to understand what was going on.

"We should go, Kiri-chan!" Shirabe said, jumping off the bed and heading to the door immediately.

"Wait, Shirabe! We can't go out like this!" Kirika argued, pointing towards their pajamas. They weren't the most conservative pieces they had, and as a result, were forbidden from anywhere except their personal quarters.

Shirabe grumbled to herself for a moment, then turned back to face the room.

"Right..."

She went over to Kirika, offering a hand and helping her to her feet.

Having already lost precious time, the two left the room after a record-breaking three minutes, dashing towards the bridge.

-!-

The number of times the door to the bridge opened in a short period didn't surprise Genjuro. What did surprise him was just how fast the wielders arrived, barely five minutes after the alarm was activated.

Which was good, seeing their current situation.

They were further surprised by the presence of Miku on the bridge, whose expression was so haunted it was impossible to ignore. She sat on a chair close to Genjuro, her hands on her lap and staring blankly at the floor.

It immediately reminded all of them of the day the incident began, more than a month ago. The sheer similarities in reactions were unsettling, but that was not what they were there for.

The alarm quieted down slightly as Genjuro barked his orders. "Keep sweeping everywhere! We can't let even a single spot be left unchecked! We have to find her no matter what!"

"Commander, what is going on?!" Maria asked, bewildered by the proceedings.

Genjuro slightly turned to her and answered. "Hibiki-kun is missing."

Their horrified and shocked reactions were instant and understandable.

"What?!"

"Since this morning, apparently," he continued, and his brows furrowed. "But we don't know the specifics of when. Miku-kun noticed when she woke up and came to me with the news. We've been looking for her nonstop since then."

It was a bit of an overstatement, considering barely fifteen minutes had passed since Miku first arrived on the bridge panting and distressed. The second she had stated that Hibiki was gone, Genjuro wasted no time in making sure everyone was up on their feet for the joint effort to find her.

But he knew that was not the case. Hibiki was missing.

"Get me internal camera footage of the medbay!" Genjuro yelled.

A crew member on the lower part of the bridge quickly responded to him. "We can't, sir!"

"What? Explain!" Genjuro demanded angrily.

"The system hasn't been repaired yet!" the crew member countered. "They weren't high on the priority, so no one got around to fixing them! Our internal surveillance is still offline!"

"Shit!" Genjuro cursed, smashing his hand on the console. He remembered how at the final moments of the battle, the submarine was shaken so violently that parts of it were damaged, which was why he ordered repairs to take place as soon as possible.

But their manpower in the engineering team was limited, and as a result, more vital systems were prioritized. Seeing that the internal cameras were useless in their current situation, they were left low on the list and thus were never repaired.

Which now proved to be a grave mistake. With no ability to check on what was going on in the interior, they were essentially blind as to where she could possibly be.

And what's worse, they were also docked in the harbor and the walkway to the outside remained lowered, meaning Hibiki could have up and left at any moment with everyone being none the wiser.

"Damn it," he swore and turned to the girl next to him. "Miku-kun, you went to sleep at around midnight, correct?"

"Yes," she answered emotionlessly.

"And you came to me as soon as you noticed she was gone."

"Yes."

He contemplated what more he should ask. "You didn't see or hear anybody come or go from the medical room?"

"No," she answered once more. "I... I fell asleep by her side, holding her hand. I didn't hear a thing until I woke up and noticed she wasn't in her bed."

"So that gives us around a six-hour timeframe, as she could have awakened at any moment during that period," he said to himself. "She couldn't have gotten very far, then, seeing as she's on foot, without protection, and is severely weakened. She has to be inside the city, but..."

He bit his lip. "We don't have any way to track her. Her communicator is here along with her phone. Seeing as she doesn't have a Gear, we have virtually no way to confirm her position. We're completely blind."

"What about the satellites? They should help us look!" Chris argued.

"We would... but the system is currently down for maintenance," Genjuro explained. "It worked for a little while in the end there, but it started glitching and so we were forced to take it down to fix it."

"So we can't even track her through the air... but it shouldn't be that hard. There shouldn't be anyone in the city right now! How hard can it be to find one person?!"

"Hard enough," Maria said, putting a hand on her chin in thought. "Especially if we have to look with our own eyes."

"If that's the case at all..." Genjuro said grimly, forcing the wielders to look at him in confusion.

"Commander... what do you mean by that?" Shirabe asked him nervously.

He was quiet for a moment, calculating the chances of the probability of what he was thinking. It wasn't very high, but it wasn't impossible either.

And because it wasn't impossible, it had to be addressed.

Before he could speak, however, it was Tsubasa who announced exactly what he was thinking.

"There is the possibility... that Fudou may have spirited her away under our noses."

Their wide-eyed reaction was an indication enough as to the absurdity of that statement.

"WHAT?! You mean that bastard kidnapped her?!" Chris bellowed, causing several of the crew of S.O.N.G to turn to her in shock.

"We can't rule out the possibility," Genjuro said in agreement. "Not after what he did. And that... makes things difficult."

That was an understatement.

The very assumption that he did would already be enough to force them into full mobilization mode. Having practically turned on him on that night, there was no way S.O.N.G was going to quietly allow him to just grab the girl.

Or more specifically, the wielders themselves wouldn't let him get away with it, even if he tried to tell them otherwise. Having already been given their Gears back from Elfnein, it was essentially up to them whether or not to go to his residence themselves and force the information out of him.

And with Tsubasa's threat, he did not doubt that she would make good on it.

Politically, such a move would be disastrous. Regardless of the motive, it would quickly be seen as an attempt to overthrow Fudou's authority, who was in league with the government. This, in turn, would cause the government to turn on them, starting what is essentially a civil war between themselves and the armed forces.

And in a time as tumultuous as this, a single wrong assumption could plunge them into an untold amount of chaos.

Which was why this had to be carefully analyzed. No jumping to conclusions, for a single mistake would doom them all, even with the wielders.

"But we can't jump the gun just yet," he said, trying to defuse Chris immediately. "We need to think of the possibility first thing first. Now, how would he have pulled it off?"

"Either a spy or an infiltrator," Maria summarized quickly.

"Eh? A spy? Really?" Kirika asked.

"It's not out of the question," Tsubasa nodded. "After all, it's known that Grandfather still has some measures of influence on us, and he's keeping his eyes on us at all times. There may be someone colluding with him from the inside. In that case, that would mean whoever it was would not be on the submarine."

"That's a long shot. Because we have no way to know when it happened, it could have occurred at any point during that six-hour timeframe; and six hours is a lot of time to take someone and return, or at least, bring them to a collaborator who would, in turn, bring her back to Kamakura," Genjuro responded.

"Then what are we waiting for?! We have to get her back!" Chris shouted. She looked ready to stomp to Fudou's doorstep all on her own. "We can't let that bastard have her!"

"We can't," Genjuro hurriedly shot her down. "I just said we can't go off of just assumptions. He may have a motive, but that's all we have."

"But that's more than enough! You saw what he tried to do!"

"And what if we're wrong?" he asked her, shutting her up completely. "What do you think will happen if we raid his complex only to discover absolutely nothing? It'll be a disaster. No amount of apologies or affirmative action will be able to fix that. No excuse or reasoning we have will get us out of that mess. In fact, we'd just give him even more incentive to take her in order to keep her away from us. We'll be painted the traitors and all of us will suffer."

It was grave enough that it sent chills down their spines. He continued regardless, "That's why now, more than any other time, we have to act cautiously. We won't rule the possibility out, but we can't depend on it either."

"So what do you suggest we do?" Maria asked.

"We send search parties. We scour every nook and cranny of the city perimeter until we find her," he answered. He then turned to Fujitaka. "Have you done a sweep with the proximity sensors?"

"Yes, sir. I couldn't find any boats or anything of the like next to us. If she was taken out of the city, it would have to be on land."

"Then that narrows down our search. Fujitaka, start mobilizing the teams. Tomosato, shift focus back to the satellite connections and have them back as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir."

The commander then turned to the wielders. "All of you will join in as well. Even with most of the city destroyed, there might be places she could be hiding in. We're going by the assumption that she ran away, so don't stop until you find her."

Miku immediately shot to her feet, a resolute expression on her face. "I'm going too."

Genjuro looked at her for a moment, thinking about what to do. He contemplated stopping her from joining the search, but that would be a fruitless endeavor. "Alright then. Investigate everything and everywhere you can. Don't leave even a single stone unturned."

The five wielders replied as one. "Yes, sir!"

-!-

An hour later, a squad of vehicles was parked outside in the ruined harbor, the teams finishing the final preparations to begin the search. As the many men and women of S.O.N.G shuffled around getting their things in order, the wielders along with Miku waited impatiently, anxious to get rolling.

Frustrated, Chris hailed Genjuro from her communicator. "Old man, why aren't we just using our Gears? We can get this done much faster this way!"

"_I thought about it, but in the end, it's too unsafe. Remember that your identities are still confidential, so we can't have anyone, even the relief teams, know who you are. You're going to have to do this the old fashion way,"_ he said

She didn't like that answer at all, but there was nothing she could do about it. Gritting her teeth, Chris voiced her frustration by huffing and taking the lead, picking one of the vehicles scattered around the harbor.

None of the wielders said anything as she went. Looking to each other, they nodded and headed off in their own directions, each one of the girls picking a car that will take them around the city in search of Hibiki.

Miku was the last to pick, and she walked forward towards one of the hummers. As she approached, a familiar face peeked out of the open driver's seat and waved to her.

"Kohinata-san, it's nice to see you again."

She perked up at the familiar voice. "Ah, Motoyasu-san. It's nice to see you too."

He smiled, but then changed tones. "As much as I'd like to catch up, we have work to do. You want to find Tachibana-san as soon as possible, no? Then hop in."

She had no reason to complain. If there was going to be a search, then at least it would be with someone she knew. Miku circled the hummer, heading towards the passenger seat. Motoyasu opened the door for her from the inside, and she climbed up and entered the seat, taken aback by the unfamiliar interior of the military-grade vehicle.

With a heave, Miku closed the heavy door and put on her seatbelt as Motoyasu spoke up to the comm. "Recon 6 is ready and waiting."

"_Good,"_ Genjuro confirmed. "_All units, head out. Your mission is to find Hibiki-kun and bring her back no matter what."_

"Yes, sir!" Motoyasu responded, and on cue started up the hummer. He briefly looked to Miku, who was staring ahead with her eyes narrowed, and then looked back to the road, driving off.

Dust was left in the wake of the squad, Motoyasu's hummer being the third in the formation. Currently, S.O.N.G only had twenty available vehicles, and for this operation, all of them were deployed at once.

They were lucky that the teams and the cars survived or this wouldn't be possible. The operation itself was a simple one: each hummer would drive off in a different direction and carefully comb the section of the city it was assigned to.

The ride was a rocky one as the hummers drove over piles upon piles of debris leftover from the battle. Miku held on the dashboard for dear life as the hummer shook and jumped with every meter it drove. Motoyasu seemed completely unfazed, his countless hours of driving experience coming in handy right at this moment.

Miku waited until they finally met some even ground to pick up the built-in communicator. Following Motoyasu's example, she pressed the button, hailing her friends scattered throughout the city. "Where is everyone going?"

After a small cackle of the signal, the first to answer was Tsubasa. "_We're heading over to the area of the old concert hall. Since it's still standing, we'll see if she's perhaps on one of the floors."_

"_And we're going to the city's outskirts," _Chris followed. "_Who knows what hole she's hiding in."_

That was true, Miku had to admit. With the city in shambles, none of the spots Hibiki could be in were viable. Flower, the shopping center, the aquarium, every place she could think of was nothing but rubble at this point and were not places Hibiki could hide in.

There was nowhere in the city she could possibly hide because the vast majority of the buildings were nothing more than flattened plots of land. Kirika, Shirabe, and Maria answered her as well, but it didn't matter at this point where they were going. The only thing she could do right now was focus on her own destination.

Lydian campus, chosen by herself. Initially, Genjuro wanted her to head elsewhere, but she had adamantly refused to go anywhere else. Eventually relenting, he permitted it, and so Miku watched the scenery remain unchanged as they made their way to Lydian.

-!-

"Anything, Sakai-san?"

"No sign of her, Akatsuki-san."

Kirika grumbled to herself. She was in charge of the main Shibuya area, the place where she usually hung out with Shirabe and Chris after school. To see all of their favorite shops in total ruin was heartbreaking on a whole other level. She was just in that one accessories store two months earlier. She had bought a nice necklace for Shirabe there, one her partner had liked a lot, and so the two on their off days checked the store out quite a few times.

And here it was, a flat pancake of a building with one of Zababa's footprints right on top of it. It was so ironic, she realized, that the one who had thoughtlessly stepped on the store was herself, piloting the mechanical goddess. And of course, nearby were the titan's footsteps, marking the whole area as one gigantic stomping ground the two colossi had battled right on top of.

It was completely ridiculous; nothing had survived the battle except Lydian and the old concert hall. Just that fact alone already made her realize that this entire area was pointless to scan.

There was no way Hibiki was going to be here. If she wanted to hide anywhere, it wouldn't be in this... playground of a wreckage.

And this was the part that was spared. She couldn't even begin to imagine what the area of Western Tokyo might look like to Shirabe, who was there right now in the south with another contingent of the search team.

The entire place was after all scorched to nothingness by Tsubasa's attack, so it was even less likely Hibiki was there either.

"I don't think she'll be here," she said to the comm.

"I don't believe so either. Perhaps we should move onto the next area."

Flipping over humongous concrete chunks would add nothing to their endeavors. Even Kirika had enough sense to know that she wouldn't hide somewhere people could see her. It had to be somewhere more enclosed, preferably with four walls and a ceiling; maybe even some of the shelters in the area are still intact.

She'll get started on that first.

-!-

"Tsubasa-san, we've already gone through all of the floors we could."

The idol gritted her teeth. "I know, but we must double-check in case we missed a spot."

The rescue team member grumbled inwardly. They had arrived in the old concert hall an hour ago, and with their team being the biggest they thought they'd find Hibiki by now.

The building itself was gigantic, and the way up wasn't easy. They had taken the now derelict emergency stairs up to the higher levels, carefully scouring every location as they passed it. Yet, there was no sign of the wayward wielder.

"The chances she's here are slim to none, Tsubasa-san."

"I am aware," she replied in frustration. "Hibiki, where could you have gone?"

They weren't at the top just yet, but her hopes already felt dashed. Hibiki could have gotten anywhere at that six-hour timeframe, and by the minute Tsubasa felt as if Genjuro's hypothesis was becoming true. It was a bit rash to assume so already, but so far nobody has reported anything. The girl had become a total ghost, vanishing somewhere they couldn't find her.

But she couldn't stop just yet. The climb was difficult, but luckily the stairs were all in one piece all the way to the top. After another half an hour of climbing and searching, the group reached the top of the structure, exiting just outside of the ruined concert hall.

Tsubasa needed a moment to take the sight in. She hadn't been in this place for over a year, and coming back to it now was all sorts of nostalgic.

She shook her head. No trips down memory lane now. Leading the way forward, the team cut through the huge courtyard outside of the stage itself, going up the stairs to the concert hall. It was still broken in many locations, and not a single bit of it was ever fixed, but it was still standing despite everything.

For a moment, Tsubasa wished it was destroyed earlier. It offered nothing to the city except for being a cruel reminder to what had occurred there. Also, with the cable car out of commission, it made the climb far more difficult. They would have taken a helicopter up, but the chances that Hibiki was hiding inside of the stairwell were not zero, so they chose to be diligent and carefully search there as well.

They may have not found her, but at least it removed a potential location from their lists. Now, they needed to look through the concert hall itself, and that was going to be difficult all on its own.

And Tsubasa wasn't confident she'd find her here. Out of all the people in the world, Hibiki was the last person she'd imagine coming back here to hide. This place carried sad memories for her as well, and people usually tended to avoid going somewhere where they'd feel nothing but sadness.

But in her current condition, what would Hibiki even be thinking? It was obvious to her as much as it was to anyone else; Hibiki was a distorted individual, and after such a disastrous incident there was no way she'd just let everything go.

No, it was painfully obvious to her what she was thinking.

And how, right now, every place felt unsafe.

A terrible thought made its way into her mind, and she quickly shook her head before it could take hold. No, Hibiki wouldn't do such a thing. She'd never—

"Damn it," Tsubasa cursed, causing one of the search team members to turn to her with eyes narrowed. She ignored his stare, focusing on the frightening logic in her mind and the conclusion she had reached.

A deep pit in her stomach developed, and she prayed to God that she was wrong. No, she could not allow herself to assume anything. She'll find her first and then think more deeply. There was no place for wayward thoughts. A Sentinel's duty was to protect the people, even from themselves.

And out of all the people in the world, she vowed to protect Hibiki above all else.

-!-

"Kadingir..."

How long has it been since the last time she had seen this place? It was always just there, on the horizon, yet Maria seldom dared approach it.

She had nothing to find there after all, except for regrets.

"It looks like the inside is still accessible," the search team member to her right said. "Shall we head inside?"

Maria nodded. "Yes, let's go."

The area was usually sealed off from outsiders, but right now nobody would bother checking if someone unauthorized headed inside. And besides, they are S.O.N.G, and out of everyone in the world, they should be the only people allowed to enter.

Not that she could give herself any credit for it. Maria was, after all, not a part of Section 2 at the time of the wielders' battle with Fine. She was not there to see Chris rise into the sky and sacrifice herself to divert the ion cannon's beam away from the moon.

She was not there to witness Tsubasa pass by Fine's guard and crash headlong into the tower. She did not see her destroy it, rendering the ancient priestess' goal impossible.

She was not there to marvel at Hibiki's first attainment of X-Drive, and how the three wielders, powered up and resurrected, soared into space to stop the moon fragment from crashing down on Earth.

She was not there... to hear their heartfelt song.

Pretending to be Fine after it all ended, and trying to undermine the efforts of those who had saved the world... what was she thinking?

If there was one thing Maria will never stop chiding herself over, it was her utter foolishness in believing there was some sort of justice to what she had done. Threatening innocent people, letting Ver do what he wanted, and even going along with his schemes.

Shirabe once called Hibiki a hypocrite. But in the end, Maria realized that the hypocrite was herself. Attempting to achieve justice by playing the villain... Their plans were destined to fail, for there was no justice in them.

Only a selfish desire that they did not have the strength to attain. Her heart was not as resolute, and so she had naturally lost against those whose hearts were infallible.

Hibiki gave her a second chance to right it all, and so Maria could not bring herself to forget that she was in her debt. And she would pay it back as many times as needed, for her own sake.

The search team entered the blocked off ruins in due time, the leader entering first to survey the area for potential hazards. After about ten minutes, he headed back out to signal them in, and Maria along with the rest of the team followed him inside.

It was dark, and so every one of them was armed with a powerful flashlight that bathed the ruins in so much light that it almost seemed like it still had a working generator.

That should make their search all the easier.

Still, Maria felt skeptical. She did not believe Hibiki in her current state could head this far inside on her own, especially since it was so dark. But still, it wasn't out of the question, so they had to consider it as they traveled through the base of the tower.

And there was a lot to search through. For one reason or another, countless rooms were scattered all over the ruins, forcing the team to head into each one and inspect them carefully. While they weren't all that spacious, they still had nooks and crannies small enough that a person could fit in, and so it increased the time of their search tenfold.

Maria didn't like being in here, for more reasons than one. It felt claustrophobic and eerie, and in general, the ruins of Kadingir were just another reminder of many horrible things.

As much as she tended to dwell on the past, this place's very existence was like a rotten hole in the core of a generally healthy apple.

She wished they'd tear this place down already, so they wouldn't have to look at it any longer. That they would make use of its remains for something more useful than being essentially a gigantic gravemarker.

Hibiki wouldn't be here, not after everything. The ruins may have had survived the battle, but the chances she was within them were slim.

"Let's go further in," the search party leader said, gesturing forward.

They said nothing in response as they followed after him. Sighing to herself, Maria stepped into the darkness, carried onward by the source of light she held in her hand.

-!-

"An unmarked grave in the middle of nowhere... really, is this what they gave us?" Chris said to herself, clicking her tongue. Her team was responsible to look through the outlying areas, and hers specifically brought her to this cemetery she had never been to before. It was only because of a casual reminder by one of the team's members that she found out what was special about it.

And so, she stared at the tombstone, having been left untouched ever since they had been declared dead over a year ago. They had had to remain in hiding for nearly two weeks until they were able to throw off their tracks, leading to some very uncomfortable moments in the shelter at the time.

It was all complicated business she never bothered to properly listen to, but all in all, she logically comprehended the reasons behind such a move. There was something about their deaths being ambiguous, followed by the cover story that they hadn't actually died and were rescued just in time and treated for injuries.

A bunch of yadda yaddas that were unimportant to her, yet she still stood and stared at the empty grave before her in silent despondency.

It, like a lot of things, was a reminder. A reminder of her own role in the grand scheme of things, and how it was by her hand that the Noise were let loose on the world.

How she had willingly followed Fine, wholeheartedly believing in her cause. She realized that in the end, all that she sought was vengeance for the death of her parents, choosing to blame the entire world for the actions of an exceptional few.

She had met many nice and friendly people since she had joined S.O.N.G, and through her interactions with them, she learned that she had been wrong.

DEAD wrong, in fact, and it was Fine who was the crazy one.

But even though Fine had manipulated her and tortured her... she couldn't bring herself to hate her; not as much as before anyway. Looking back, the signs were all there... just how broken that woman truly was.

She was tired, and it showed. All of her actions made with a sense of utmost urgency, and she made many costly mistakes that she hadn't made until then.

It was definitely far fetched to think so, but maybe in some way, Fine had wished to be defeated. Wished to finally have the chance to stop pursuing a goal she had never reached, and looked for the way out she had never found on her own.

In the end, that woman too was saved by Hibiki. She too found some peace after centuries of bloodshed and conflict.

Chris didn't hate Fine. She pitied her, felt sorry for her... and hoped she was finally able to find some peace.

"Yukine-san?"

The man's voice shook her from her thoughts, and she blinked rapidly as she recomposed herself. Turning around, she looked at the man in the eye as he continued.

"We found no clue as to her location, Yukine-san," he said, and Chris clicked her tongue again in annoyance. "Did you find anything?"

She hung her head. "No... she's not here."

She chided herself for getting lost in thought like this. Even though she had already looked through the area of the graveyard earlier, it was still no excuse to day-dream in the middle of such an urgent situation. Hibiki was still missing, and nobody had reported in yet that they had found her. She knew where all her teammates went, and she knew that the moment they'd have found her that they would have said so.

It was a wild goose chase, except if the goose was invisible. They couldn't track her, couldn't see her, and were acting off of an assumption. Chris still believed that Fudou had something to do with Hibiki's disappearance, but until they finish their search they cannot act against him.

She didn't like him, so she blamed him first.

Just like she had done with Hibiki when they first met.

Maybe it would be better to give him the benefit of the doubt... just this one time and believe that it wouldn't come to needless bloodshed.

"Let's keep going then. We have more ground to cover on ahead. We still need to look through the forest."

She nodded, "Right."

-!-

"_You hypocrite! There are so many hypocrites like you in this world!"_

Hindsight was truly 20/20, Shirabe finally realized. How ironic it was that she was the one that called Hibiki a hypocrite, and yet the biggest one of them all was herself.

She derided her for wanting to talk, to come to an understanding, yet in the end, she was the first to cast aside the meaningless farce they had pursued and gone over to Sections 2's side. Upon seeing the needless cruelty, devastation, frustration, and overall ridiculousness of their goal, Shirabe was quick to abandon ship.

FIS was doomed to fail from the start, and yet she had not seen that until the moment it all went to hell.

The Symphogears were made to protect humanity from the Noise, and yet it was FIS who had wielded them against other people first.

Shirabe realized she was the biggest hypocrite of them all, and that she'd probably never be able to atone for it. All the more because she was eventually won over to Hibiki's side by the very thing she claimed was delusional.

And here she was, looking around the shopping district she and Kirika always frequented while they were with FIS. She could still remember the prices and labels of the cup noodles they had bought, and her own meager attempts at cooking up a meal so they wouldn't starve.

They had pursued justice, and that justice ended up betraying them. They relied on a maniac, not seeing that he was most definitely going to turn on them. Doing nothing as he played with someone's mind and body, nearly crippling her for life if it wasn't for the timely intervention by another.

They made mistakes, and in the end, Mom's life was the price. The woman, until the very end, believed in her cause and with her final bits of strength saved humanity as a whole.

And yet Shirabe felt that all of that struggle, all of that suffering... could have been avoided entirely had they just come to Section 2 in the first place.

Perhaps then she wouldn't have to feel like a failure. Wouldn't have to feel like she was eternally making up for her mistakes.

Her shoes crunched against the rubble underneath her as she walked, trying to think of possible hiding spots in this charred landscape. Nothing much had changed during the battle, as Tsubasa's attack truly left nothing standing in its aftermath. The air smelled like ash and burning wood, a surprising sensation considering it has been over a month since it happened. The wretched stench should have dissipated by now, but she figured such a thing can remain for a long time after the fact.

And the chances that Hibiki was hiding in a hell hole like this were not high, to say the least.

A fact one of the search team members with her pointed out. "We should move on. There is no way she'd be here. You can barely stand here, much less hide for a long period of time."

"I agree," she answered. "There aren't any hiding spots here; it's all ground up dust anyway."

Where could Hibiki be? Nobody reported in yet, making it seem like they were just going in circles. Was she even in the city at all? Are they looking for thin air right now?

Time was ticking, and Shirabe felt it. Every minute she wasn't in their sight was another minute to jump to conclusions, whether they be hopeful or discouraging. Some were even extreme, a fact she loathed to admit.

But if they didn't rule off Fudou kidnapping her, they couldn't rule off...

'_No no no, bad Shirabe.'_

To think such things was borderline insanity. They will find her, even if they had to recruit more people to the cause.

Maybe they should have done that in the first place. Twenty teams of six people each all searching for one person inside of a gigantic city would obviously take a huge amount of time.

But they had to act swiftly and without alerting the higher-ups in the government to their actions. If they ever found out who was the root cause of the distraction, finding her would be the least of their problems.

"Let's focus on anything that looks out of place. We won't find anything like this," she said to her team.

"Very well. We'll go around and search the vicinity. I think some buildings held up better than most."

The team scattered at the man's words, and she was left to look at them walk in different directions, leaving her alone in front of the supermarket's torn down remains.

Turning around, she went towards her next destination, determined to find the girl that had opened her eyes.

-!-

"Where do you want to start, Kohinata-san?" Motoyasu asked the girl as he and the team looked up at the main Lydian building. It was still in one piece, with only some holes dotting the brick wall that made it up. It was still a shock the structure, along with the rest of the campus, survived the destruction and the chaotic battle that took place just a few days before.

Whether it was a miracle or not, Miku didn't care. Taking a step forward, she spoke, "The dorms, I think. Maybe we can check the other buildings too."

Miku had exactly one destination in mind for herself. Her gut feeling told her that if Hibiki wasn't there, then she wouldn't be anywhere.

She was essentially telling Motoyasu and the others to get lost because she wanted to make sure in the event she did find her, that she'd be alone. The last thing Hibiki needed right now was more people fussing over her and making noise that could cause her distress.

Miku just knew that right now, Hibiki was in a delicate situation. She had to be approached carefully, slowly, and with gentle movements. Akin to an animal just rescued from an abusive owner, it is only with care and patience that she'd be more willing to open up to others.

This time, she told herself not to go along with Hibiki's empty reassurances in case she tried to give any. The last time she did so, Miku did not ask questions, and that in the end led to her bottling up everything without an outlet for her frustrations.

That, combined with two years of hell and a year of near-constant fighting, led to the situation they had managed to resolve by the skin of their teeth. So for the sake of avoiding a repeat, Miku prepared herself to do as necessary...

And start demanding things of the girl, regardless of what she wanted. Only then will she finally understand.

"Then we'll check here. You go to the dorms and see what you can find," the team leader told her. Whether he got her message or not didn't matter to her, but the fact he was sending her alone implied he did.

The team scattered, and Miku made her way to the dorms. They were not too far off from the main building itself, where all the classes were held. It was a path she knew by heart, and she could only look sadly at the ruined surroundings. They may be still standing, but the knowledge of what had occurred and the circumstances that led to it made everything all the more depressing.

The path was intact but rife with debris. Several times she had to stop and look for another way, as a giant piece of an adjacent building had apparently fallen and blocked her straightforward trek.

They're not going to come back here in a very long time, she understandably realized. With both the city and the school in shambles, education in a music school was going to take a backseat to the reconstruction and general shuffling of the citizens all around.

She closed her eyes momentarily and gave a silent apology to the people who were displaced by her actions, as indirect as they may be. But at least they're all alive and will be able to come back to their homes.

Eventually. There was no telling what their reactions would be.

As she walked, Miku found her mind briefly wondering to their three friends. The last time she had seen any of them was over a month ago, and she hadn't spoken to any of them since she woke up. She didn't really count her urgent conversation with Kuriyo as such due to what it entailed.

What would they say? The three knew who the wielders were, and were always very accepting of the idea.

But now... would they look at Hibiki the same way as always?

Or would they abandon her, just like those people did back then?

With that gloomy thought in mind, Miku finally arrived at the entrance to the dorms. The rubble scattered by the entrance, which were the remains of the giant rock the beast had destroyed while protecting her, lay still and unmoved. Everything was as she remembered it, down to the craters dotting the track nearby.

There was no use dwelling on it. They were just more things she was not going to see again for a very long time.

Entering the building, Miku made her way to the higher floors, avoiding the various piles of concrete and brick that stood in her way. She took a moment to glance into each room she passed by, saddened by the fact that each one was ruined as if a storm passed through them.

Shattered windows, torn up floorboards, charred objects, and melted steel. That was what she saw in each one, without exception.

The stairs were in an equally bad state, but thankfully they were still clear enough to climb. The railing was gone, giving them a feeling of instability, but with careful steps, Miku continued. She passed by the second floor and went up to the third, stopping in her tracks as she stepped into the hallway.

She wasn't doing any real search like this, but she knew Hibiki enough to know she wouldn't stay in just any room if she was here. No, there was exactly one she'd go to, no matter its state. Turning left, she passed by a gigantic hole in the wall of the dorm, the wind blowing in from the outside. She shivered slightly as it passed over her, but disregarded it and continued.

She wasn't looking forward to seeing the sorry state of the room. Even if Saint-Germain claimed it hadn't been ruined, that was still a claim made before the big final battle.

There is no way it was going to be in one piece.

In due time, she reached the entrance to their shared room, surprised to see the door closed and unblemished. She remembered she was here with Saint-Germain and Ogawa before, but she did not expect the door to still be standing.

All of the other rooms had their doors blown off their hinges, so why would this one remain?

She reached over, grabbing hold of the knob and turning it. With a creak, it opened, giving her a view of the inside.

And she could barely believe it.

The room was, for lack of a better word, spotless. As if nothing had ever happened, everything inside had remained exactly where she remembered it. The beds, the tables, the magazines, and even the windows were untouched.

If the other rooms were ruined by the storm, this one was the eye of that storm. Eyes wide, Miku stepped inside, mesmerized by the sight of the room she was already used to.

Except now it was a small piece of hope, and just like Saint-Germain had said, it was also the image of peace.

"You really did protect it, didn't you?"

She said those words, but she wasn't sure who she was referring to with them.

Was it Hibiki, who despite her maddened state kept this place safe...

Or was it Saint-Germain?

It was all so strange. Looking around, she could see nothing was out of the ordinary. An experimental click on the light switch confirmed her suspicion that power was out, so the electronics were all dead at the moment.

First, she went over to the beds. She pulled aside the curtain and looked at the bottom bunk, finding nothing. She then climbed up the ladder to the top bunk, half-hopeful, only to find that Hibiki was not there either. She climbed down, and headed towards the bathroom, looking inside to check if she was there instead.

The room was smaller than what they had in the older Lydian, so there weren't any places in which Hibiki could hide. Meaning that despite her hopes, she was not here.

"Hibiki..."

Where could she have gone? None of the others said anything, meaning they hadn't found her so that only made it far more distressing.

What could she do now? Where else could she look?

Deciding to confirm another suspicion, Miku headed to the kitchen and opened the fridge to peer inside.

She immediately had to cover her nose as the stench of rotten food rose from within, and she quickly closed it to spare herself the smell. She should have expected it, she reckoned. A fridge not working for over a month would no doubt have everything in its interior spoil very quickly. The perishables might still be edible, but as it was now, nothing in the kitchen could be eaten. Just a glance to the bread on the counter confirmed that for her, as the entire loaf sported the nasty green color of the bacteria that grew on it.

Dejected, Miku headed over to the couch and sat down, allowing herself to lean back and just appreciate the feeling she had nearly forgotten. She stared at the ceiling, her mind trying to think up possibilities, but nothing really came to her immediately.

She knew her well enough. If Hibiki wasn't in this room, then she wasn't in Lydian.

That was an absolute fact she could back up easily, even if it was just a gut feeling.

In that case, it might be a good idea to inform the team so they could move on. They were probably still looking around the campus—

RING RING RING!

She yelped in surprise as her pocket shook suddenly. She reached within, withdrawing her phone from her pocket, not expecting to receive a call now, especially from...

'Tachibana Harumi'

Hibiki's mom was calling her? Now? Of all times?

That... she wasn't looking forward to that. Last time she had heard anything from the woman, it was her tearful plea to save her daughter. That wish did not leave Miku's mind for the entirety of her fight, granting her the bursts of strength she needed to overcome her opponent.

But now, after all was said and done, what could she tell her? What would she tell her? That she got her back, but now she disappeared and nobody knew where she was? They could save the world, but not keep their eye on a single girl while she was recuperating?

What would the woman think? What would she tell her in return?

Nearly inclined to ignore the call, Miku gave it another second before gathering up her courage and answering. She put the phone to her ear and spoke.

"Hello?"

"_Miku-chan! Oh, thank god I reached you,"_ Harumi said in delight.

"Is everything okay, ma'am?" Miku said back.

Harumi laughed, and it caught Miku by surprise. "_You don't need to be so formal, Miku-chan. Geez, how many times will I have to tell you?"_

Miku couldn't say anything in response, the shock still rendering her speechless.

And Harumi continued regardless, this time her tone much more gentle. "_Miku-chan... I wanted to tell you... thank you."_

Her eyes wide, Miku tried to brush it off. "I-I don't know what you mean."

"_You don't need to be so humble, Miku-chan,"_ Harumi said, not falling for it. "_I know that you too, fought hard to save her. And you know... I thought you would. You always did..."_

The woman sniffled in the receiver, and Miku was once again tongue-tied, not sure how to take her words. She felt her eyes start to water slightly, but she held it back as Harumi continued. "_I... I really don't know what to say. Thank you... for always being there for her, and for..."_

Miku tilted her head back, trying not to become emotional as well. "_And for supporting us and her through our worst times. Thank you, Miku-chan, for bringing her back home. You will always be welcome in our home, and I'd love to see you soon."_

She put a hand on her eyes in an attempt to stop the tears. "Ma'am, I—"

Wait.

What did she just say?

Before she could even respond, Miku leaned forward with eyes wide, intently listening to the woman on the other end. "Can you repeat that please?"

Confused, Harumi did so. "_Repeat? You mean... that you're always welcome in our home?"_

"No, not that. Before that."

"_Thank you, for bringing her back home."_

It hit her like a ton of bricks.

She shot up to her feet, her eyes still wide. "Ma'am... are you saying... Hibiki is at your house... right now?"

Harumi sounded puzzled over the phone but responded regardless. "_Ah, yes. She is. Is there something wrong?"_

No way.

How? How did she get there all on her own?

Mind racing at full speed, Miku spoke quickly. "Ma'am, make sure she doesn't go anywhere! I'll be there as soon as possible!"

"_Ah, wait Miku-chan! What do you mea—"_

She hung up, not bothering to hear the rest of her sentence.

It seems the search was over. Grabbing the communicator she was handed from her pocket, she contacted S.O.N.G HQ.

"Genjuro-san, can you hear me?"

There was a slight crackling as the connection was made. "_Loud and clear, Miku-kun."_

She didn't spare even a moment. "I know where she is."

She heard him slam his console on the other end, his voice bellowing. "_WHAT?! You found her?!"_

"Yes," she answered. "But she's not in Tokyo."

"_Not in Tokyo? Then where is she?"_

She thought for a moment on what to say.

"Genjuro-san, please prepare a car. I want to be there as soon as possible."

"_But where are you going?"_

She breathed in and answered. "To Chiba."

-!-

"I actually can't believe this. What are the fucking odds?" Chris bit out as she propped up her elbow on the armrest of the limo.

The moment they had heard from Genjuro that Hibiki was found, everyone hurried back to the submarine for an update, only to run into Miku, who was waiting for them with the limousine parked outside. With the road out of the city more clear than within it, the car had less trouble driving around the wreckage and heading into the freeway.

And here they were, one hour later, on their way to Chiba. Choosing to forgo having the whole rescue team go, Genjuro found it appropriate to only have the wielders accompany Miku, with Motoyasu serving as their driver for the ride.

All six of them were packed in the spacious backseat, half-anxiously waiting for the long ride to end. Thankfully enough, Chiba wasn't that far away from Tokyo, so they were already at the halfway point to their destination.

Still, to think this is how their search would conclude.

"It is indeed shocking," Tsubasa said, her arms crossed and her eyes closed in contemplation. "But somehow, it's not that strange."

"But how did she get there? It's so far!" Kirika exclaimed in confusion. "I mean, there was no way she could have gotten there alone, not when she's so injured."

"Less injured and more weakened would be the correct thing to say," Maria interjected. "But yes, I agree. I suppose we'll get all of our answers once we arrive. Miku, did her mother tell you anything else?"

"No," Miku said regretfully. "I... kind of hung up in her face. But she should be expecting us, or at least, me."

"Are you sure it's okay for us to come too? What if Hibiki is—" Shirabe tried to add, but Miku cut her off.

"It's fine. All of you should be there. She needs you there. Just leave her to me."

"Are you sure, Miku?" Tsubasa asked in worry.

"Yes. I'm sure. I know what I need to do; we've already been through this before."

Tsubasa knew that and that just made her all the more disheartened. While she was glad her extreme assumption did not come to pass, that didn't make things any easier. She had never been in a position like this, and it made her nervous.

She had been on the constantly broken side, being taken care of by others. Never had she been on the opposite side. She knew this time was not like the others, whether it was by Hibiki's experiences or her own. This... there has never been something on this scale before.

It was new territory.

Territory she wasn't sure she was ready to explore.

"Very well then. We'll trust you, Miku."

It was a response in the name of all those gathered in the limo. Appreciating their faith in her, Miku smiled and nodded gratefully.

The rest of the drive wasn't much to talk about. They had remained fairly silent, all six of them lost in thought as they prepared themselves mentally for what was to come. Staring out the windows or into their laps, it was the quietest the group had been since the beginning of the incident.

And so, some time later the car stopped, having reached its destination. Brought out of their thoughts, the group looked out the window at the house.

"I see, so they fixed it," Maria said, taking note of the new window pane that gave a view into the living room.

"Oh, that's right. You've been here before, Maria; at least, for a little bit," Kirika recalled.

"I wouldn't call it being here since I left almost right away, but I guess you can count it," Maria replied.

Before they could say anything else, Motoyasu turned his head around to speak to them. "Whenever you need me to pick you up again, give me a call."

Miku looked back to him and nodded. It seems he figured out it will take a while.

"Thank you, Motoyasu-san."

He smiled. "No problem. I'm glad that you were able to find her. Go do what you do best, Kohinata-san."

Her spirits lifted at his words, and with a strong push opened the door to the outside. The rest of the group followed after her, slamming them shut behind them. Miku walked forward, passing the concrete wall that surrounded the front yard, with the other wielders on her heels.

Motoyasu drove off, and they were left in the silence of the early morning. The girls looked towards Miku, who took a deep breath before stepping forward.

With a gentle click, she rang the doorbell.

Tension rose as they waited for the door to open. Soon enough, they heard muffled footsteps approach from within, and the door swung open.

"Miku-chan!" Harumi exclaimed joyfully. "You weren't kidding when you said you'd be here as soon as you can."

"I figured it would be the best course of action," Miku responded with a smile. "It's nice to see you again, Ma'am."

Harumi laughed in response. "Oh geez, you'll always be formal with me, won't you? But that's fine. I'm glad... I'm glad you're here. She's... she's waiting for you."

Miku tilted her head in confusion. "Waiting for me?"

Harumi let out what sounded like a sad sigh. "She... hasn't moved from her room since she came back. I left food for her outside her door in case she was hungry, but... nothing. She hasn't touched it at all. She hasn't spoken to us nor has she said anything the entire time. She just... locked herself in her room."

Miku thought of what the woman said. Yes, this was eerily similar to last time.

Now she'll have to find out just how bad it was.

It was at that moment that Harumi noticed the group standing behind Miku, and her eyes widened. "You... are..."

She knew who they were. No, she didn't know who they were exactly, as she had never seen them before and thus never even heard their names. But she knew. She knew that they were the ones that made it all possible.

Maria stepped forward, joining Miku's side and bowed slightly. "Good day to you, Miss. My name is Maria Cadenzavna Eve; it's a pleasure to meet you."

Following Maria's lead, Tsubasa stepped forward as well. "I'm Kazanari Tsubasa. It's an honor to meet you, Tachibana-san."

"Ah, Akatsuki Kirika. Nice to meet you." "Tsukuyomi Shirabe." "Yukine Chris."

The girls introduced themselves, and Harumi committed their names to memory. She looked at them in surprise, and then her expression lightened. "I see... you girls are her friends. You're the ones... who fought so hard."

They stiffened, only now remembering that the woman knew exactly what the circumstances were, even if she didn't have all of the details.

She stepped aside from the door. "Please, come inside. I've kept you outside for too long already."

They nodded, and Miku led the way. She breathed a sigh of relief, seeing the familiar house once again. She took off her shoes, placing them exactly where she remembered she always did and stepped into the house proper. The other wielders did the same, and Harumi led the way to the living room.

There, Kyoko and Akira sat by the new table; bigger and better than the old one. The two stood and approached the guests to greet them.

"Miku-chan," Akira began with a smile. "It's good to see you again."

"It's good to see you too. How are you feeling?"

"Better," he said sheepishly. "I'm just glad that everything finally calmed down."

Everyone there agreed with that sentiment. Miku then turned to Harumi and spoke to her. "Then... I'll think head upstairs."

"...Okay, Miku-chan. I hope that at least she'll open up to you," the mother said hopefully.

"If I know her at all, she will."

Leaving her friends in the living room with the Tachibana family, Miku headed back to the hallway, stopping by the door frame for a moment. She briefly looked back to the group gathered in the living room, smiled, and then headed up the stairs towards Hibiki's room.

-!-

Harumi wasn't lying when she said Hibiki hadn't touched the food.

Which was strange, since the one thing Hibiki was always fond of was food. Every time Miku cooked for her, there were barely any leftovers. Yet, staring down at the untouched plate on a tray by the door, Miku knew that Harumi hadn't been lying to her either. She wouldn't put it down by the door for no reason after all.

She slid the tray aside and knocked gently on the door with the back of her hand.

"Hibiki?"

There was no answer. Total silence was the response, as she had expected.

She inhaled and exhaled, mentally readying herself.

"I'm coming in."

And opened the door to the inside.

The first thing she noticed was the darkness in the room. Not a single light source was turned on, and the only light came in through the sides of the currently closed shades over the window by the desk.

It gave her just enough illumination to take in the shape of the furniture, and she found it nostalgic. Nothing had been moved since the last time she was there, which was perhaps over a year ago. The desk, the bed, the closet, everything was exactly as she remembered it.

She found it strange, how two rooms related to Hibiki were completely untouched by the flow of time or by any other outside influences.

It was a bit surreal, to be in this room now.

And as her eyes scanned it, she finally found what she was looking for.

There she was, in the far corner of the room away from the door. She was huddled under a blanket, hiding her entire form beneath it as she remained unmoving. It was then that Miku noticed the small source of light that lay on the floor in front of her, and she could also see a small white cable extending from it and into the covered form.

'_Ah, so you're listening to those songs again...'_

It seems Hibiki had taken her old phone out of storage, wherever it was, and decided to use it as a music player for the moment. She did not turn or in any way acknowledged the fact that Miku had entered.

Slowly and quietly, Miku closed the door behind her and walked towards Hibiki with soft steps. As she got closer, she could start hearing the muffled music from the earphones; loud enough that she could tell something was being listened to, but too far to pinpoint exactly what. Well, it's not like it was much of a mystery to her. Miku knew for a fact which songs Hibiki was listening to right now. There wasn't any need to even guess.

Once she finally got close enough, Miku kneeled behind her, simply looking at her. She slid her bag off her shoulder, placing it by her side quietly. She had gotten it ready while waiting for the wielders to gather in the harbor, and now it would serve its purpose well.

A silent minute passed before Miku decided to act. Slowly, she reached forward...

And gently grabbed at the edges of the blanket, right by Hibiki's head. The girl beneath did not react, and so Miku took it as a sign to continue. Slowly, she pulled the blanket down, uncovering Hibiki's upper body completely.

She was still clothed in the hospital robe from before, which was something that surprised Miku. And yet, Hibiki did not react, and simply remained hunched down, her head tilted downwards and listening to the music.

Miku sighed, and this time reached out with one hand.

And from the back, ran it through Hibiki's hair slowly, finally feeling her hair again for the first time in over a month.

"Oh geez," Miku uttered quietly. "You have so many tangles in your hair..."

With her free hand, she reached into her bag, rummaging through it briefly before pulling out a hairbrush. Raising herself a bit higher so she could have vision of all of Hibiki's head, she began the quiet work of brushing her hair.

It was a slow, methodical process. Done in total silence from both parties, Miku ran the brush through Hibiki's hair little by little, at times tugging at the more stubborn tangles to free them. Sometimes she felt as though she was putting a bit too much force behind it, but Hibiki's lack of reaction to even that made her believe she might have fallen asleep.

But she knew she didn't because she could sometimes feel her body shudder involuntarily. In the total silence of the room, and due to her proximity, Miku could also slightly hear the music being played from the earphones.

It was a song she could not forget. After all, it was one Hibiki had listened to day after day back then. It was catchy, upbeat, and all in all, a very good song that in time she found herself liking as well.

But for Hibiki, it was akin to a lifeline.

'_Synchrogazer...'_

How nostalgic it was, to hear it again.

Finding herself smiling despite herself, Miku continued her work. Hibiki's hair was not only extremely tangled, but it was also kind of dirty; it was to be expected, she told herself, all things considered.

And that told her enough. After arriving at home through unknown means, Hibiki had shut herself in her room and had not moved at all, not even bothering to change clothes or take a shower.

'_It looks like I have a lot of work ahead of me.'_

Not that she minded at all.

Finally setting the brush down after what felt like an eternity, she ran her hand through Hibiki's hair again, feeling it for any more tangles she may have missed. It looked much better now, having regained some of its former shape and luster. It still had some final touches that needed to be done, but that would require a shower first.

However, that was not important right now.

Slowly, she made her next move; reaching over with both hands, she gently plucked out the earphones from Hibiki's ears. The girl did not respond, and so Miku tossed them forward, uncaring for them at all.

And then, she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Hibiki. She lay her head on her shoulder and embraced her from behind, not reacting to the following shudder.

_(Play: Ever Present Feeling - Fate/Stay Night OST)_

It was so quiet. she could hear Hibiki's breathing very clearly. They were stable, yet there was a sense of nervousness to them as if they were about to go wild at any moment.

Miku closed her eyes and whispered softly in her ear. "It's okay... it's okay..."

Another shudder. The breaths became erratic.

"I'm here... it's okay... it's okay..."

A sharp inhale.

Miku took the opportunity, and entwined her fingers with Hibiki's own, holding onto her hand tightly.

"Hibiki..."

Hearing her own name being muttered was what finally broke her. Soft sobs began to wrack her, and Miku did not even need to open her eyes to know what her reaction was.

"It's okay... we don't blame you... no one blames you... so it's okay... you're safe... I'm here for you..."

She tightened her grip.

"Like I always was... so please... don't blame yourself..."

She could hear them now, the sobs. Hibiki's whole body shook under her hold, but she did not let her go.

She would never let her go again.

"It was hard... but as long as it's for you, I don't mind. That was my promise to you... now and forevermore..."

There was whimpering now, and Miku found herself joining her.

"I'm so glad... to finally have you back... it was... so... so hard..."

For the first time, Hibiki moved. In a strange act, she turned herself around, and now she faced Miku directly, her head still downcast. So this time, Miku reached forward and raised her head for her.

Finally... after so long...

She looked into the amber eyes she dearly missed, now glistening with tears.

She tried to wipe them away with her thumbs, but more just kept on coming. She let out a choked laugh, one that was between a chuckle and a sob. "Oh geez... you're so dirty. We need to get you a shower as soon as possible."

It was a half-hearted attempt at stopping their emotions from overflowing.

And in the end, it was for naught.

Miku touched her forehead to Hibiki's, holding onto her tightly. She reached behind her back and hugged her once more.

"I missed you... so so much... Hibiki..."

Miku's words served to break Hibiki even further.

And then, she finally spoke, uttering a single name.

"...Miku..."

The dam finally shattered.

And the erratic whimpering became a heart-wrenching cry.

All Miku could do... all Miku wanted to do, was to hold onto her. To be there for her, to support her.

And so she did, with her own tears flowing down her cheeks. She was sure Hibiki's cries could be heard all the way downstairs, but she didn't care. In the darkness of the room, and in a scene not unlike what had taken place just three years before, the two girls held onto each other for dear life.

And cried. And cried. And cried.

Until they thought they could cry no more, but did so anyway. And the entire time, their embrace only tightened, as if they were afraid the other would disappear if they loosened it even just a tiny bit.

All that was there to accompany them... was the muffled sound of Tsubasa's song.

-!-

"Please, sit. We have enough chairs for everyone."

Heeding the woman's words, the wielders looked to each other for a moment and then took a seat by the table. Despite the house's relatively small size, they all still managed to fit in the living room comfortably, and now sat together with Hibiki's family.

They felt a bit out of place, a feeling that was expressed by Kirika as she fidgeted nervously in her seat. Shirabe promptly held her hand to calm her down.

"Would you like something to eat, or to drink? We just finished having breakfast," Harumi offered.

"Thank you, but water is fine," Tsubasa answered.

Akira chuckled, then rose from his seat to head to the kitchen. "Alright, water coming right up."

They fell into silence, and only the sound of rushing water broke it completely.

Feeling that the atmosphere was choking them, Kiyoko spoke up, placing her hands on the table. "So you five are... Hibiki's friends, right?"

While scrambling for a response to the sudden question, Maria was the first to articulate it. "Ah, yes. We are her friends, as well as..." she began, looking towards the others for reassurance. "Her teammates."

Harumi sighed in what seemed like relief and spoke up herself. "I see... it's a bit surprising, you know? Hibiki, ever since then... didn't have many friends aside from Miku-chan. I'm glad that in Tokyo... she found people she can count on."

The girls fell quiet as Harumi continued. "She... well, you probably know by now, how that girl never tells anyone what she's truly feeling. Always keeping up appearances just so others won't worry about her. She wouldn't even open up to her own mother about her troubles."

"Yes," Maria replied with a small smile. "She has always done that. She has always... put others above herself."

They understood, Harumi noticed. The expression they made as Maria spoke told her enough.

It made sense after all; it was said that some of the closest bonds... are formed on the field of battle.

The thought caused Harumi to prop up her elbow on the table and she held her head in her hand. "I never knew... just how hard it was for her. I never heard even a single thing about how she put her life on the line."

Her expression turned sour. "I couldn't believe it when Kazanari-san told me. I was so shocked and angry, and I really wanted to go over there and let him have a piece of my mind. I know what the circumstances were, but know that I will never, _never_ approve of it. The last thing Hibiki needs is to give more of herself for others when the same wasn't done for her."

It was a very radical train of thought, but the wielders knew she had her reasons.

After all, a mother cares about her children. The last thing she'd want is for her child to be in danger, no matter how unfair she has to be.

"But I also know... that it was her choice. That even though she was caught in some extreme circumstances, she willingly made the choice to fight for others. I just... wish she'd have told me sooner."

"If it makes any difference, Ma'am," Maria said, putting her arm on the table. "Her means of fighting no longer exist. The Symphogear she had used... is gone. It was destroyed along with—"

"—along with the demon, right?" Harumi finished for her, causing Maria's eyes to widen. "I know, I can put things together from what Kazanari-san told me. It... it was difficult, wasn't it?"

Maria sighed. "Yes... it was."

Before anyone else could speak up again, a low and muffled moaning sound rose from above, piercing through the house's thin walls.

Their hearts clenched at hearing it, knowing who it originated from.

Harumi forced herself not to shed tears, trying to keep her composure in front of Hibiki's friends. But there was one thing she wanted to tell them. One single, important thing. She put her other arm on the table as she continued.

"Thank you... thank you... for saving my baby girl. I don't know what I would have done... what I would have done, if..."

She sniffled despite herself. At that moment, Akira came back with a tray with the cups of water. Seeing his wife's distressed state, he placed it down on the table and walked behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders to comfort her.

The girls weren't sure how to respond. The highly emotional atmosphere elicited a sniffle from Kirika and Chris both, the two girls holding it back as much as they could. And yet, Tsubasa smiled. She smiled and reached across the table to hold the woman's hand. Surprised by the touch, Harumi raised her head to look her in the eyes.

"No... the one we need to thank... is you."

The statement caused Maria to smile as well. Harumi was taken aback, not sure what the idol was referring to.

And Tsubasa continued, her voice full of heartfelt sincerity. "Thank you... for bringing her into this world. Thank you... for giving us the opportunity to meet her. She... she saved us. She saved every single one of us, in her own way. She extended her hand to us in friendship, even though we only responded with animosity and loathing. She saw our sorrow, sympathized with it... and helped us alleviate it."

It was true for every single one of the girls.

"She took it upon herself to end our grief, and it was only because of her... that we can be here now. I would not be remiss to say... that she saved our lives," she recounted, reminiscing of those days.

Of all the days and times she had cried after losing Kanade.

And how Hibiki, by her own effort, helped her out of that overwhelming despair.

"And so, I think I'm speaking for all of us when I say... that we'll forever be grateful. That is why we have vowed... to lay down our lives should it require it, for her sake. It is the least we can do... as gratitude for all she has done for us."

Yeah, she remembered. The promise they had made together before the final battle.

And it still holds true, even now.

Harumi chuckled, gripping Tsubasa's hand tighter. "Don't... don't say that. You girls are young, and you have your whole lives ahead of you. You can't... speak of throwing them away. I'm sure... Hibiki would say the same thing too."

"I know, and someone... had already done so," Tsubasa said sorrowfully, and Harumi's face fell at the words. "All that is left for us to do now is to live our lives... and try and bring back the light into hers, just like she had done for us."

The guilt that Hibiki now shouldered could not possibly be quantified.

But they resolved themselves. If Hibiki considered herself a sinner... then they too are sinners.

So they can be sinners together, and help each other climb the way up once again.

Harumi sobbed again. Akira reached over to the tray with the cups and handed one to Harumi, who gratefully accepted it and took a sip, breathing in and out to calm herself.

Tsubasa released her hold on her hand, and Harumi pulled both back to grasp the cup. "Geez, that girl... after going through all that, she still had it in her heart to care about others. I desperately wanted to tell her that she didn't have to, but I doubt... she'd have listened. It's not who she is, after all. She is not one... who can simply stand aside."

"Yes, that is indeed true," Maria said with a small laugh. "Although I do have to ask; do you know how she got here?"

Harumi nodded her head. "Yes, I do. At least, I think I do," she answered, and the girls listened intently. "Just this morning someone rang the bell, and I was shocked to see Hashiba-sensei with her in tow."

They perked at the unfamiliar name, and she explained. "Hashiba-sensei was one of her teachers from her middle school. After the incident, many of her peers as well her teachers shunned her, and she was left with barely any support from the school itself. The only one who had supported her, and was on her side... was Hashiba-sensei. He desperately pleaded to the chairman to try and help her, but his requests fell on deaf ears. Even after she was pulled from school, he had always come to our home regularly with assignments and homework. He cared about her education even after everything, and so we were deeply grateful for his support."

She laughed. "So that's why I was equally shocked and relieved to see him stand in front of our door, with Hibiki at his side. He said that he found her wandering on the road by herself while driving up north, and he brought her back here even though it delayed his own plans."

So that confirmed it, they realized. She really did run away from HQ and had ended up in the middle of nowhere.

Harumi sighed once again and took another sip. "She seemed so lost and unresponsive when I looked at her the first time, but when she realized she was back home... she ran. She turned around and ran, and I chased after her. I haven't run in such a long time, yet I was able to keep up with her. And once I caught up with her... I brought her back home. I tried to make her eat, or say something, but she locked up completely. She wouldn't look us in the eye at all, and in the end, I led her up to her room to rest. I exchanged a few more words with Hashiba-sensei afterwards and saw him off, then called Miku-chan."

So that filled the empty gap for them.

"I see," Maria responded thoughtfully. "Because just this morning she just up and disappeared all of a sudden. We looked for her the entire time, but couldn't find her inside of the city at all. I'm glad that in the end, she ended up being at home rather than some strange place."

Harumi once again sighed in relief. Taking the opportunity, Akira handed each of the girls their own cups of water, which they accepted with a silent nod.

"I want you girls to know," Harumi said, this time managing to smile. "That you'll always be welcome in our home. It is the least this poor mother can do to thank you."

"Then we'll come visit," Chris suddenly said, speaking up for the first time. "I-I mean, we need to check on her sometime, right? Then I guess it's okay if... if we come and see her..."

She drifted off during the end, which Tsubasa realized was because she realized all eyes were on her and it embarrassed her.

Harumi laughed once again, "Yes, we'll be glad to have you."

With the gloomy atmosphere having been evaporated, they all finally calmed down enough and took a sip from their cups of water.

It was then that Akira noticed someone standing in the doorway to the living room, and he rose from his seat. Confused by his action, the others turned around to look as well. Miku was there, a smile on her face and her left hand extended behind the wall. They could see her eyes were red, probably from crying, yet despite that, she was smiling brightly.

Miku looked to where her hand was extended and whispered. "Come on. They're here."

A moment passed, and she waited.

And then she smiled even more widely and stepped inside the living room proper.

Leading Hibiki inside by the hand.

Nobody said anything, and they simply stared at her with wide eyes. For many of them, it was the first time they ever saw Hibiki look so... withdrawn and vulnerable. Her head downcast, she seemed to shrink further under their stares, and almost instinctively attempted to escape again.

But Miku held her hand tight, refusing to let her go.

Slowly, they all rose from their seats, barely making a sound as they pushed the chairs back. The wielders walked towards her, stopping in front of her and saying nothing, not commenting on her dress or state.

Those didn't matter in the least.

All that mattered, was—

"Hibiki," Tsubasa said. The girl stiffened at the sound of her name being called, almost expecting to be punished right here.

Except what came... was something she didn't expect.

"Welcome home."

It was enough to cause her shoulders to relax. Shocked beyond belief by the gentle tone of Tsubasa's voice, Hibiki slowly raised her head to look at her, her eyes wide and was met by the sight of Tsubasa's smile.

"A-ah..."

Foregoing being formal as she was used to being, Tsubasa tried something new.

She stepped forward, and without warning wrapped her hands around her, enveloping Hibiki in a tight hug. Miku released her hold on her hand, content with watching their interaction. Tsubasa closed her eyes while Hibiki remained shocked and confused by the gesture.

And the singer's voice came out gently once more, the words weaving themselves into Hibiki's ears.

"I'm glad... to see you're safe," she said sincerely, forcing down tears. "And I want you to know... that we don't blame you. No one blames you. So it's okay... it's okay..."

And for the second time that day, Hibiki broke down. Despite having already cried just a few minutes before, the tears came back in full force. Her hands rose and clutched Tsubasa's shirt tightly, crunching up the cloth in her grip.

The others held back no longer. Joining in on the hug, Maria, Chris, Kirika, and Shirabe surrounded her, holding onto her and whispering gentle reassurances in her ears.

Miku, Harumi, Kiyoko, and Akira all watched with smiles on their faces.

The road would be long. This was just the beginning of a very tumultuous journey. But at least now... the path to the happy days they sought...

Was finally open.


	39. Chapter 39: My Sunshine

"Are you sure you can't stay any longer?" Harumi asked her guests.

Tsubasa, who had just finished tying the last lace of her boots, stood up and turned to face the woman. "We really should be getting back," she said reluctantly. "We've kept Uncle waiting for a bit too long."

Harumi smiled sadly at her. Tsubasa smiled back, and then looked behind the woman towards the two hanging by the doorway to the living room. She met Miku's gaze, who nodded to her. They had already said their farewells earlier, so there wasn't much more to say now.

And then, her gaze fell upon Hibiki, who was clutching Miku's hand tightly in her own. Noticing the idol's stare, Hibiki shied away again, hiding behind Miku as much as she could. Inwardly, Tsubasa felt a bit hurt, although she understood.

It was the afternoon now, and since the moment Hibiki came down with Miku they had all sat around the dining room table and talked.

Just talked. And laughed. They all shared stories and experiences, and even the infamous photo album came out that managed to elicit an embarrassed reaction from Hibiki.

But... she didn't talk. Not once did she open her mouth to say even a single word. She was stuck to Miku by the hip, and through the entire thing, she seemed extremely guarded.

And Tsubasa understood why, of course. Despite their heartfelt reunion in the morning, Hibiki was probably still of the mind that they were judging her. She was probably thinking that there is resentment hidden beneath the laughs and goodwill. She couldn't help but keep her mouth shut in an attempt to not say anything that would spark a negative reaction from them.

That was what hurt. Did she trust them that little?

No, that wasn't the case. She doesn't trust herself enough to believe otherwise.

This is something she's used to after all; being on the receiving end of derisions, curses, and death threats for actions that were not her fault. Painted as an enemy of the world despite her doing nothing.

But now, it was the complete opposite; through actions her own, she had nearly destroyed the world, so it was only logical she was nervously awaiting judgement from them.

And she feared it oh so much.

That was why she was hiding behind Miku now, even though the girl had not stopped reassuring her for even a second.

It was going to take time to get her out of that mindset.

"We'll come to visit frequently as Chris said," Tsubasa added, turning back to Harumi. "So you'll see us around."

"I see," Harumi murmured. "It was still very nice meeting you and having you here. Have a nice trip back, and once again... thank you."

The family had shown their gratitude many times over by now, whether it was with words or with a delicious lunch made by Akira.

She still didn't know how to take it yet, but she didn't mind. "Thank you," Tsubasa said. She looked over Harumi's shoulder and gestured to Miku and Hibiki. "I'll see you two tomorrow then."

"See you tomorrow, Tsubasa," Miku waved. Hibiki was too hesitant to respond and said nothing. Tsubasa let out a chuckle, and headed out the door, closing it behind her. She walked towards the others, who were waiting for her by the car.

"We can go?" Chris asked. "I thought we had finished saying our goodbyes like half an hour ago."

"I exchanged a few last words, nothing important. Let us go now."

They nodded as one and sent one last glance at the house before entering the car and driving off. Chris once again leaned on the armrest and stared out the window at the moving scenery of the residential neighbourhood of Chiba. She didn't focus on anything in particular, zoning out everything else around her.

"I'm glad we can finally rest easy," Maria said, her hands on her lap.

Shirabe nodded in agreement. "Yes. I wasn't sure what to think when we arrived, but she's in good hands now, so we don't need to worry."

"Still... seeing Hibiki like that was..." Kirika murmured, thinking back to Hibiki's spirited antics that they were used to, and how her current state vastly contrasted what they knew. "How long is she going to be like this?"

"As long as she needs," Maria answered for her. "And it's our jobs as her friends to support her no matter what comes."

"Yeah, I know, but still... it's a shock." Kirika continued sheepishly.

"It is. It really is. But I guess... we all have our baggage to deal with, don't we?"

No truer statement about them had ever been said. It was so true, in fact, that Tsubasa found herself inwardly laughing at just how well it presented them.

A group of girls, each with their own bag of heavy burdens that they have to deal with. And yet, what made it all easier was the support they got from each other.

If they're all broken, then they can at least be broken together.

Kirika nodded once more. "So... when are we coming again?"

"Tomorrow probably. I told Miku I'd bring her her belongings since she's not coming back to HQ any time soon," Tsubasa answered. "Although... I should have asked her if she needed anything from her dorm room, seeing as it's still standing. I'll give her a call later; for now, we let time do its work."

"Time heals all wounds..." Shirabe muttered, remembering that age-old phrase she had heard a thousand times in the past. Never before was she forced to admit it was true; but now it will bear its fruits, assisted by their own helping hands.

"Chris," Tsubasa suddenly said.

Her underclassmen, lost in thought, did not hear her words, so she nudged her in the side to get her attention. Chris blinked rapidly and turned to her. "What?"

"You've been quiet for a while now; is everything alright?"

Realizing where this was going, she went back to leaning on the armrest and staring out the window. "I'm fine. Just... internalizing."

Tsubasa would have pushed further but decided not to. "Alright."

And so, the drive continued in relative silence as they headed back to HQ with the good news.

-!-

"Looks like they're gone," Harumi said to the two behind her. "It was nice having them here. You two have great friends."

"I know, and we appreciate everything they do, even if the start was a bit rough," Miku said back with a small smile.

"Yes, I can understand, especially after they all told me their stories. I have to say I'm still baffled by how such things can happen to such young girls," Harum reflected. "They didn't deserve it."

"I agree, but I guess it's because they give all of themselves to the cause that makes it much more beautiful."

Harumi headed back to the living room, passing by the two as she spoke. "Yes, that's true."

Miku continued to smile and turned around to face the stairs, Hibiki still holding her hand. "We'll go take that shower now. I think we waited a bit too long to do it."

"Go do your thing, Miku-chan. Do Hibiki's clothes still fit on you?" Harumi asked.

"They should be a bit oversized on me like always," the girl answered, and smiled as Hibiki's cheeks flushed red again from the insinuation.

Harumi laughed quietly at her reaction. "I see, then feel free to use them until they bring your things here. Oh, by the way, Miku-chan; did you speak to your parents? They must be worried."

"I sent them a message telling them I'm fine; maybe I should give them a call," Miku pondered to herself.

"You should, and for that matter, I should too. I haven't spoken to your mother in quite some time," Harumi recalled, putting a hand on her cheek.

Miku's smile grew even wider. "She'll be glad to hear from you. She's been drowning herself in so much work she barely has time to eat."

"She still does that? Sheesh, that Yuka, always forgetting to take care of herself, just like when we were younger," the older woman said, remembering all the crazy times she had spent with the woman.

"You'll find that she hasn't changed a bit," Miku said in mock resignation, which was followed by a sigh from Harumi. "We'll see you later then."

"Alright. I'll call you two down for dinner."

She nodded and ascended the stairs without another word. During the entire time Hibiki remained silent, almost mute, and like a child remained glued to Miku even as she took out a change of clothes for the both of them. Due to needing both of her hands to do so, she reluctantly let go of Hibiki's own, and like a puppy, Hibiki followed after her. Choosing not to comment on the strange new habit, Miku entered the shower, placing the clothes in the basket before starting to undress.

When she was finished, she realized Hibiki hadn't done so herself. "Hibiki?"

The girl said nothing. Miku was baffled for a moment but then realized what was happening.

Choosing not to respond, Miku reached over and helped Hibiki undress. She grabbed the patient's gown by the skirt and lifted, and Hibiki only did the bare minimum to help her get the job done.

All in all, Miku found her behavior... strange. It was strange because it was new, as even back then Hibiki hadn't acted like this. But she figured that she'll eventually get to the bottom of it soon enough; for now, Hibiki would deal with it in her own way.

Once the two of them were fully unclothed, they entered the bath. It was a small one but had enough space for two people to be in at once.

They'll leave the soaking in the bathwater part for some other time. Miku sat Hibiki down on the stool and wasted no time getting to work on cleaning off the dirt off her friend's body. The bath was filled with steam as the water rushed out, and Miku filled the bucket to the brim.

Hibiki remained unmoving as Miku poured the water on top of her. Once again working slowly and methodically, Miku began the long process of cleaning her off, having done so plenty of times in the past even in happier days. She worked especially carefully with the hair, making sure to remove the chunks of dust that remained stuck to it for over a month.

They'd need to buy the appropriate shampoo for this. Thankfully, Chiba was largely unaffected by the fighting, as any Noise or beasts that would have made it there hightailed it back to Tokyo to take on the wielders. As a result, shops would still be open to get what they need, or at least the essentials.

As she scrubbed her back, Miku did not notice that Hibiki turned her head slightly, her gaze lingering on Miku for longer than usual. Realizing what she was doing, she faced forward again, her cheeks flushed red. Oblivious to Hibiki's internal turmoil, Miku just continued washing her carefully.

With things calmer than before, Miku chose to speak up, deciding to bring up the subject now. "Hibiki... how much do you remember?" She asked quietly.

At first, she believed she wouldn't get an answer, but after a long silence Hibiki finally spoke up. "...Everything."

Ah.

That made things easier... and more difficult at the same time. Miku could only speak for herself, but in her own case, while her memory was complete, most of it still was a bit of a blurry mess at times.

It wasn't the case for Hibiki, and as such it easily explained why she was acting this way.

"I see..." Miku responded softly. Before Hibiki could break down again, Miku once again spoke words of reassurance. "I know I've said it many times today, but I want you to know that no one blames you. No one did and no one will."

Hibiki chose not to respond to those words and instead said something else. "I... I can't beat you, can I?"

Miku tilted her head in confusion as she continued. "I can't win against you. I can win against anyone else in the world, but I'm powerless against you. You will always... always... be stronger than me."

What an odd thing for her to say, now of all times; however, rather than continue on that train of thought, Miku decided to take a different route. "I guess so. You know what that means, right?"

This time it was Hibiki's turn to be confused. She instinctively turned around to look at her, but when she realized what her gaze was falling on she quickly turned back, her cheeks beet red again. "I won, and you lost; that means the loser has to obey the winner," Miku declared.

"The loser has to obey the winner..."

"Yep, that means I can demand things of you, and you are not allowed to complain; and my first demand is: don't blame yourself," Miku said warmly.

"But I—"

"Complaints not allowed," Miku reminded her gently, causing Hibiki to fall silent. "You do what I say and you don't question it."

Despite Miku's outrageous orders, Hibiki still had something to say. "...I don't know how."

"Then we'll figure it out together, one step at a time."

The only thing Hibiki could do was nod her head weakly in response. Miku smiled, happy she was able to get her talking for at least a bit and continued the slow process of cleaning Hibiki off.

-!-

The rest of the day wasn't much to talk about. Now clean of the grime and the dirt, Hibiki seemed a tiny bit more lively than before. Dinner had arrived in due time, and while the conversations with Hibiki's family were nice, there was something else that sat on Miku's mind in light of what Hibiki said in the bath.

Hibiki remembered everything. As such, it was all carved deeply into her memory, and she replayed those awful times in her mind many times during the day. And due to that, Miku found herself dreading what was to come.

Night arrived, and the two entered Hibiki's bed, huddling together for warmth and companionship. Hibiki was extra clingy, pretty much gluing herself to Miku the entire time.

Miku didn't complain, but as the night rolled in and their breaths shallowed and calmed, she found herself unable to fall asleep completely. She was just nervously waiting for that one moment that will confirm her fears.

And in the end, it came.

Hibiki had nightmares.

Just like Miku predicted she would.

It wasn't a grandiose show like she had seen in the movies, where the character wakes up with a start, sweating and screaming due to some horrible image they had seen in their sleep.

No, it wasn't anything as blatant like that. Instead, it started slowly as she heard Hibiki's breaths quicken, followed by soft whimpers and sobs.

And of course, then came the tears. She didn't even need to look at her to know she was crying. She could feel her pajamas becoming wet where Hibiki's face was buried, and she could also feel how Hibiki's hands gripped the back of her shirt so tightly it almost choked her.

Unable to simply reach into her dreams and comfort her there, Miku did the only thing she could and simply hugged Hibiki back, with as much force as Hibiki did herself. She patted her head and caressed her slowly and gently, trying to get rid of the horrible dreams.

"I'm here... I'm here for you, Hibiki..."

And so, Hibiki wept into the night, with Miku holding her close.

-!-

"Thanks again for bringing me my things, Tsubasa," Miku said to her friend, who was currently leaning against the wall next to the door to Hibiki's room.

"Don't mention it. I promised I would, and besides, I needed to bring the doctor here to check up on her too," Tsubasa said.

"Yes, you said that yesterday too," Miku recalled. "But it doesn't look like anything's wrong with her."

"I suppose, but a diagnosis needs to be made anyway, and we can't exactly bring her to HQ."

It was a sad and true statement. Right now, Hibiki was in no position to leave the house, even if physically she was fine. Her mental injuries were far greater, and being surrounded by a whole bunch of people fussing over her would only be picking on wounds that have yet to heal.

The doctor's visit was only a formality at this point, as he needed to finish the work he started back on the submarine. The two of them stood outside the door so he could have some space to do his work, as short as it would be.

"So how's it going in there?" Akira asked, walking up to the two of them. The two girls raised their heads to look at him.

"I suppose it's going well, all things considered. She wasn't that injured anyway, so there isn't much for him to check," Tsubasa answered, and the man nodded in understanding.

He put his hands on his hips and huffed. "I guess she really is superhuman."

Tsubasa chuckled and answered him. "To be fair, the super part of superhuman is more the Symphogear's power than anything. While she is versed in martial arts, she isn't capable of such feats on her own, and the same goes for all of us."

"Suplexing a spaceship and punching a mountain shorter, huh? You know, if it was the old me, I'd think you were even crazier than I am; but I guess seeing is believing, right?" Akira added, rubbing the back of his head.

"That is indeed true," Tsubasa replied. She then turned to Miku and looked at her with a serious gaze. "I need to ask... how is she? I know physically she's fine, but..."

Miku's gaze fell to the floor as she answered. "She needs time. A lot of it."

For a vague answer, it gave Tsubasa all the information she needed. Sighing to herself, she continued. "And how are you?"

"Good," Miku replied. "Worried about her as usual."

"Back in your element, I see," Tsubasa commented, pushing herself off the wall.

At that moment, the door opened. The trio gathered around the entrance looked as the doctor walked out with his case of tools in hand, adjusting his glasses.

"How is she?" Miku asked, turning to face him fully.

"Perfect bill of health, from what I can tell," he answered. "She'll need to come in for a more detailed check-up, but for now I can assure you there is nothing wrong with her. Just as I said back then, physically she's fine. Everything else is beyond my expertise."

The obvious conclusion, then. The problems are mental, not physical. At least they won't have to worry about her body. "Just make sure she eats well to regain some of the lost muscle mass. She might need some exercise as well to get back into shape; as she is now, she won't be doing any fighting."

"Luckily, there won't be any time soon," Tsubasa told him. "And if there was, we'd take care of it ourselves without her, not that she can do anything about it now anyway."

"True enough," the doctor said. "In any case, my diagnosis is done. We can head back if you so wish, Tsubasa-san."

Akira then stepped in to interrupt. "Hold on. Before you go, come eat lunch with us. You're already here so you might as well, right?"

The doctor adjusted his glasses again in contemplation. "Very well, however, do note that I'm a picky eater."

"No worries, I can make a lot of things. It's the least I can do to thank you for coming all this way," Akira reassured him.

The doctor huffed, and Tsubasa answered in his stead. "Then we'll take you up on your offer."

She then turned her gaze to look inside the room itself. Miku, who had been left out of the conversation, had already gone inside to check on Hibiki, who was now sitting on the edge of the bed with her head downcast. Miku was kneeling on the ground in front of her, her hands on Hibiki's knees as she whispered things Tsubasa couldn't hear.

It was then that Hibiki raised her head to look towards the doorway, but the moment she realized Tsubasa was staring at her she turned away again. Tsubasa gave a small smile, figuring that at least this time Hibiki wasn't actively shying away from her.

Not that it made things any better. It was just one day, and a process like this has its ups and downs.

Hibiki nodded because of something Miku said, who then rose and walked towards Tsubasa.

"We'll be down in a moment, okay? Go on without us for now," she said, not elaboration.

Deciding not to ask questions, Tsubasa agreed. "Very well."

Looking back only once as the men headed down the stairs, the idol locked her gaze with Miku for a moment, then followed them down.

"I'm sorry, Miku," Hibiki spoke up behind her, causing Miku to turn around to face her. "I... I..."

"Whatever it is you're thinking, stop it right this instance," Miku demanded, interrupting her. Hibiki tried to open her mouth to argue, but then remembered the agreement they had made yesterday in the bath.

She lost, Miku won. As a result, she has to listen to her demands without arguing back.

Miku sighed, and plopped herself down next to Hibiki on the bed, grabbing hold of her hand once again. She placed it on her lap between two of her own and rubbed the back of it gently. "I wish I could just go into your head and pluck all the bad thoughts away. Maybe if I could do that you'd have an easier time."

Hibiki remained quiet for a moment, just appreciating Miku's companionship. Miku, who had her eyes closed, seemed to not notice Hibiki's stare linger on her face for longer than usual. As soon as Miku opened them again, Hibiki hurriedly looked away, her cheeks flush once more. Her heart beat faster than before, causing her to remain speechless as she tried to sort out her chaotic thoughts.

"Y-you're already doing more than enough," Hibiki said uneasily. "I don't think... I'll ever be able to repay you..."

"I don't want you or need you to repay me," Miku said matter of factly. "But if you're so adamant on doing so, then you can start by getting rid of all those bad thoughts first."

Miku's bluntness caught Hibiki completely off guard, not having expected her to be so... overbearing. Hibiki was too unused to such an attitude for her to give a coherent response.

"A-ah... but I don't really deserve—"

"Hibiki, if you continue I'm going to get angry," Miku warned. Hibiki realized she was serious, and by instinct shut up, unwilling to face her ire. "None of that nonsense here; I absolutely will not allow you to carry such thoughts."

Hibiki was speechless, left unable to argue for her own sake against Miku's words. "It's not going to be like last time, Hibiki," Miku continued. "I'm putting my foot down on certain things from now on. I know it's strange, but it's the only way you'll understand. You're so dense, after all."

Miku actively shut out any attempt by her to even try and complain. Leaving no loopholes or openings for Hibiki to find, she was at her complete and total mercy. But still, she had to try something.

"Are you saying... I shouldn't feel guilty? That I shouldn't accept it was my fault?"

"Hibiki...I told you many times, you are not to blame. You were not yourself, so you cannot be held accountable for things you did under the influence of an evil force. You would have never acted like that normally and everyone knows that" Miku forcefully explained, making sure Hibiki heard her clearly. "And from what I heard, this is what Genjuro-san is doing right now. He's making sure there is no one left to blame you for something you didn't do. At least only a handful of people know it was you out there, so unlike last time the nasty people can't hurt you."

Hibiki bit her lip. Even though she understood what Miku was getting at, it still didn't make things easier for her.

Because it didn't help with the biggest thing that weighed on her heart.

And that, she had to ask her.

"Miku... how many people?"

The girl tilted her head in confusion, and Hibiki clarified what she meant. "Miku... how many people died because of me?"

The alarms instantly blared in Miku's mind in response to the question.

There was no easy way out of this one. If she answered, it would crush her. If she didn't, she'd jump to conclusions and crush herself. For a moment, Miku toyed with the idea of lying... but that would only make things worse once Hibiki did discover just how many did die.

As a result, Miku was left with one option: keeping silent.

And so she did, tightening her hold on Hibiki's hand and refusing to let her go. Hibiki did try to pull it back, but Miku's grip was far stronger than she could have anticipated.

But that didn't matter, for Miku's silence was telling enough. "A lot, right? A lot of people died because of me."

Miku could see it. How Hibiki's mind was going into overdrive by the conclusions it was drawing.

And how slowly, it was breaking down right in front of her eyes.

Raising her other hand to hold her head, Hibiki's eyes widened as she continued muttering incoherently. "You tell me not to blame myself, but I can't. It's my fault. I let it happen. If it wasn't for me, they'd still be alive. I killed them. I killed them and they're never coming back, because of me—"

'_Stop.'_

"—and there's nothing I can do about it. I can't bring them back to life, and I can't even apologize to their families. I swore to help people, but all I did was hurt them—"

'_Stop!'_

"—They didn't deserve to die, but they did anyway. Because of me. Because of my stupidity. I will never be able to pay back for all the people I hurt no matter what I do—"

'_STOP!'_

"—that's why... I should die. I don't deserve to live—"

Miku had heard enough.

She was too far gone to listen to her words. Nothing she could say to her now would make her calm down. So that is why the only thing left to do... was act.

"Hibiki."

The girl turned her head to look at her.

And was promptly silenced when a pair of lips crashed into her own, pushing her back onto the bed. Caught completely by surprise, Hibiki was unable to move a muscle as she was pinned down under Miku's body weight. Her eyes widened in shock, and she was unable to breathe as Miku, quite easily she realized, stole her breath away. She couldn't even try to struggle as her mind raced a mile a minute, all previous thoughts fleeing it instantly.

After what felt like an eternity, Miku pulled back, opening her eyes again and looking down at Hibiki with a fierce expression, freezing her completely.

"All better now?" Miku said.

Hibiki, still in shock, tried to verbalize some sort of response.

But all that came out was a garbled mess. "W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-wha-M-Miku?!"

"I won't let you cry again," Miku added with a serious expression. "You've already cried enough. I made you a promise, and I intend to keep it."

Once again, Hibiki was speechless. The words got caught in her throat, and all she could do was stare into Miku's green eyes...

And be reminded of that song she heard. The song that entranced her heart. And together with it... the angelic figure that had sung it.

Hibiki always believed Miku was beautiful. She had a certain charm to her that was different from the likes of Maria and Tsubasa, whose sheer majesty captured the attention and hearts of many. It was also different from the likes of Ryoko, who was a sensual, sultry beauty that would make all others weak in the knees.

No, Miku was more subtle than that; she was beautiful in what she'd call a homely manner, a welcoming and warm presence that wasn't overbearing like the others.

It was a simple, humble thing, and that was what drew Hibiki to her.

But now, with that holy image in mind, Hibiki could only say that she was completely, and utterly...

Captivated.

As if that beauty had multiplied a hundredfold, she felt her brain melt just from looking Miku in the eyes. She felt herself falling through them, and her mouth gaped reflexively as she stared.

Total silence fell between the two of them. Their hearts beating almost exactly in the same rhythm, they were caught in a spell that gripped at them completely. Enthralled, Hibiki watched as Miku came closer again, slowly but surely, and the only thing she could bring herself to do was to close her eyes and let it happen—

GROWL!

The sound that sounded like a whale's mating call tore through the room, and instantly the spell was broken. Hibiki abruptly opened her eyes and stared down at her stomach as it repeated that obnoxious sound.

Miku blinked, looking between Hibiki's face and her stomach.

And she laughed. She laughed and pushed herself off of Hibiki to sit upright on the bed. She fixed her hair with one hand, chuckling all the while.

"Well, I guess that means we should go join the others, right?"

Hibiki nodded once, and Miku rose to her feet and headed to the door, putting her hand on the frame. "I'll be going to the bathroom first, so wait for me, okay?"

Another nod.

Miku smiled, and disappeared behind the wall, leaving Hibiki alone in her room. She stared at the doorway for a long while, still unable to process everything that had happened in the last... one? Five? How many minutes?

Her sense of time thrown completely out the window, she tilted her head to look at the ceiling.

'_Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod!'_

She could feel her cheeks burning in embarrassment, and she put her hands on her face as if to hide her blush from some unseen observer.

How could she remain calm after this? That's impossible. No way.

Just thinking about it made her lose her composure again, every other thought that was on her mind gone as if it didn't exist in the first place. Lost in a sea of shock and embarrassment, she tried to calm herself in vain. Her heart felt like it was about to explode from how fast it was beating. She breathed in and out, remembering all the training she had with Genjuro that helped her cool her nerves and focus her mind.

And it was completely useless. For all the good his training did, the moment Miku's face showed up in her mind again, all control was lost. The sound of her sweet laughter permeated her senses completely.

Hibiki had to admit that she was always somewhat attracted to Miku. She never really thought about it in length, choosing to focus on maintaining their normal daily lives in between all the fighting she was doing. It was always a subtle, humble thing, one she never decided whether to act upon or not. It was always in the back of her mind, something she deemed not as nearly as important as everything else.

But now? There was no way that could be the case anymore. The small spark had instantaneously erupted into a gigantic inferno, and the only thing occupying her thoughts was nothing but her.

She may be dense like Miku said, but there was one thing she realized above all in this situation.

She had completely fallen in love with Miku.

And she had absolutely no idea what to do.

'_I really can't beat you, can I?'_ she wondered to herself. It seems Miku was destined to one-up her at every turn, whether it was fighting, school, or romance.

Miku always had the highest grades in the class, beating out pretty much everyone else with frightening frequency.

She had held the divine power, and yet Miku still defeated her and brought her back.

And now, Miku was the one who was keeping calm in the face of such an intimate change in their relationship, while Hibiki was slowly losing her mind.

'Is this how it feels?'

Was this how all those people who confessed to Miku in middle school felt like? Exactly like... this? This gripping feeling in the heart, this restlessness that is driving her nuts?

But the biggest question she had... was why Miku chose her above everyone else.

"Hibiki?"

"WAH!"

She shot up from the bed instantly upon hearing Miku's voice from the doorway.

"Shall we go?"

For a moment, Hibiki didn't know how to answer. Finally able to calm herself somewhat, she rose from the bed and walked towards her.

"Yeah."

Miku smiled, and Hibiki was captivated all over again. Miku took her hand in her own and led her down to join the others.

And so, all previous negative thoughts were replaced by something much more pleasant.

-!-

Time passed.

The days came and went, and Hibiki found that it was indeed impossible to harbor any negative thoughts at any point during that period.

Due to her newfound epiphany, staying near Miku started to drive her crazy as she was forced to hold back her feelings from overwhelming her. During the entire time, Miku was seemingly none the wiser about it, and also that spell they had fallen under hadn't returned once since then.

They still bathed, ate, and slept together, but nothing further developed.

Did she imagine that? Was that really all that was to it?

With those series of questions constantly on her mind, Hibiki found herself at a loss.

And so, December 31st arrived.

It had already started snowing earlier in the month, and so now the streets were a pristine white, the magical atmosphere giving the world an entirely fresh new look in her eyes. All of the sorrow and terror that had taken place seemed to have gone entirely forgotten, or at least, she did not hear a single thing about them in this period she spent at home.

Nobody talked about it, because there was nothing to talk about. It was a time that had passed, and they only looked towards what came next instead.

"Then, we'll be heading out," Miku said to Harumi, who was seeing the two of them off at the door. "Our ride is waiting for us."

"Alright," the woman answered. "I can't say I agree with the hour they chose to do this, but I guess they're throwing a New Year's party."

"That's probably the case. Genjuro-san was always a bit over the top," Miku responded, eliciting a nod from Hibiki, who just finished putting on her boots. "If we're not back by later tonight then we probably stayed there overnight to sleep, so you don't have to worry."

Harumi chuckled. "I keep forgetting you two are already seventeen," she said in a nostalgic tone, putting a hand on her cheek. "Take care of yourselves, okay?"

"We will."

Miku opened the door, letting the cool air flow inside the house. She could see beyond the concrete wall the limo which was sent to fetch them in this time of the evening, three hours before midnight. They had been invited earlier in the month and were told that S.O.N.G was holding a New Year's party on the submarine despite all of the mess they had to deal with.

Well, not like there was much they could do now. With the ruined Tokyo covered in snow, work on reconstruction had halted until it melted.

Miku headed towards the limo while Hibiki stood face to face with her mother. She was quiet for a moment, staring at the ground and fumbling with her fingers. The memory of what she had done that night was still very fresh in her mind, and so her interaction with her parents had been... not limited, but quiet.

Running away first thing when she saw her mother was one of those instinctive reactions. Of course, she was so weak back then that even the older woman managed to catch up to her on foot and drag her back screaming and crying.

It wasn't a very dignified moment for Hibiki, and as a result, she felt ashamed to be in their presence. She hadn't been able to say a single word to her father either, despite living in the same house as him for over a month and even with Miku's encouragement.

She couldn't face him. She nearly killed him because of her buried resentments, and she could never forgive herself for it.

"Um.. um... I... uh..."

She mumbled, unsure what to say.

Harumi smiled, and simply pulled Hibiki into a hug, surprising her. "It's alright; you go on and have fun, okay? It's about time, after all."

Finding herself at a loss, Hibiki responded with the first thing that came to mind.

"Ah... okay."

For Harumi, it was enough. She pulled back from the hug, letting Hibiki step back.

Before she could leave, however, Akira yelled from the kitchen. "Have fun you two!"

She blushed and nodded to acknowledge his words. Quickly, she turned back to the door and ran out to join Miku, who was already standing by the limo.

Hibiki opened the door of the car to enter, but Miku stayed in place and merely smiled at her. Before Hibiki could ask what's wrong, Miku spoke.

"You did good. You're getting there."

She blushed again, even more deeply this time. Hearing praise from Miku now was... a lot more motivating than it had ever been. Without another word, the two entered the limo, sitting down and closing the door behind them. Smiling, Miku spoke up, turning to look at the driver's seat.

"It's been a while, Motoyasu-san."

The man chuckled and turned his head. "It really has been, Kohinata-san."

Hibiki looked confused, alternating her gaze between Miku and the driver. Miku noticed her curiosity. "I'll tell you on the way."

She nodded and fell quiet as they drove off.

-!-

"We'll see you later then, Motoyasu-san," Miku said upon exiting the car.

He waved to her and drove off to park inside of the submarine's garage. The ride had been fairly normal, with Miku being the one doing most of the talking and Hibiki doing most of the nodding. Despite this being a party, the two decided to dress a bit more comfortable to endure the cold night air, opting for pants and coats instead of anything more formal.

Miku let out a breath, rubbing her hands together. Before them was the walkway to the inside, and they could see the signs haphazardly taped on it to direct them to where the party would be taking place. They were told it would be in the cafeteria since it was the biggest room in the submarine, so it would take a bit of a hike within to navigate their way to it.

Just as the two took a step forward, someone called to them from afar.

"HEY!"

Their eyes widened, the familiar voice causing them to raise their eyebrows. Hibiki and Miku turned to the source, and their mouths gaped at the group that approached.

"Hey hey! It's been a while!"

"Yumi! Shiori! Kuriyo!" Miku exclaimed, surprised at the appearance of their three friends from school. "What are you doing here?!"

The three, dressed in their own warm clothes approached the two, with Yumi in the lead. The pigtailed girl answered loudly with a smile. "Hehe, we were invited too! Surprised?"

Before Hibiki could even process their sudden appearance, Yumi turned to her quickly and immediately ran up to her. "Bikki!"

She had no time to prepare as the girl glomped her. Nearly losing her footing, she balanced herself by taking a few steps back, her arms by her side. She looked to Miku for support, but she merely responded with a smile.

Kuriyo ran up to Hibiki as well, and Shiori watched them both with a happy smile. She turned to Miku and spoke to her softly. "It's good to see you two again; how have you been?"

As Hibiki was bombarded by rapid-fire questions on the side, Miku answered her blonde friend. "Good. It's been very quiet lately. What about you? Kuriyo wouldn't stop gushing about the huge house she found out you have over chat."

Shiori giggled, reminded of that chaotic group chat they had a few weeks ago. "Yes, it's been good. The size of the place is being put to good use and is now housing all three of our families at once; it's quite a strange arrangement if you ask me."

"I bet," Miku said with a smile. "Shall we catch up while we head inside?"

"Sure."

As Miku and Shiori turned to the walkway, Yumi and Kuriyo beat them to the punch, dragging Hibiki forward with the two holding her hands. Completely lost as to what to do, she simply let herself be carried onwards and into the submarine.

Miku and Shiori fell into step a small distance behind them, partly listening in to the chatting coming from the three in front of them. They entered the sub and took a right as per the sign's instructions, following the hallways towards the cafeteria.

They walked in silence for a few moments before Miku spoke up, talking just loud enough for Shiori to hear her, who was walking by her side. "I have to ask what brought this up."

Shiori, her eyes locked forward, answered. "You'll find it interesting, but it was Kazanari-san who contacted us. She wanted us to come, saying that 'Hibiki needs as many people she knows as possible there'. Kind of strange, is it not?"

"As many people as possible," Miku repeated to herself, thinking on the implication. She turned her head to stare at Shiori, who kept her unreadable gaze. "How much do you know?"

"A bit," the blonde answered. "We weren't given all the details, but she said Tachibana-san was back with us. I informed Andou-san and Itaba-san, and they already went into a frenzy as to how they should be dressed."

Miku studied her carefully. "You're not telling me everything."

The three up front continued to mingle with Hibiki essentially being surrounded by the energetic duo. "You're right," Shiori answered truthfully. "I asked her to be a bit more specific, but she said she couldn't tell me everything. What she did say however confirmed quite a few things for me."

Miku narrowed her eyes as the blonde continued. "She said that Tachibana-san was 'saved from a demon'. I suppose that matches up quite nicely with the little we saw in Lydian."

Saved from a demon... what a fascinating way to summarize everything that had happened; and even more interestingly, it was very accurate as well. It didn't say anything concrete but was just enough to satisfy the trio in case they had questions. Which they definitely did, but decided not to voice. However, if Miku knew Shiori at all, then...

"I have to ask, Kohinata-san, but... you were there too, weren't you?"

As expected. Shiori had always been sharper and more inquisitive than the other two, as well as overall calmer and more collected. She seemed to see through things at a glance and was not satisfied by such simple words.

Miku's silence gave Shiori the answers she needed. "I see, I suppose it makes sense then. Then, I guess you were the one who saved her, too."

A direct bullseye, even if it downplayed the actions of the others. Yes, she had indeed saved her, but she did not do so alone.

"Well, then I suppose the appropriate title for you should be 'Kohinata-san the Demon Slayer', no?"

Okay, that was far enough. "You're being influenced by Yumi too much," Miku said sarcastically. But then her gaze hardened, not at all feeling complemented by the strange name Shiori attached to her. "And I'm not a hero. I didn't do it to save the world, I did it to save Hibiki. I just acted out of selfishness, nothing more. I don't deserve or want such a title."

There was no point in denying her involvement since Shiori pretty much figured it out on her own already. Even if she denied it, she wouldn't believe her, and would probably keep on repeating that stupid title to her until she relented.

Clearly, Shiori was a sly one; and that precisely was why she was such good friends with her.

"I see, then I guess you really aren't a hero," Shiori proclaimed, and smiled. "But then, what we think isn't important; after all, only one person's thoughts here matter, and I bet they truly believe you are one."

It wasn't a very subtle implication. Looking forward, Miku noticed Hibiki turn her head back to look at her. Having been caught, Hibiki's cheeks flushed red and she turned back forward, flanked on each side by Yumi and Kuriyo.

Shiori giggled at the brief exchange between them, and Miku just looked at her and pouted.

With nothing more left to say on the subject, they picked up speed to join with the others, listening in on their incredibly strange conversation.

"So wait, you went a WHOLE MONTH without eating?! How did you do that?! I wish I could do that!" Yumi suddenly announced, as if in some existential crisis. "Your figure is still so great! Gah! This is so unfair!"

"But Yumi, you know that's not—"

"Wait! I know now! This is how it goes in anime too! 'Come to the dark side, we have cookies'. See, only the villains have the best-looking bodies!"

Kuriyo apparently got the memo right now, and her eyes widened in some strange realization. "Wait, what?!"

"Yes!" Yumi declared, sensing a breakthrough. "We need to trademark this! 'Evil overlord's super diet plan! Come with us you can look like a supermodel and conquer nations!'"

Miku sighed in exasperation while Shiori laughed. Hibiki, the subject of Yumi's new plan, looked like a deer in the headlights.

Was this Yumi's way of brushing it all aside? Miku didn't know. However, she wasn't just about to let her go free with this. She might get crazy ideas like she always does; who knows, one day she might even pull it off.

And that's why you nip the problem in the bud. "Yumi, sorry to disappoint you, but Hibiki didn't lose any weight," she said, causing her energetic friend to look at her in shock. "I guess it's not that effective after all."

It was a crazy assumption that worked in Miku's favor. Hibiki had indeed gained a few kilos, but it wasn't because of any sort of evil influence on her. Quite the contrary, Yumi was right on the money, but Miku wasn't about to tell her that. The entire reason Hibiki wasn't in shape like before was because they spent a month and a half shoving food down her throat to make up for all the time she didn't eat.

It was a successful endeavor, either way. Yumi stopped in her tracks and stared at her hands with her eyes wide. "Wait. Wait wait wait wait. You mean she GAINED weight? No, that can't be! I swear she was—"

She stopped in the middle, suddenly coming to a realization. "Oh my god."

Kuriyo was already laughing loudly. Hibiki, now utterly scandalized, was blushing fiercely at the talk about her body weight. "The dark side... it lures you with cookies. But what they don't tell you... is that... THE COOKIES MAKE YOU FAT!"

She screamed like a demented troll, grabbing her head with both hands as the other girls sans Hibiki laughed, who was silent and still blushing.

"This is why they're the dark side! They lure innocent girls to their side with the promise of cookies! All the anime lied to me! GAHHHHH, SO NEFARIOUS! DAMN YOU DARK SIDE!"

Yumi's dramatic call for justice was as grandiose as ever. With her plans of world domination while looking like a supermodel in shambles, the group of five continued the last few meters towards the cafeteria. Shiori pushed Hibiki and Miku forward first, the trio standing behind them in front of the door.

"What are you—"

"You should go in first."

Miku furrowed her brows at Shiori's statement but decided not to push it further. With a final step forward, the door slid open before them.

Showing total darkness inside.

"What?" Miku murmured, and she looked to Hibiki in confusion.

Together, the two stepped into the cafeteria proper.

And the lights switched on suddenly.

POP! POP! POP! POP!

A sound akin to a firecracker erupted throughout the cafeteria, and confetti of all shapes and sizes whisked through the air from all directions. Shocked beyond belief at the suddenness of it all, both Miku and Hibiki stood gobsmacked in their spot as the denizens of the cafeteria hollered in unison.

"SURPRISE!"

It was as if all of S.O.N.G was inside the cafeteria at once. Several dozen crew members, now holding empty party poppers, cheered and clapped loudly, rocking the submarine. Taken by total surprise, Miku's eyes widened as she scanned the room, her eyes catching sight of the many people she recognized.

The cafeteria looked nothing like she remembered. Instead of having many rows of tables like usual, now they were all pushed to the walls, freeing up a huge space in the middle for the large group to stand in. The table themselves were chock full of various foods, from meats to fruits to vegetables to various cakes and pastries.

The walls and ceiling were decorated with what looked like those cheap party packs one can buy in any corner store. Colorful strips of paper lined the walls in arcs, and balloons hung freely in the air from many locations, tied to poles and chairs as to make the usually bland cafeteria much more lively.

But of course, all of that paled in comparison to the absolutely gigantic billboard at the very back upon which was written a very simple message:

'WELCOME BACK, HIBIKI!'

Miku smiled and turned her head to look at the aforementioned girl, whose hair was now covered by the confetti that had slowly settled down. Hibiki, of course, was speechless. Unable to say even a single word, she simply stood frozen, staring ahead and barely able to process what she was seeing.

From the center of the cheering crowd, Genjuro walked forward, a party hat sitting crooked on top of his head. His smile was large and goofy, his arms spread to the sides as he approached.

"Well, looks like we got you two good," he chirped. "And right on time too."

"Genjuro-san, this is—" Miku began, and he quickly cut in.

"Of course, this is a surprise party! We've been planning it for a while, and it just so happens it's not only a surprise party but also a Christmas one AND a New Years one! It's a triple package deal!" he said, making Miku laugh.

Yumi, Shiori, and Kuriyo walked around the surprised duo, joining the rest of the crowd. As they passed, they smiled and sent enthusiastic thumbs up to each other. Miku caught them in the act, making her realize these there were in on it from the very beginning.

'_I see, so this is what their plan was...'_ she realized, putting the pieces together.

"But of course, it is also something more than that," he said, this time more softly and gently, his gaze turning to Hibiki. "You remember the day you first joined us, Hibiki-kun? Doesn't it feel like that too?"

She couldn't answer him. Her thoughts were far too stormy to answer him.

"Sorry for not contacting you sooner, and consider this S.O.N.G's true sentiments," he said, his smile turning warm. "Welcome back, Hibiki-kun. We're glad to have you back with us."

There was no response from her. The remnants of the confetti fell to the floor, her eyes still glued to his and as wide as saucers.

She was silent, and he knew. She was speechless, and he knew. And considering all that had happened until now, and putting together all that he had heard... the next step was obvious.

And in Hibiki's head, something major changed in an instant.

It was something she had always heard, always whispering to her in the back of her mind ever since that fateful day. A manifestation inside her brain, the screaming of those who had died on that day combined with the derisive jeers and threats she had received became a legion of voices in her mind that did not let her rest peacefully.

They had constantly reminded her of her faults, of her mistakes. Of the fact that her life was meaningless, and that she did not deserve to live it. She had tried to brush them away, constantly repeating to herself that she was living for the sake of preventing others from suffering the same fate; and by doing so, she had hoped those voices would vanish.

They didn't. Her own mind was working against her, blaming her constantly. She only heard the whispers, and she only felt the pain that came with them. The evils of the world that had corrupted her heart had only amplified those whispers further, turning them into outright screams that drowned out her thoughts in hatred and chaos.

Because of them, she had felt that she was on the brink of losing herself in madness. She felt broken, wrong, and overall unwell in the mind, and had tried to pretend she was alright as per her nature.

But in the end, that day those whispers turned to screams, she realized she was not.

Yet, now it has changed. The voices now ringing in her head, loud and clear as they echoed in the cafeteria, were cheers. Cheers and claps and wishes of wellness that were so loud she could barely hear those whispers beneath them.

"And I want to tell you... that we don't blame you."

'_It's all your fault!'_

'_You don't deserve to live!'_

'_You should have died too!'_

'_Why were you the only survivor?!'_

'_Bring me back my child!'_

There were so many. They were endless, and they never stopped. But now...

They were vanishing. As if they were torn from her head forcefully, those damning voices disappeared without a trace.

And the quiet that followed was unlike any she remembered in her life.

And so, overwhelmed by the change, and by the sheer contrast from that day...

Hibiki couldn't hold back any longer.

The crowd erupted in jubilation as the tears fell from her eyes, a combination of relief and confusion fuelling her emotions. She was overcome, and Genjuro watched her with a soft smile. She shuddered and hiccuped, and Miku looked to her in sympathy, taking out a handkerchief from her pocket.

"Oh geez," She murmured, feeling herself becoming emotional as well. She raised the cloth and tried to wipe away Hibiki's tears as they kept on flowing. "You're such a crybaby..."

She said it with utmost fondness. Behind Genjuro, the other wielders walked forth to join them, standing around the weeping girl in an uneven circle. Gently, Genjuro placed his hand on her head and patted her, speaking up again. "Hibiki-kun, I want you to know we're here for you. We'll always be here for you, no matter what happens."

"He's right; we won't ever abandon you," Maria chimed in.

"And if anyone tries to blame you, we'll blow them to bits! They'll regret messing with us!" Chris declared proudly, making some of the crowd laugh.

Genjuro removed his hand, and she looked around between her friends, listening to their sincere promises. Her vision was blurry, but she nodded regardless. She nodded and nodded, her heart melting from their sweet words.

It was like she was floating. So light and so free from the burdens that had held her down, she felt as if she could fly through the sky.

"Hibiki-chan," an older, caring voice said as it approached.

She turned to look at the source, her eyes landing upon someone she had always appreciated.

"A-ah..."

The kind kitchen lady. She was coming forward to join them, a smile on her face. "I'm so glad to see you again, Hibiki-chan. It was so lonely without you here," she said, and Hibiki tried to blink the tears away. "So to celebrate your coming back, I made all your favorite meals!"

Old habits shining through, her ears perked up at the words. She stared at the woman with wide eyes as her mind sorted through all the endless possibilities.

The lady then turned to look at Genjuro. "I think now is the best time to bring those out, right?"

Hibiki and Miku looked on in confusion, while the other wielders sported sly smiles. Genjuro answered in agreement. "Yes, now is the best time."

The woman raised a hand, signaling her coworkers in the kitchen to fetch the aforementioned mysterious objects.

"Genjuro-san, what—" Miku began, only for him to cut her off to explain.

"I was lying when I said it was just a triple package party," He explained. "It's a Christmas, New Year's, and a surprise welcome back party..."

Out of the corner of her eyes, Miku saw the crowd equipping themselves with new party poppers. She stared at Genjuro in shock as the light in the cafeteria began to dim slightly.

Someone in the crowd began to count.

"Three! Two! One!"

POP! POP! POP! POP! POP!

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Confetti flew all over the place as the cheer renewed tenfold. Looking on with baffled expressions, Hibiki and Miku saw as a group of kitchen staff carried in two huge cakes to the tables.

"Eh?"

Genjuro laughed as the crowd hurrahed and applauded, and meeting their mystified faces, explained. "But it's also a double birthday party for the two of you!"

"EH?"

Miku was having trouble understanding what he was talking about. She looked to Hibiki for an answer, but her friend was just as lost as her.

"We didn't have the chance to celebrate your birthdays because of what happened," Genjuro clarified. "So even though it's a bit late, there's no time like the present to do so. With this, it's a quintuple package party!"

Next to Hibiki, Kirika huffed proudly. "It was my idea!" she announced proudly. "As if I would ever forget someone's birthday!"

Ah, of course, Miku realized. Kirika was the utmost advocate of birthday parties, considering all the anguish she felt from not knowing her own. For her, such a thing was not to be taken for granted, and so she proposed the notion to Genjuro, who happily accepted it.

The huge cakes shone in the darkened cafeteria, the candles now being the main source of light. Suddenly, Hibiki and Miku found themselves pushed forward from behind by their friends and led the way to the cakes that awaited them.

They were both forced to somewhat tilt their head upwards just to take in the sheer size of the things. Decorated with whipped cream and strawberries, it was as if they were taken out of a wedding magazine and brought to life right in front of them.

"Go on now," Kirika beckoned them forth. "Make a wish!"

Ah, so they were doing it like this. Hibiki looked unsure, still feeling lost, and so looked to Miku for support. Her friend simply smiled back and nodded slightly, filling Hibiki with motivation.

And so, the two of them closed their eyes, their inner desires a secret save for themselves. Hibiki took a moment longer than Miku to finally open them again, and as one the two blew out the candles with a single breath.

The crowd clapped and cheered again, making the two blush in embarrassment even more. But of course, Kirika wasn't done just yet. Grabbing each of them by the hand, she dragged them back from the cakes, seating them in two chairs that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere in the middle of the cafeteria.

Keeping the two in their seats, she smiled and gestured to many members of the crowd, including the wielders, to surround the two. Many people grasped the two chairs, making the two girls extremely worried and confused.

"Eighteen times you said, right Kirika-san?" one of the crew members asked.

"Yep!" she answered. "One for each year and then another for next year!"

Before they could even try and protest the two girls yelped as they were suddenly lifted into the air. They held onto their chairs for dear life as they were raised nearly all the way to the ceiling, the crowd yelling out numbers enthusiastically.

"ONE!"

And then they were lowered for a moment, only to rise once again.

"TWO!"

They repeated, and for each number, they felt like they were about to fly out of their seats due to the uneven hold the crowd had on their chairs.

Miku smiled and laughed, both happily and nervously as they kept on counting. She was still shocked at the sudden surprise they pulled for them, and so was still processing what exactly was happening.

But then, she turned her head to see how Hibiki was doing, and all attempts at understanding flew out of the window. Or more specifically, the need to understand was gone.

Because... Hibiki, for the first time since the end of the incident, smiled. She could see her lips turn up in a smile that kept on growing bigger with every number that was called, and she could swear she heard even some giggles coming from her.

Hibiki was smiling and laughing for the first time in a very long time. The tears had vanished completely, and even though her face was marred a bit she still smiled and laughed.

Seventeen was reached; now came the final number.

Putting together all their strength, the crowd raised the two of them as high as possible and yelled out the last number loudly.

"EIGHTEEN!"

They were held in the air for a few seconds before finally being lowered to the floor, laughing all the while. The crowd took steps back as the two girls uneasily rose from their chairs, reveling in the cheer and applause.

And without further ado, Genjuro's voice boomed throughout the cafeteria. "LET'S START THE PARTY!"

The crowd cheered even louder, and as the music started, they immediately dove for the food on the tables. Only the wielders remained standing by the chair, looking at the proceedings happily.

Before she could even calm herself down Hibiki found herself dragged by the arm again by Kirika. "Come on! Let's eat before they finish it all!"

Hibiki was definitely not going to complain about free food, especially now that her ravenous appetite had started to return. Frankly, Miku missed that, as whenever Hibiki ate a gigantic portion she was at her happiest. Any changes to that routine obviously meant something was wrong.

So this was another step forward. She had expected things to be far more difficult, but well... she had cheated to make things easier.

At Shirabe's urging, Miku followed after Hibiki to raid the food tables, piling up her plate with everything that caught her eye.

And so, the party went underway.

-!-

There was chatting, there was eating, and there was all-around merriment. Maria swished her glass of wine in her hand, briefly taking a look at the red liquid before raising her head to look at her juniors.

"So we made this huge mecha, and we beat the crap out of that giant!" Kirika boasted, recounting her and Shirabe's battle against the titan. Yumi, the anime addict among them, listened intently to her story, taken by the details completely.

To be fair, it was the closest to real-life anime she would ever have; although last time she had been close to the center of a world-ending disaster, she broke down in tears.

"Oh my god, a mecha?! And like, did someone tell you 'hey Kirika, get in the damn robot!'?"

"Nope, did that all by myself!" Kirika answered, puffing her chest in pride. Shirabe, however, noticed that a very important part of the story was missing.

After all, they did eventually lose.

"Oi, you ever heard of being humble?" Chris cut in, holding a plate of spaghetti in hand. Her face was already covered in sauce again due to her bestial way of eating.

Kirika shook her head quickly and crossed her arms. "Nope! Humility is oppression!"

Chris stared at her in confusion. "Say what."

"Yes!" Kirika replied, beating her chest with one hand. "Victory was ours!"

"Don't make me put down my spaghetti for this."

The blonde wielder tilted her head. "Putting down is oppression!"

A beat.

Slowly, Chris handed her precious plate of spaghetti over to Kuriyo, who took it without question. The upperclassman advanced on Kirika, cracking her knuckles along the way. "Is that right? Then maybe this senpai needs to teach you a few things!"

Caught in the headlights, Kirika's self-preservation instincts kicked in. Chris was shorter than her, but she was much scarier.

Taking steps back in fear, Kirika hurriedly looked to Shirabe for assistance. "Um, Shirabe... help?"

Her partner said nothing as she continued to eat. Taking this as a sign to proceed, Chris got even closer.

"Wait! Wait wait wait senpai I was only kidding I was just—AHHHHHHHH!"

The others looked on in horror as Chris began tormenting her junior. The blonde yelled and screamed in faux terror, deciding to be dramatic on purpose. "SHIRABE! HELP! I'M BEING OPPRESSED!"

Shirabe just kept on eating quietly, choosing to let nature take its course. Watching their interaction, Fujitaka joined her and stood next to her, his own plate of food in hand. "What's happening here?"

Shirabe took another bite. "Just Kiri-chan being Kiri-chan."

"I see..."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HELPPPPPP!"

Kirika's call for salvation went unnoticed as the white-haired demon bullied her to submission.

"Where did she even learn all of that?" Fujitaka asked honestly.

Another small bite. "She read a book."

"AHHHHHHHHHH THE PEOPLE ARE IN PERIL! HELP!"

"You should worry about yourself more! This is what you get for making me put down my spaghetti!" Chris called out, a devilish smile on her face.

-!-

Tomosato, standing bit further to the side, smiled as she poured herself a glass of wine. It was obviously kept out of reach from the underage among them, but Genjuro wasn't so cruel as to deny the adults the chance to get a nice drink. Among the assortment of alcohol was wine, beer, sake, and surprisingly even vodka.

For a party in honor of a returned friend, he sure took the chance to make this as grandiose as possible.

As she filled up the first glass, she left it on the table in front of her and took another. She filled it up as well, this time keeping it in her hand. She stared at the glass on the table with a fond smile, remembering a promise.

Before she could start, Elfnein walked up to her, a glass of juice in hand and a worried look on her face. "Tomosato-san, is everything okay?" she asked, having seen the melancholic expression on the woman's face.

Tomosato smiled as she answered. "Yes, everything is fine. I was just... keeping a promise with a friend."

Elfnein did not ask anything more and watched silently. Tomosato turned back to the glass of wine on the table and spoke. "Cheers, Saint-Germain."

And with a soft touch, clung the glasses together.

-!-

"Are you sure, Tsubasa-san? You haven't exactly touched alcohol before," the crew member said to her in worry.

Holding the glass of sake in hand, she nodded. "Of course I am prepared. I am past the time I was a little girl. It is time for me to take this simple step forward towards adulthood."

"Well, not all adults have to drink y'know..."

Genjuro laughed, glad to see his niece was having a good time. He knew how stiff she could be at times, so this chance to mingle with people she was a little less familiar with was good for her in the long run.

Suddenly, his pocket vibrated. Taking out the phone from within, he was surprised to see his brother's name on the display. He raised a hand towards the crew member responsible for the music, asking him to lower it a bit so he could hear his brother better. He went off to the side further from the main area and answered.

"Aniki."

Meanwhile, Tsubasa took a whiff of the alcoholic drink, finding it sting her nose quite uncomfortably. Shiori joined the circle, a glass of cola in hand and a smile on her face as she waited in anticipation to see the idol's drunken expressions.

"You don't have to do this, Tsubasa-san," the same crew member from before said.

"A sentinel must be able to face all challenges," she retorted, unwilling to give in to a mere liquid.

She swallowed, and brought the glass up to her lips, chugging down the whole drink in one motion. The watchers hollered as she downed it, and once she finished she looked quite satisfied.

"So how was it?" she was asked.

She closed her eyes and smiled as she answered. "A great drink indeed; I understand now why it was so popular with our ancestors."

What a Tsubasa-like answer to give. Shiori giggled in response, quite happy to see this side to the formerly hardened idol. As Tsubasa opened her eyes, she looked towards Genjuro and was surprised to see he was beckoning her over. She handed her glass over to the crew member.

"Excuse me."

She went over to her uncle, who was still with the phone by his ear. "What is the matter?"

He smiled and handed the phone over to her. "It's for you."

She tilted her head in question, wordlessly accepting the phone from her uncle and putting it to her ear. "Hello?"

"_Tsubasa."_

She stiffened and answered in the evenest tone she could muster. "Father."

There was a small moment of silence as neither spoke. Before she could say anything, Yatsuhiro spoke up again. "_Have you been keeping up with your training?"_ he asked out of the blue.

Tsubasa, used to his usually distant attitude, replied as she best could. "Yes, I have. Even in times of peace, one must always prepare for battle."

It was an answer she had given many times in the past. "_I see..."_ he responded, falling quiet once more.

Genjuro could not have seen or heard anything more awkward from the two. He was surprised to see his brother calling him now of all times, and was even more surprised that he was calling so he could speak to Tsubasa. He could faintly hear their conversation but chose to remain silent.

They hadn't said a word in over fifteen seconds and finding the silence suffocating, Tsubasa chose to speak up. "Father, I—"

Only for Yatsuhiro to interrupt her mid-sentence.

"_I have heard of your exploits in the conflict, Tsubasa,"_ he said, and she expected the same pattern as before. The usual she had heard from him in the past was quite critical, mostly chiding her for the mistakes she made. She knew he wanted her to improve where she lacked, and that's why for him the good parts were a given. He wouldn't say anything meaningless, and thus he only—

"_You've done well."_

She froze.

It took a moment for him to speak up again, but once he did, her entire being locked up at the words.

"_I'm proud of you."_

She was speechless. Raising a hand to cover her mouth, Tsubasa tried to hold her emotions in check. Her father, he just... he just...

He just praised her. For the first time in her life, her father praised her for her accomplishments. Even if it was only related to fighting... he had taken note of what she had done and was pleased.

And for her, pleasing her father and making him proud was a dream come true.

She could not remember the last time she had ever cried tears of joy, but right now was the day they had returned tenfold. Blinking them away as much as she could, she nodded and shakingly answered him. "T-thank you, Father."

Genjuro smiled and crossed his arms, glad that the two were able to take this simple yet important step forward.

Once again, they were silent for a moment. Tsubasa sniffled, and Yatushiro spoke up once more. "_Happy New Year, Tsubasa."_

Her eyes widened, and she nodded once again. "Happy New Year, Father."

The man let out a sound akin to an acknowledging huff, then hung up. The phone remained in Tsubasa's hand, close to her ear as the call end tone rang in her ear.

She slowly handed it back to Genjuro, who accepted it graciously. "Well done, Tsubasa."

She sniffled again and rubbed her eyes with her sleeves to wipe away the tears. "I think... I think I'm going to have another glass."

He laughed. "You go do that."

At that, she went back to join the crowd. Halfway there Maria walked up to her, a worried expression on her face.

"Tsubasa, is everything alright?"

Her partner idol met her gaze for a moment, then spoke. "Yes, all is well. I'm going to get another glass to drink. Would you mind joining me?"

Surprised by the invitation, Maria could not find it in herself to refuse. She smiled and fell into step by her idol partner. "Gladly."

-!-

To say Hibiki was stuffing her face would be an understatement.

"Hibiki, you've got sauce all over you again," Miku told her. Her friend stopped eating, then hurriedly took a napkin to wipe her face. Miku was surprised. That was the first time Hibiki had ever stopped eating to clean herself off. That was quite a major step forward.

"Right, sorry," she replied. Miku only smiled in response and continued with her own plate. While the vast majority of the cafeteria was simply open floor, there were a few tables they could still sit by to calmly enjoy their meals.

And well, as the kitchen lady said, it was really good. Everything was just absolutely delicious, and Miku even decided to have a small piece of that gigantic cake that was brought out in her name.

She chose wisely, as the crew of S.O.N.G wasted no time in consuming the thing whole. An hour into the party and one of the two cakes were already decimated, leaving the other one half-eaten and nearly toppling over.

All in all, she had to admit it was a nice party. She felt a bit out of her element, but at least it wasn't some dreary nightclub that some of her classmates had gushed about. She didn't think she'd ever be able to go to such a place and stay for more than ten minutes.

Here it was nicer. She knew all the people, which was already good, and there was enough to do to keep themselves busy throughout the night. The main event would come soon enough, what with only thirty minutes left until the year changed.

Several of the crew members were already drunk, messing about with their friends from around the place. While undignified, even they deserved to let loose on some occasions. And besides, Genjuro was the one who commissioned the alcohol. If that wasn't an endorsement to drink, then what was?

Having finished bullying her junior, Chris joined the two by the table, sitting down with her third plate of spaghetti that evening. Kirika and Shirabe then joined as well, with Kirika rubbing her head and face in pain in response to Chris' torment.

"Ow..."

"You kind of deserved that, Kiri-chan."

Shirabe's response caused Kirika to whimper in pain, with Chris smiling as she ate. A few of the crew members of S.O.N.G began to join them as well, starting conversations with the girls as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The community really shone through here, Miku realized. There was laughter and there were smiles, just like there should be.

These were the happy days, nothing less than that.

And they had earned them back through sheer force of will. If there's anything to be proud of, it's that.

A few minutes into the conversation, one of the crew members, a fairly young man from engineering, turned to Miku and spoke to her. "So, Kohinata-san, I can't help but wonder what sort of present you'd like for your birthday, as belated as it is. I bet you didn't wish for something so simple."

His forward attitude was... interesting. Immediately perking up in response, Chris' eyes widened and narrowed repeatedly, studying him carefully. '_Is this guy...'_

Miku, however, had noticed his attempts. He was sweet, but...

"No, I didn't wish for anything extravagant, because..." she began with a smile.

And then, in a move that completely shocked Hibiki, Miku wrapped her arms around her own and leaned on her, putting her head on her shoulder.

"I've got the best present right here."

It was a critical hit.

The small crowd around them cheered at her words, causing her to giggle. Hibiki blushed madly, bumbling to herself as Miku clung to her tightly. The young man's eyes widened, rubbing his nose sheepishly and chuckled, catching her drift easily.

Of course, Kirika was not willing to be one-upped so easily. She wrapped her arms around her partner, calling her name out fondly. "Shirabe! We can't lose!"

"Kiri-chan, that's too sudden—!"

Chris, finding herself smackdab in the middle between the two couples, put her elbows on the table and buried her face in her hands in embarrassment, mumbling to herself all the while. "Do that at home..."

Suddenly, the music stopped completely. The sound of glass clinking filled the cafeteria, causing everyone to fall silent and turn towards the source.

Genjuro stood in the middle of the room, a glass of wine in hand. He smiled as he spoke, making sure he was loud enough for everyone to hear him.

"Well then everyone, I'm glad you're enjoying the party. It wasn't easy putting this together considering our current circumstances, but we figured that it was about time we had the opportunity to unwind after some very difficult three months. For that, I'd like to congratulate you all on a job well done!"

The crowd cheered and clapped, and the wielders found themselves joining in as well. It was only ten minutes before the year changed, and so Genjuro signaled for everyone to quiet down again so he could continue.

"To that end, I also have an important announcement to make," he began, getting everyone's attention on him. Only a few of the people there knew what he was going to say, but for most, it was completely new and unknown. "As you all may know, we've had our attention split between several different important objectives; the first was of course to repair the submarine, which as of yesterday was completed successfully. I'd like to take this moment to give thanks to engineering for getting this done efficiently and with lightning speed."

More claps and the young man by their table let out a proud laugh.

"The second is the clearing and rebuilding of Tokyo. We began this endeavor the day after the incident ended, and as such we have been at it nonstop, working day and night to get it done as fast as possible. With help from our fellow countrymen as well as our allies overseas, it's a slow yet steady process that we predict will go at full speed by the end of next year. So for this, I'd like to thank everyone for your support and cooperation, and to wish us well for the years to come."

More claps filled the cafeteria with plenty of noise.

But then, as they quieted down once again, the feeling in the air told them that the most important part was coming up right now.

"And the third, as you all know, is the boring and tedious talks with the politicians, both local and international. I, as well as all of our talented spokespeople, worked tediously to make sure everything went as planned and let me tell you it was definitely not easy."

He stopped for a moment, thinking of the next thing to say. "Now, the biggest question all of you probably had on your mind is: who is going to take responsibility? As the government requires something to blame, we put forth a motion to mark a very specific person as our target that would be faulted for everything that had taken place, from the destruction of cities worldwide to the mass loss of life."

Miku felt Hibiki stiffen in her hold, her anxiety rising. She realized that Hibiki was thinking that he was about to publicly shame her right here and that this party was all a farce to get her to leave her home to arrest her.

So in response, she tightened her hold, making sure Hibiki knew that she was there with her always.

"And so, our criminal..."

Hibiki swallowed nervously, ready to dash out and run for her life—

"Is none other than Adam Weishaupt."

All of her thoughts seized. Her eyes wide, she began to listen carefully to his words. Miku felt as Hibiki let out the breath she had held, relief washing over her.

"As of last week, he has been blamed as the mastermind behind the incident. Due to his death, he cannot be trialed, and as such all of his associates had been deemed accomplices to his crime."

Miku, however, was concerned. Despite the good news, if she remembered correctly Saint-Germain had once been his underling, so she was worried that she may have been blamed as well.

She got her answer as Genjuro continued. "Now I know what all of you are thinking: that our departed comrade Saint-Germain would have her name tarnished because of his acts, and I'll let you know that we've taken measures to make sure that did not happen... however, most of the credit does not go to us, but rather to Saint-Germain herself, who had left behind for us a hard drive containing information that spanned centuries."

There was a collective gasp from the crowd. "Yes, within it was information about government conspiracies, corrupt officials, underground deals, and generally some very sensitive pieces of information that we were able to use to prove that she had always acted in the best interests of mankind. She had selflessly sacrificed herself to stop the menace that were Adam Weishaupt and the divine power, and so that, together with the information she had given us, was enough to proclaim that she is officially cleared of all charges."

Cheers erupted once more in celebration. Tomosato let out a proud chuckle. As the one who had originally found the hard drive, she had worked her hardest to make sure her departed friend's last will was put to good use. There was more on that hard drive than just government secrets, but that's not relevant to now.

But regardless, with this, justice truly had been served. Saint-Germain had been granted the ultimate pardon after her death and was now treated with the respect and honor she deserved. Even if the world wouldn't know of her actions, they vowed to never forget her.

All these things together implied something very simple that granted Miku much joy. Genjuro turned his gaze in their direction, his eyes falling upon Hibiki.

He raised his glass, and his voice echoed in the cafeteria. "Hibiki-kun, we told you that we do not blame you, and we promised that we'll make sure no else does; and now, I can proudly say that we have made good on this promise."

She froze completely as he stared at her, once again her breath stopping short.

"There is no longer any need for you to live in fear, as from this day forward, you are one hundred percent blameless!"

The cheers were even louder this time, leaving Hibiki astonished at the sight. The crowd chanted her name and applauded, and once again she was caught like a deer in the headlights, unsure of how to respond.

It was done; justice truly had been served. The real villain had been vilified, and the real heroes were honored as they should have been.

The official records made it clear from now on. Adam Weishaupt was the bad guy who caused the incident, Saint-Germain was the hero that had given her life to stop him, and Hibiki was a victim just like everyone else.

A completely and utterly blameless victim. There was no one left in the world that could even point fingers at her and state otherwise. This was the natural state of things now.

No one had abandoned her. No one had insulted her. No one had bullied her. Her friends and comrades remained by her side, supporting her every step of the way.

It was the complete opposite of last time. So affected was she by it that she had automatically assumed it would be a repeat, but in the end, it was as far away from that as possible.

This time, she had truly been the one responsible for all the death and destruction, and she knew it. And yet, absolutely no one blamed her. She faced no punishment and was not forced to pay any price as recompense for what she had done. She was simply told... to live her life happily from now on.

The only one that blamed her was her own self. But now, supported by so many people... that thought was becoming more distant by the minute.

Miku held her tightly as the cheers quieted down, and Genjuro spoke up again. "And we're finished just in time! Everyone, we got twenty seconds! I want to hear your voices ring out for all to hear!"

All those who held glasses to drink raised them in the air as they began counting down. Finding herself drawn in with the atmosphere, Miku raised her own glass of cola and gestured for Hibiki to do the same. She nodded with a small smile and raised her own as they joined in.

"TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN!"

It truly was a cause for celebration. This, Miku realized, was the happy ending they had all worked so hard to achieve.

"SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE!"

Everyone's combined spirits made it all possible. The unity of their wills, tempered and forged by countless fighting, had become the vanguard in the fight against the evils of mankind.

And it was one of a kind fight. Faced with their own doubts, they had pushed forward together, defeating those evils and proving their might against all odds. And now, with a brand new year lurking just a few seconds away on the horizon, it was truly the time to make their joy known.

"TWO! ONE!"

For this moment—

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

—marked a new beginning.

-!-

Despite it being the dead of night, it was somehow not as cold as Miku had imagined it to be. One hour after the new year's arrival, Hibiki and herself had decided to head outside to get some fresh air.

It was also an excuse to get away from the overwhelming smell of alcohol that began to permeate the cafeteria, as the turn of the new year was all the excuse the crew members needed to start going wild.

And so, preferring some peace and quiet, the two of them headed outside to stand on the pier, looking out towards the ocean as they stood side by side, hand in hand.

The stars shone brightly above in the cloudless sky, their radiance more visible than ever before. Perhaps it was because there wasn't as much light polluting the night view, as now it felt as if they were in some rural village out in the plains. So much so, in fact, that the core of the Milky Way was visible to them for the first time in a metropolitan area, truly a breathtaking sight that they had not seen in quite some time.

It was a great example of the phrase that stated 'every cloud has a silver lining'. It might perhaps be a bit disrespectful to think so now, but well...

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Miku said softly.

'_There is nothing quite like this.'_

The priestess' words echoed in her mind as she spoke, remembering their nighttime meeting on that illusionary hill.

Hibiki nodded. "Yeah... it is."

She spoke quietly, almost going unheard.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, they were not exactly as alone. Peeking around the corner of the entrance to the submarine was a not so subtle group of eight girls, each one of them looking at the two carefully from afar. They made sure they made no noise and were not spotted, watching their interaction excitedly.

"It's going to happen now, I'm telling you," Yumi whispered.

They all shushed her quickly, wanting to listen.

Back on the pier, the two were silent, simply appreciating the view and each other's presence. However, in contrast to Miku's seemingly calm demeanor, Hibiki was far from relaxed.

For many many reasons.

A soft breeze passed over them, causing Miku to shudder involuntarily. She gripped Hibiki's hand tighter for additional warmth, and the increased contact caused Hibiki's heart to beat rapidly in her chest.

Desperate to calm herself down, she spoke up first. "I... I don't really know what to think... about all of this."

Miku listened to her silently, and Hibiki took that silence as permission to continue. "I-I'm happy. I'm happy and confused because... I don't know what I really should be feeling. Everyone said that they don't blame me... but..."

She breathed out.

"I can't help but still feel guilty. I'm... getting so much support from everyone, so much more than I ever did... but why can't I get rid of this weight. Why can't I just... accept the fact that no one blames me?"

It was understandable. Her crimes, which she had committed while she was not herself, were blamed on the person who had put the circumstances together in the first place. His selfish ambition had brought forth this disaster, and it would have happened even without her direct involvement.

To that end, she couldn't be blamed, and everyone she knew were adamantly pushing that notion forward so everyone would think the same. No one had ever dared to say otherwise, because they truly did not find her responsible.

Yet, despite all of their support, she still had hurt others in the name of her own vengeance, as twisted and corrupted as it had been. And that was the source of her guilt. She saw herself as a criminal that needed to be punished, and yet no one wanted to punish her and no one saw her as a criminal.

As terrifying as any prospective punishment would be, she felt she deserved it, far more than she deserved their support. Would the weight in her heart disappear if she was? She didn't know, and she was too scared to find out.

"I understand, Hibiki," Miku replied kindly. "And I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't just be able to put that aside."

"I want to do something... to make it up for all those I hurt... but I don't know what I should do. I don't think there's anything I can do to repay that price."

"I have an idea, then," Miku suggested, turning to look Hibiki in the eye. Hibiki's amber eyes met her own green ones, eliciting a light blush from her friend. "You live your life, plain and simple."

She didn't expect that answer from her, and so Hibiki was left speechless once again.

It was strange. She always had something to say in response to any given situation, but lately, she just found herself lost as to what to do. And she wasn't sure what was causing it.

Miku took hold of her other hand as well, entwining their fingers together in the cold night. "For every person you think you hurt, you live every day to the fullest; you let nothing stand in your way, and you do the one thing you promised Kanade-san all that time ago."

Hibiki's eyes widened. The one thing she promised Kanade... was...

To never give up on life.

Out of all the legacies she had left behind, this one was perhaps the one that had stuck with her the most. And it made sense to her. It was what she had vowed to do in the first place.

To live long enough for everyone who would no longer have the opportunity to do so. To bring the world together in harmony, so no one else would have to endure that suffering... and so that no one else would have to carry such a burden.

It felt stupid to worry about this now, she realized. She wracked her brain over this, and here was Miku solving all her problems with but a few words that calmed her heart.

It just made her even more entranced with the girl before her. "I-I think you're right. I did... promise her that," she said uneasily. "Thank you, Miku. I would be... completely lost without you."

Miku giggled, making Hibiki blush even more deeply. "Of course you would be; after all, you're so dense, and you don't think things through all the time. You're so impulsive sometimes that I don't know how to handle you."

It was a tiny dig at her, one that was said with utmost fondness. "You always know what to say."

"Yep, I do," Miku said proudly. "It's because I know you so well after all. I don't think anyone else in this world can accept all of your weirdness except me."

Hibiki could barely keep her composure together in the face of Miku's words. She was just... so...

So radiant.

She was her sunshine, and she wouldn't give it up for anything else in the world.

Faced with such a captivating smile, Hibiki's mind raced a mile a minute. And she remembered a certain moment that happened not too long ago that still sat in her thoughts to this day.

Fidgeting and nervous, she found it difficult to speak up again. "Um... Miku... I... um..."

"Yes?"

Hibiki swallowed. "Well... you see... I was just thinking that... well...?"

"Hm?"

Miku's expectant expression only made things more difficult. Completely out of her element, Hibiki briefly thought about bailing out right this minute. But... some voice in her head urged her to continue, lest she'll have to face Miku's wrath later on.

And now was the time to be brave in the face of the one person she could never beat.

"Um... well you know... that uh... thing that you did... um... yes so I was just—"

Miku giggled, stopping her short. "Ah, you mean that? What about it?"

She could feel her heart beating in her ears rapidly. "Well, I... was just... you know... kind of... wondering... I mean you don't need to answer if you don't want to! So—"

Another giggle. "Well, it was quite effective, no? It got you to stop thinking about bad things. I guess I kind of cheated," Miku said, sticking her tongue out slightly.

Hibiki blinked rapidly, caught by surprise by the answer. Before she could say something in response, Miku beat her to the punch.

"Before you think something stupid, I want you to know I wanted to do that... for a very long time. Now, what are you going to do about it?"

Was she... was she inviting her? Was she... beckoning her? Challenging her? What—

"Ah, I—"

"If you want it to happen again, then this time you do it."

Miku had her wrapped around her finger completely. There was no way she could ever surpass her. "Ah, I just... well..."

"Loser has to obey the winner, remember?"

Ah. Yes. That. She couldn't really forget that, not when Miku forced her to move forward by reminding her of that unofficial agreement between them.

So that meant... if Hibiki wanted it, she'd have to come and get it.

In preparation, Miku closed her eyes. Hibiki stood frozen, unsure of what to do or how to proceed, feeling like she'd screw it up when it mattered the most.

Back by the submarine, Yumi was already chewing her fingers in excitement. "Come on!" she whispered again, cheering Hibiki on. "Do it!"

No, there was no point in backing out now. She had faced down great enemies in the past that threatened to destroy the world, fearlessly standing up to them and their ambition.

Yet this was far scarier than anything she had ever faced.

Because it was Miku, the person who her heart belonged to.

Breathing in and gathering up her courage, she took a step forward, closing the distance a tiny bit. She had never done this before and was unsure how it went, so she could only trust her instincts to show her the way.

'_Okay, just do it. Do it. Do it!'_

She tightened her hold on Miku's hands, and slowly leaned her head forward. Opening and closing her eyes to make sure she was on track, the sight of Miku's face being so close almost made her want to run away.

'_Stop, don't run away. Do it. Do it for yourself, and do it for her.'_

Whatever inner voice that was, it was helping. Letting out the breath she was holding, she closed her eyes for the final time.

And finally, closed the distance.

Maria was forced to hold Yumi back from screaming in happiness as the two's lips met. Faces red from the sight and their eyes wide, the spectators just watched with bated breaths.

It wasn't anything like last time. Soft and gentle, the warmth of Miku's lips made Hibiki's brain melt as she held onto her tightly. It was also a short affair, barely lasting a few seconds. Yet for Hibiki, it felt like a goddamn lifetime.

Once those few seconds had passed, they separated, pulling back slightly and opening their eyes. Both their faces were red as tomatoes, and the whole world felt far warmer than it should have been in this cold night.

Hibiki was sure her heart missed a few beats as she tried to compose herself, utterly failing. She opened her mouth to speak, but she wasn't unable to say anything coherent. "Ah... um... I... I mean... uh... well... Miku... um..."

Miku giggled once again, cutting her short for the third time. "That was nice. You did good, Hibiki."

She was deciding the pace of things, it seemed. Miku was in total control here, while Hibiki was reduced to a bumbling mess. Noticing her distress and total confusion Miku couldn't help but comment on it. "As I expected, you're so bad at this, Hibiki. You're so good at many other things, but... I guess romance isn't one of them."

Badump.

Okay, okay. Now was the time. She showed action, but now she had to say the words.

This should be easy. This is Miku after all. How many times had she said those three words to her in the past? Plenty of times. This should be a walk in the park. A piece of cake. An extremely easy challenge.

And yet, now it was like climbing a mountain with nothing but her bare hands. She may be dense, but she understood the implication. The depth, the meaning behind it. She was hopeless in romance, but... this, this was different.

She inhaled again, opening her mouth to speak. "Miku, I... I... um..."

"Yes?"

Oh god, she was doing this again. She was doing that thing again, looking at her with those expecting eyes that gave her no room to maneuver. She could only move forward, not back or to any side.

She would have to say it. There was no escaping this.

"M-Miku... I... I... I lo—"

"Yes."

'_Oh crap. Ohcrapohcrapohcrapohcrap.'_

She felt like she was freaking out. What was even a heart anymore? Hers had completely stopped functioning a few minutes ago. Or was it hours ago? Days ago? Months ago? Who the hell knew at this point.

Just three words. Three words that Miku—

'_Ah...'_

Three words that Miku had sung to her with all her heart, finally breaking the veil of despair that had encroached upon her being. Three words that had defeated the evils of this world. Three words... that made miracles possible.

"_I really... really... can't beat you.'_

The fear abated, and with full clarity, those three words finally left her lips.

"Miku... I love you."

That was it. She did it. She said it. It sat in her heart forever, and now she said it.

With that out of the way, she nervously waited for Miku's answer. Once it came, she had to chide herself for expecting anything else.

She smiled. "Yes," she simply said, her own heart filled with warmth. "I love you too. I have loved you... for a very long time."

This was too much. This was far too much for Hibiki. "Um... um... um... I... uh... are... are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Miku answered. She knew where this was going, and she was going to let it go there.

Hibiki shuffled in place nervously. "I mean, I'm not exactly smart, and I'm not that pretty, and I'm clumsy, and I'm lazy and always late, and I'm—"

"I know," Miku interrupted her once again, stopping the shopping list of negative traits Hibiki believed she had. "I told you, that I would accept everything about you. This is how it always was, and how it always will be."

"Um... um..."

"And besides, it's as I told you," Miku reminded her. "My heart... has always belonged to you. That's why I'm sure. Surer than I've ever been."

What could she say to that? What kind of argument would even make sense here? None. Absolutely none. Nothing would even remotely make Miku even slightly reconsider.

Because she'd never want to. "Um..."

"Now that we're here, you're stuck with me," Miku added with a big smile. "And I'll let you know that I get jealous really easily, so you're gonna have to think about who you decide to touch or hug. I also expect you to remember important dates, like today, and birthdays, and anniversaries..."

Oh god, it was as she expected from Miku. Not one to simply let things go easily, she was instantly back to making demands, using her newfound hold on her to keep her in line. And Hibiki knew she couldn't disappoint her. After all, Miku was at her scariest when she was angry. And as one who had faced that anger head-on... she really didn't like it when Miku was angry.

They were now both aware of the other's ugly points. Difficult points, and frustrating points. And yet, despite that, they chose to be together.

"Any questions?" Miku asked finally, having finished listing off the things she expected to happen from now on.

Hibiki shook her head, having nothing to say.

"Good," Miku replied happily. "Now, I think I'm going to do what I want from now on."

Hibiki looked confused. "And what would that be—"

She was silenced as Miku's lips met her own again. Kissing her much more deeply, Hibiki threw away any notion of letting go and wrapped her arms around her waist, pulling her even closer. Miku threw her arms around her neck, this time passion taking over between the two of them.

The excited spectators continued watching in awe. "Holy crap," Kuriyo murmured. "This is actually happening."

"Of course it is," Shiori said to her. "I told you it would. Which means... I think someone owes me five thousand yen."

Kuriyo froze as she remembered their bet from long ago. "Oh crap?"

"Eh?" Kirika let out, half-listening to the two and half concentrating on the duo on the pier.

"Andou-san and I made a bet, you see, as to when those two would finally get together; she said before the end of the year, and I said after the start of the new one. Looks like I won by an hour's margin."

"Guh," Kuriyo let out, defeated.

Chris, for once, didn't freak out completely. Her usual catchphrase of telling them to do that at home wasn't appropriate here, not like this.

"I'm glad," Maria said with a smile. "I'm glad those two... finally joined their hearts together."

"You say that as if they weren't already," Tsubasa replied. "This final step is just a formality at this point. Those two... they needed this."

"Yes... they did."

There wasn't anything more to say or do. Pushing off the wall she had been leaning against, Tsubasa made her way back to the cafeteria, with Maria joining her.

The night was no longer cold. Finally letting their feelings take hold, the two remained locked together for quite some time.

And so they would be for the foreseeable future.

After what seemed like an eternity, they finally pulled back, and put their foreheads together. And Miku, having waited so long, finally found the chance to say the words with all her heart.

"Welcome home, Hibiki."

There wasn't anything else Hibiki could say in response.

Because her heart was now... truly at peace.

"I'm back, Miku."


	40. Chapter 40: Epilogue

_One month after the New Year's party..._

The birds chirped outside their window as the sun's rays pierced through the corners of the curtains. The room was slightly illuminated by the glow, and a calm ethereal atmosphere descended upon the two sleeping figures.

Hibiki was sprawled out across the queen-sized bed, her chest rising and lowering, her breaths quiet and stable. Miku was cuddled up to her, her head resting on her shoulder and an arm spread out across her stomach.

The two had fallen asleep like so the previous night and had done so ever since they officially became a couple. And of course, upon revealing it to their friends and colleagues, they were showered with support and messages of congratulations. Their fellow wielders were obviously the most supportive, and Kirika was forcibly held back from throwing another party in their honor.

Regardless, their friends' blessings meant the world to them, and Hibiki in particular. Miku was not lying when she said she had cheated to help Hibiki recover faster; because she truly did. With their new relationship status, Hibiki was forbidden from having extreme thoughts in any manner. That was how strong Miku's hold was on her now, both physically and emotionally.

It was exactly what she needed to be able to finally drop the matter almost entirely. It wasn't perfect, but it was a step in the right direction for her.

And so, days of sadness and grief had almost spontaneously transformed into days of joy and togetherness.

Miku definitely marked that as a decisive victory for her cause.

A stray ray of light from behind the blinds fell upon Hibiki's face. She stirred and squirmed, desperate to escape from it. "Hnng..."

But she couldn't move. Pinned down under Miku, she was unable to escape the torture that was the morning sun, and against her wishes her eyes fluttered open slowly, squinting as she tried to avoid being blinded first thing in the morning. She tried to turn her on her side, but Miku's grip was like iron, shackling her to her current position.

She sighed, realizing she won't be able to fall back asleep any time soon. Having surrendered to the fate of being awake, it was at that moment that that previous stray ray vanished, restoring her vision to normal.

She sighed again. "I really am cursed..."

She blinked several times at her own words. How long has it been since she had muttered them? In the past, she had usually used them as a manner to lament her almost petty troubles during the day, like accidentally tearing a rice ball in half or tripping over thin air while running. Those were the only times she had ever uttered that phrase.

But now, having recovered from actually being cursed, she found the words to be far more meaningful than ever.

Perhaps it was time to drop that phrase and have it join the one she had once inherited from her father.

As she was lost in thought about her future, she was surprised to hear her phone ring from the nightstand. She tilted her head to look at it, watching it vibrate across the wood slightly with each repetition. It was loud and obnoxious, but she was curious as to who would call her so early in the morning, now of all times.

She hadn't received calls from anyone in months, or at least ever since the incident began. Wanting to see who it was that was calling her, she did her best to twist her body and reach the phone, extending her arm over Miku as much as she could.

With a bit of fumbling and some annoyed grunts from her girlfriend, Hibiki eventually managed to grab the damned device. Pulling her arm back to a more comfortable position, she let Miku adjust herself before looking at the screen in contemplation.

'Kazanari Genjuro'

He was calling her now, of all times? That was strange.

Wanting to receive some answers, she accepted the call and put the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"_Ah, good morning Hibiki-kun,"_ he greeted. "_I apologize for calling you so early in the morning."_

She answered him groggily, still half asleep. "It's fine. What's up?"

He grumbled before answering. "_I was wondering if you two would be able to come to headquarters at your earliest convenience. There is something that we must discuss as soon as possible."_

Okay, that was a strange request first thing in the morning. Finding herself at a loss, she thought about how to answer him. "Ah, well... I'm not really sure. Miku is still sleeping, and—"

And just as she opened her big mouth, her girlfriend stirred and opened her eyes slowly, automatically responding to her. "Miku is awake."

Hibiki smiled sheepishly as Miku raised herself, her hair ruffled and messy. Her eyes were narrowed as she woke up, staring at Hibiki through the slits. She seemed irritated already, something that Hibiki was not happy to see.

"Who is it?" Miku asked quietly.

"It's Master," Hibiki answered, signaling to Genjuro to wait. "He's asking if we can come to headquarters today."

"When?"

"As soon as possible, he says," Hibiki replied.

Miku groaned as she rubbed her eyes. "How soon?"

"Uh, one second," Hibiki replied. She then removed the phone from her ear and bringing up the menu she switched to speaker, putting down the phone on the bed between the two of them.

"_Oh, Miku-kun, good morning."_

"Good morning, Genjuro-san," Miku replied. "How soon do you want us to be there?"

"_Considering the distance, I'd say the soonest would be by sending Motoyasu to you right now," _he said.

Sending Motoyasu now... headquarters was about an hour's drive away from the house. That wasn't an awful lot of time, but it was enough to prepare, eat, and get their things in order. It'd probably take the driver a little more than an hour to arrive anyway, so they had some leeway.

Miku looked to Hibiki. "I think that sounds okay?"

"Yeah, that sounds fine," Hibiki responded.

"_Very well, then I'll see you two in around two hours. You don't need to bring anything in particular with you, just yourselves." _

"Alright, then we'll see you later, Genjuro-san," Miku said.

"See you later."

At that, he hung up.

And as soon as he hung up, the two crashed back onto the bed on their sides, facing each other. "So much for sleeping in," Hibiki said, reminded of their decision yesterday to stay in bed a little longer.

Miku giggled and reached over to play with Hibiki's hair with one hand. "Yep, so much for that," she repeated. "What do you think Genjuro-san wants to talk about?"

Hibiki turned over to lay on her back and took Miku's hand with both of her own. She played with her fingers absentmindedly as she answered. "I don't know; it could really be about anything. Although... it did sound urgent."

Miku nodded. "Yes, it did. I wonder..."

"I guess we'll find out in two hours," Hibiki reassured. "Until then, we can do whatever we want."

At those words, Miku shuffled closer to her, returning the two to the posture they'd be in while sleeping. Miku buried her head in Hibiki's shoulder, making herself comfortable. "I guess we can just sleep for another hour, but then we'd definitely wake up late."

"Yeah, that sounds just like us—"

GROOOWWWWLLLLL!

Once again, the whale's mating call returned with tenfold strength. Miku didn't move her gaze from Hibiki's face as she sighed, her girlfriend blushing at her stomach betraying her once more. "Or we can just go have breakfast," Miku suggested, catching the drift.

Hibiki could only let out an undignified 'ugh'.

Reluctantly, the two rose from their comfortable and intimate position, shuffling towards the foot of the bed. It was still the cold months, and so they wore long pajamas to keep themselves warm. Together with the puffy blanket, they really did not want to leave the welcoming embrace of the bed, but with Genjuro's call and Hibiki's stomach's complaints, they were forced to say goodbye to their sweet domain to face the day.

Hibiki stood up first, stretching her arms above her head. Her shirt slightly rose above her waist as a result and seeing the opportunity Miku poked her in the side with her fingers, causing Hibiki to yelp and jump in place in surprise. Miku immediately began to giggle from the cute response as Hibiki cradled her stomach protectively, staring at her girlfriend with narrowed eyes.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself," Miku said. "Shall we take a bath?"

Hibiki lowered her hands and nodded. "Yeah."

Her sudden contemplative stare confused Miku, who tilted her head in question. "Hibiki, what's wrong?"

Hibiki said nothing for a moment. "I..."

She sighed. "I want to tell my parents."

Miku stared at her seriously. "When?"

"Today, before we leave," Hibiki answered. "I just... I'm tired of keeping secrets. I don't want to hide it from them anymore."

Miku rose from the bed and approached her partner. She wrapped her arms around her neck, only a small distance now separating their faces. "It's not like we were hiding it... but I understand what you mean. I haven't told my parents either, even though I talk to them almost every day on the phone."

And aside from the occasional visits they made to the Tachibana household, but that wasn't really part of the equation.

"But if you want to tell them, then we will," Miku said to her, comforting her and reassuring her.

"Will you be there with me when I do it?" Hibiki asked.

Miku's response was a simple one; she pulled Hibiki's head close and kissed her, their lips meeting with the same passion as they had that New Year's night. Since then, Miku made it no secret that she wanted more intimacy between, something that Hibiki found really difficult to keep up with at times. She completely set the pace for their relationship, as usual, while Hibiki was dragged along for the ride and was not allowed to complain about it.

Not that she had any reason to. Considering that they were already had been acting like a married couple even before taking this final step, the physical aspects were just the cherry on top of a very sweet pie.

And boy did Miku eat desire that pie hungrily. It didn't take very long for their kisses to become a duel of tongues, which was what was happening right now. Hibiki did not have a tiny bit of experience in that art, but it seemed Miku's more romantically inclined brain did.

So they kept at it for minutes at a time, making up for all the lost opportunities to close that distance they had in the past. Separating after what felt like forever, a string of saliva extended between them before Miku licked her lips, breaking it.

"Does that answer your question?" she asked her.

Hibiki didn't find any real need in responding.

-!-

"Are you ready?" Miku asked her partner. Motoyasu had informed them he was only ten minutes away, which was enough time for Hibiki to tell her parents everything. They had spent the last fifty minutes preparing themselves, and so now there was nothing left but doing the deed.

And obviously, Hibiki was super nervous. The Tachibana family was in the living room, the two women on the sofa watching TV while Akira was in the kitchen cleaning up the dishes from their breakfast. None of them knew the couple was hiding behind the wall, waiting for Hibiki to gather up the courage to talk to them.

"Ah—"

"It's okay... it's okay..." Miku whispered to her. "You can do this. I'm here with you. You don't need to be scared."

"But I am. I mean, what if Mom and Dad don't like it? I don't know what I'd—"

Miku silenced her immediately. "Why wouldn't they? You said your grandma already knows, right? Then there is no way they'll disapprove. You gotta have faith in yourself and them."

"I know, it's just..." she murmured and bit her lip anxiously. "I've never done this before, so..."

"It'll be fine, trust me. Trust yourself, and them," Miku said to her, trying to fill her with motivation to go through with it. If Miku failed to convince her to do it, then no one else in the world will be able to.

Luckily, it was enough for Hibiki. Inhaling and exhaling, she remembered she had prepared herself plenty in the downtime after breakfast. All that was left was just to do it. She grabbed hold of Miku's hand, and together the two stepped forward, the light from the living room illuminating them. Hand in hand, they walked in, and the sound of their arrival made the family inside turn to look at them.

"Oh, you're going already?" Harumi asked, rising from the sofa and approaching them. "Then I'll see you two off at the door."

Hibiki and Miku stood still before her, perplexing the woman. "Hibiki, Miku-chan, what's wrong?"

Breathing in again, Hibiki spoke up. "Mom, Dad, Grandma... I have something I need to tell you."

-!-

"See you later!" Miku yelled to the trio by the entrance to the house before entering the car, closing the door behind her. Harumi and Kiyoko waved to them as they drove off, the limo leaving behind a trail of dust that settled down a few seconds later.

Harumi stared at the disappearing silhouette of the car, then lowered her hand, still shocked at what Hibiki and Miku told her.

"You know, thinking back, I think the signs were all there. We just didn't see them," Akira suddenly said, a smile on his face and his hands on his hips.

"You really didn't," Kiyoko replied. "Well, I suppose I didn't either, at least not until she told me."

"She did?" Harumi asked her.

"A long time ago, before this new development between them. You never noticed she'd come to me to share all her secrets?" the elder answered, asking her daughter a question of her own.

Harumi thought for a moment, her eyes still locked on the distance. "I guess I didn't... I thought I knew my daughter completely, but now I feel like I don't know her at all."

"She's at that age, darling. Soon enough she'll wander off to experience the world without us. She'll need to deal with life in her own way, just like you did," Kiyoko said wisely, deciding to impart her knowledge.

"I know, but still..." Harumi murmured. "Well, I guess it was inevitable. They were always very close, but I never realized just how much."

"Indeed," Kiyoko said with a knowing nod. "I don't say this often, but I dare say those two are the perfect match. You'd be hard-pressed to find something like theirs."

That, Harumi could definitely agree with. "Yeah... they are."

What a strange thing it was, getting to this stage in life. Their baby girl wasn't so little anymore and was slowly but surely becoming older right before their eyes. For Harumi, Hibiki was still in diapers just yesterday, a small but chubby child that kept on trying to eat everything in sight.

She barely blinked, and now that same child was off doing things she never imagined were possible.

And the icing on the cake was what she just heard from her. '_Time goes by so fast...'_

Beside her, Akira grumbled to himself, which caused both Kiyoko and Harumi to turned to look at him in confusion. "Akira? What's wrong?"

"Hmm..." He mumbled. "I was wondering... do I still get to walk her down the aisle?"

He got his answer from Harumi pinching his arm. "Owowowowowowowow!"

"Of course you will, you idiot!" She yelled at him, pinching him even harder. "And you better start preparing right now!"

"Owowowowowow okay okay I will now please stop!" he begged, and she released him. He rubbed his poor arm with his free hand, still whimpering.

Watching their interaction with a smile, Kiyoko spoke up. "Now then, shall we go back inside?" She suggested.

"Sure."

The trio turned back around, heading back to the living room.

As Harumi and Akira walked past her, Kiyoko couldn't help but feel relieved. If Hibiki was able to let go of the burdens of her past... then maybe these two will be able to as well. The spark that had originally brought the two together was now showing its first signs of life for the first time in a very long time.

And she dearly hoped... that they too will be able to find their happy days.

-!-

"Everyone!" Miku called out as Hibiki and her walked towards the small rest area inside the submarine. They had arrived just a few minutes before, and because Genjuro hadn't told them where to meet, they simply followed their standard pattern and headed straight to the bridge. That was why they now ran into the other wielders, all of them sitting on the sofa with the view to the outside behind them.

"Miku, Hibiki," Maria said, rising from her seat. "How are you two?"

"We're fine, we just got here ourselves," Miku answered, sitting down next to Shirabe. "So what's going on?"

"We don't know," Tsubasa told her. "Uncle called us all together suddenly. He was here a few minutes ago, but when he saw you two weren't here he left again. I do not know when he'll be back."

"I see... so you don't know what this is about either..."

Hibiki, as usual, fell quiet at the presence of the others. It seemed to be an almost reflexive response by now. It happened so many times during the last month that it most likely got ingrained in her brain that she needs to keep silent when around them.

Just another strange habit that Miku needed to help her break eventually. "So what have you guys been up to lately? I know you're bored out of your minds."

"We helped out in the city this morning," Shirabe said. "It really was boring, so we decided we should at least make ourselves useful in clearing things up. Since there were no outsiders this time, we were allowed to use our Gears to help clear out some of the heavier rubble."

"That's great! So how is it going out there? We haven't been updated on the status of the city," Miku exclaimed.

"It's a slow process like the commander said. Most of the center has been done, so now it's just repeating the process ward by ward.

"I see. And once that's done, then reconstruction can really begin," Miku summarized, and Shirabe nodded in response. "That's going to take the most time out of everything. Cities aren't built overnight after all."

"But when it is done, we'll throw a city-wide party for everyone to celebrate!" Kirika declared, shooting up from her seat. "Speaking of parties, did you know that the New Year's party should have actually been a triple birthday party instead of double?"

Chris instantly was up in arms, not liking where this was going. "Idiot, shut up—!"

"But Chris-senpai gave up on her part, so we definitely have to celebrate her birthday this month instead!"

Total silence fell on them from the bombshell revelation. Only once she finished talking did Kirika realize that she spoke out of line, having revealed something she wasn't supposed to.

And of course, Chris was livid. She rose from her seat to pounce on the blonde underclassman, ready to beat her up for giving away the secret. Before she could mete out her punishment, Hibiki of all people spoke up in shock.

"Chris-cha... Chris, is this true?" she asked with wide eyes. Chris was briefly taken aback by the removal of the usual honorific in her name, which caused her to back away from Kirika and look to the side guiltily.

Miku was equally as astounded. "Chris, what do you mean... you gave up on your part?"

"It's not important, okay?! It already passed so it doesn't matter now!" she yelled, trying to change the subject as quickly as possible.

However, neither of the two girls were having it. Both of them stood up and walked towards her, and she clearly fidgeted under their stares, her face flushed.

"Of course it matters!" Miku complained. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because it really doesn't matter! It's just a birthday party! It's not like I had that many in the past anyway, so one more really doesn't bother me!" Chris retorted, refusing to budge an inch on the matter. To her, it really wasn't all that important. So many years being in someone's captivity without the luxury of celebrating her birthday had taken away any excitement she had for such a thing.

It was only since coming to S.O.N.G that she even began deliberating on it, and as a result for her it wasn't that big of a deal.

"But that's not fair to you!" Miku countered. "You shouldn't have to give up on celebrating your birthday just because we didn't!"

Chris' face was reddening from anger she didn't really know where to place. "Well, it was less fair to you, because you didn't choose to miss it! You had to deal with that whole bullshit we went through, and because of that, you didn't get to celebrate it at all! I chose to miss mine because yours was more important, okay?!"

She was actually huffing now, that outburst completely silencing the others. However, they were not shocked because she was angry, or because she shouted.

It was because of the sincerity of her voice, and the true feelings behind it.

"Chris..."

"So don't you talk to me about fair or not! You just worry about yourselves and that's it! I can go another year without a party, okay?!"

Chris crossed her arms and huffed, turning her head to the side. Miku watched her intently, her exasperated expression calming. She smiled, and crossing her own arms she replied. "Nope, not okay! Even if we're late, we're celebrating your birthday this month and that's final! Are we clear?"

Chris turned back to her, trying to come up with another argument. But then Miss Loose Lips spoke up again enthusiastically. "Yeah! We're gonna throw another huge party!"

"What! You—"

"Indeed, and with lots of spaghetti included," Maria added with a wry smile.

Chris jerked at the name of her favorite food. Seeing her reaction, they decided to push it further. "Oh yeah! A spaghetti themed party! With a spaghetti cake!"

Shirabe pondered on the idea. "Wouldn't that just be a lasagna?"

"No! It needs to be a cake, but made of spaghetti! And we can have spaghetti themed decorations, like fake noodles and meatballs and—"

As Kirika went on and on, Chris was rapidly switching from angry to incredibly embarrassed. Maria and Tsubasa giggled, while Hibiki turned to the side to hide her chuckling. And Chris's face just continued to redden, becoming as crimson as spaghetti sauce. She tried to make her irritation known, but Tsubasa beat her to the punch.

"Looks like your fate is sealed, Chris. That party is going to happen whether you want to or not. When it ends up like this, it's better to just calmly resign to it."

She was so right Chris couldn't find it in herself to dispute her. It seems she was bound to suffer a noodly fate in less than a month.

Well, there could be worse ways to go.

As the girls continued laughing amongst themselves, Genjuro finally showed up, turning the corner and approaching the gathered group.

"Ah, I see everyone is here. Good, then please follow me."

No explanations, and no preparations. He simply turned around again, and the girls looked between themselves for a moment before getting up to follow him with Tsubasa in the lead.

-!-

A few minutes later, they arrived at their destination. Miku narrowed her eyes as she noticed that they were about to enter Elfnein's lab, which was not where she had expected him to take them. She couldn't say she was expecting anything actually, but it still wasn't high on the list.

What was there that he wanted to show them? She didn't know. However, from the way Tsubasa and Maria stiffened before they entered, it seemed the two older wielders had some sort of an idea.

The door slid open, and in a single file line, the entire group headed inside. Within, Elfnein awaited them, standing by her table and looking towards them with a serious expression. As they settled within, the seven girls shuffled to stand in a half-circle, each of them having enough space to see what was on Elfnein's work table.

And once Miku laid her eyes upon it, she instantly understood what they were about to hear.

"I'm sorry to call all of you together on such short notice, but we have made the discovery just this morning and we found it imperative to tell you as soon as possible," Genjuro explained, getting to the crux of the matter. He knew what they wanted to hear, and so he would tell them exactly what this meant.

For what lay upon Elfnein's table was the Armed Gear of Gungnir and the last remaining legacy of Amou Kanade.

"I won't bother you with the details, so I'll be blunt and brief. I assume you have already reached your own conclusions, all of which are probably correct. I wouldn't call all of you here if it wasn't for that anyway."

Their stunned expressions were proof enough of that.

The man looked Hibiki dead in the eye and made his announcement.

"The Gungnir Symphogear can be remade from this spear."

It was indeed blunt and brief. Short and to the point, that single sentence told them everything about his intentions on the matter. Why he called them forth, and why he brought them here. Why he gathered them as a group and made sure they were all there to see and hear this from him.

Because all of them were necessary in the face of the decision Hibiki would have to make.

"H-how? How is this possible?" Maria asked incredulously.

He sighed in response. "I said I won't bother you with the details, but I guess I will anyway. We studied it since we got it, and from our findings, there is just enough of Gungnir's essence within this spear to recreate it into a pendant that will have all of the fragment's original power. Since it is already a product of Ryoko-kun's research, it's a much simpler matter than creating a new one," he responded. However, his next sentence was far more foreboding, implying something that they did not like. "And by all of the fragment's original power, I mean all of it."

"All of it..."

The implication wasn't even subtle. By saying it contained all of the fragment's original power, that meant...

"Are you saying... the god slaying power is there too?" Maria asked, hoping his answer would deny her.

She was instantly disappointed. "Yes, it's there. Since the incident, we have been able to scan and detect its presence within the spear. We quintuple tested the results, and all of them came up positive. With this spear, Gungnir as we know it can be recreated like it was never destroyed in the first place."

Like it was never destroyed in the first place, and containing the very power that forced them to destroy it in the first place.

Miku simply stared at the thing, her eyes boring into it as much as they could. With her own relic gone and the concept along with it, she could no longer sense or detect the god slaying power that hid within it.

But she didn't need to, because she could feel it in her bones.

The world felt as if it had darkened considerably. Everything around her vanished, leaving only herself and the spear in front of her. As she narrowed her eyes at it, she swore she could see it rising from within. Its shadow extended over the length of the spear, and she could see its wide, savage smile in that pitch blackness.

"**We told you so." **

How petty, she thought. She could only stare at the thing derisively, deciding not to answer its taunts in her mind. She was sure she was just imagining it, but regardless, she felt the need to make her anger known once again. The shadow retracted back into the spear promptly, and the world returned.

"Commander, how... how can you even consider it?! There is no way this is right!" Maria protested.

Kirika immediately joined in. "She's right! We worked really hard to get rid of it, so why would you bring it back?!"

"Commander, is this really a sound course of action?" Shirabe added in.

"Old man, whoever made you think this is a good idea probably needs to get the fuck out," Chris bit out.

The only ones who did not speak up were Tsubasa, Miku, and Hibiki herself. The former stared, choosing to wait until Genjuro had finished explaining completely before passing by her judgement.

In contrast to the others' justified outbursts, Miku sighed, looking at him with a questioning gaze. "Genjuro-san... please elaborate."

He could definitely see she was angry. She radiated it in droves, but a man like himself was not about to cave in to a bunch of girls over a decade younger than himself. However, Miku was right. They deserve an explanation.

"It's because we're tired of keeping secrets," he interjected, shutting the girls up. Miku's eyes widened, having heard that phrase just this morning. "Hiding this fact wouldn't do anyone a favor, and it's our duty and responsibility to make sure all of you have the right to decide your own fate. I cannot hide this fact from you, nor can I make you choose one option or another."

So it was a proof of sincerity and trust. During the incident, he had broken that trust, choosing to hide Miku's involvement until the very last minute. This was his way of saying that such a thing will not have a repeat.

His gaze fell on Hibiki once again, who had yet to speak up at all. "And in the end, the choice is not mine or any of yours. It is Hibiki-kun's alone, and it's a decision that should be made without any outside influences."

There was merit in his words, and as a result, the girls remained silent. Hibiki walked forward, passing by Genjuro and standing face to face with the spear on the table. She looked at it with an unreadable expression and raised a hand to touch the relic metal.

She seemed lost in thought for a moment, and the others waited to hear what she'd say. Hibiki did not turn around as she spoke up, choosing to keep her eyes locked on the weapon.

"If I agree... what'll happen?" she asked.

"Then we'll turn it into a pendant, and decide from there. Considering we do not need the Gears at the moment, there will be no reason to use it until we really need it."

"And if I don't?"

"Then it will be locked away in the vault along with all the other relics. We can't destroy it due to it being what it is, but we can keep it under lock and key, never to see the light of day again."

His answers were swift and to the point, which was exactly what she needed to hear. She moved her hand over the spear as if caressing it softly.

"And what do you think I should do?" she inquired of him.

He said nothing for a moment, thinking on how to answer her.

No, it didn't require any thinking at all. From the moment Elfnein told him that the conversion was possible, his mind was already decided.

"In all honesty, Hibiki-kun... I don't want you to do it."

She did not turn around to look at him as he continued. "I believe that you had done enough. You made miracles possible, and for that, we'll always be grateful. It is my fondest wish that you girls will finally be able to shed the burden of protecting the world, and that has not changed even in the slightest. I want you to focus on living your life for your own sake. If I can do it for you now, then I will."

Don't take up the mantle again, he was saying. "Hibiki-kun, I want you to consider what you want above all else. Whatever it is you decide, we'll support it."

He doesn't want her to fight anymore, plain and simple. It was out of an honest desire to take away her burden, as well as the unspoken one to avoid a repeat.

Her response was hushed. "I see..."

They waited. He wanted to give her time to decide, but from the way she sounded and the way she stood, it seemed that she has already reached a decision. Or at least, was on the way of making one.

She removed her hand from the spear and turned to face him fully. She looked up at him, her gaze determined. "Can I ask you a favor?"

He tilted his head. "Yes."

"I want to see the footage," she requested, and his eyes widened. "All of it. I want to see everything that you have."

He grumbled. "Hibiki-kun... are you sure? It might be difficult to take in."

"I'm sure. Please, I want to see it."

He couldn't really stop her, could he? He could deny her access to the footage out of mercy, but that's not something she'd want.

She wanted to use the footage to justify her reasoning. She wanted, through it, to truly internalize her own path. Until now it was uneven, and she had walked it with teeth clenched and many doubts. It would only be through seeing her own darkness that she would be able to decide whether to walk it again.

"I understand," he replied, and Miku took a step forward in concern as if trying to stop him. "I figured you'd bring this up, so I already had everything compiled for you for your convenience. We can have it up and running in a bit."

"Thank you."

She turned back around, heading towards the silent group of girls again. Halfway through, Miku stepped up to her and held her hand.

"Hibiki, are you sure you want to do this?" she asked, looking her straight in the eye.

"Yes, I do," was Hibiki's simple answer, and from the look in her eyes, Miku knew she was not lying. "Will you watch it with me?"

Her resolve and determination to go through with it stunned Miku for a moment. But then she smiled, understanding that this was truly her heart's desire. "Of course I will."

"In that case," Maria chimed in. "I suppose all of us will join in too. We won't let you face it with just the two of you. It's either none of us or all of us."

"Yes, let's do it," Shirabe joined in.

Chris huffed. "Sure, I guess, don't see why not."

"Should we get popcorn and drinks?" Kirika suggested.

It was such a strange suggestion that they stared at her for a moment in silence, and then laughed.

"I see, I guess that's how it is then," Genjuro said, smiling. "Hibiki-kun, it seems like there's another action movie waiting to be watched. An action movie starring yourself."

She nodded in response. If everyone was together with her, then of course it will be much easier to handle. Seeing the footage itself was very redundant, considering she remembered everything she had done. But this time, it would be from a different perspective; an outside perspective, not clouded by her own twisted judgement.

Maria turned to her idol partner. "Tsubasa, you joining in too?"

"I will, I just need to exchange a few words with the commander is all," she responded. "You should go ahead before me. I'll join you in a bit."

"Alright, we'll wait by the bridge then," Maria affirmed. "We'll see you there in a bit."

"Mhm."

With Maria leading the way, the wielders sans Tsubasa left the lab, the door sliding closed behind her. She pushed off the wall she had been leaning against, staring straight ahead at Genjuro. "There's one thing that struck me as odd all this time which I wanted to confirm with you."

He already foresaw what she was going to ask. "You're wondering why the old man hadn't done anything lately?"

She seemed surprised he knew but nodded regardless. "Yes. He has been... quiet. I would have assumed he would have protested against your judgement."

"Beats me," Genjuro shrugged. "At times I still don't understand him. Whatever it is he's thinking, it ended up working in our favor. He may be a lot of things, but a fool he is not."

Tsubasa turned around, having gotten her answer more quickly than she had anticipated; however, that was enough for her. She headed towards the door, and it slid open before her. "Yes... he's definitely no fool..."

And she headed out, following after her comrades. Genjuro watched her go, and once the door closed he sighed, leaning back against the wall and staring at the ceiling. Elfnein looked at him in concern. "Genjuro-san..."

"It's fine, I saw this coming," he replied. "All that's left is seeing what she'll do..."

-!-

It was incredibly long, but not once had she taken her eyes off the screen. She had watched every recording, every scene, every blurry image carefully, burning the sight into her mind so she would never forget it.

It rolled in front of her eyes just like a film. Edited only slightly to compress the time, she was exposed to everything, leaving not a single stone unturned. Through it all, Miku had held her hand tight, sitting beside her and watching along with her. The worry was evident on her face, but she had remained strong together with her.

Her friends had also not moved, eager and determined to see this through to the end with her. Their mere presence calmed her heart, for the sight was truly difficult to see. Had she seen it alone, she would have broken down in tears and grief, lamenting her own existence.

But they'd never allow it. Miku would never allow it.

And she too would never allow herself to break down again.

Five extremely long hours later, it was finally over. Not a single one of them had moved the entire time, not to eat nor for a bathroom break. All seven of them together had sat through the entire thing from beginning to end, remaining silent for the duration.

No comments had been made, and no justifications were sought.

It all came to an end, and they stayed in their seats as they waited for Hibiki to respond in any manner. Miku looked to her again, watching Hibiki's eyes close in silent contemplation. She breathed in and out, thinking to herself, letting her mind focus and decide on a course of action.

Almost abruptly, she stood up, and the others kept their eyes on her as she headed towards the door. Miku immediately followed after her in complete silence as they left the room, not a single one of them saying anything in response.

And outside the door, Genjuro stood. His arms crossed, Hibiki stopped in front of him, her gaze locking onto his. Neither of them said anything, and wordlessly Genjuro stepped aside, allowing Hibiki to pass through. As she walked, Genjuro spoke to Miku. "It looks like she has made her choice."

Miku could only nod in affirmation. "Yes, she did."

He sighed. "I'll wait until she comes up to me personally and says it. Until she tells me herself, I will do nothing."

"...Thank you," Miku gratefully said, walking forward to follow after her partner. At that moment, however, she recalled something she had promised and turned to face Genjuro again.

"Hm? What's wrong Miku-kun?" He asked.

She smiled. "I nearly forgot, but I have a message for you from someone."

He stared at her in confusion, not having expected her to say that.

"She says... she's sorry. She says she's sorry... that she couldn't return your feelings."

Genjuro froze, his muscles stiffening immediately. Miku said nothing more and ran after Hibiki and leaving him alone in the hallway. He stared at her retreating back. He stared, and stared, and stared, his mind racing a mile a second.

And then, he laughed. He laughed and remembered, and put a hand over his eyes as he mumbled to himself.

"Seriously... you could have at least... told me that yourself..."

-!-

_(Play: New Dawn - Fate/Stay Night OST)_

She walked through the halls of S.O.N.G HQ, passing by employees who waved to her quietly. She did not acknowledge them as she simply went on her way, and Miku caught up to her just as they made it through the final hallway.

Eventually, the two made it outside, and Hibiki turned towards the pier where she and Miku had been just a month before. She went all the way to the edge and stopped, staring out into the sea.

Miku stood a small distance behind her. The wind blew, the breeze brushing by them and ruffling their hair. Miku raised a hand to push the loose strands from her face, but Hibiki acted as if it was never there in the first place.

"Hibiki..."

"Miku, I..." Hibiki began, making Miku fall silent. "I... you probably already know... what I decided, right?"

"...Yes, I do," Miku replied softly. "You also probably want to explain why right?"

Hibiki nodded, and Miku continued. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, considering it's you. Still, from what I remember, you said that you... wanted to stop."

Another nod. "So out of everything, I guess that is what I don't understand the most."

"I... it's just..."

Hibiki raised a hand towards the sky, blocking out the sun with the palm of her hand. Then, she clenched it, as if tightening her hold on it. "I know you said... that I need to live out my life to the fullest. That if I want to pay back for all the people I've hurt, that's the best way to do so. And I understand that, but..."

The wind blew again. "If I can do this again for others... if I can sing my songs for them again... then maybe I'll be able to save as many people as I've hurt."

Miku listened closely. Taking a moment to process what she had said, she took a step closer to her. "You know that will be very difficult, right? That it might take you your whole life to balance it out."

Hibiki nodded. "I know, but... even so, after everything that's happened... I feel like there's no one else out there who understands human darkness like I do now. And that's why... I still want to reach it. I still want to make that dream a reality."

"A world of understanding..."

"Yes. No one deserves to go through what I had, so if I can use my hands again to save them from that suffering, then I want to do it."

Miku fell silent once more. Her lack of response bothered Hibiki, who turned around to face her. She bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Miku, I—"

Before she could continue, Miku put a finger to her lips. "Whatever you do, don't apologize. That's the last thing I want to hear from you." She lowered her hand, and Hibiki listened. "I guess I should have seen this coming."

"...You saved me, but I still want to—"

"Yes, I saved you. I dearly wished for you to stop fighting, that you won't have to dedicate your life for others. But... the main thing that pushed me forward, was that I couldn't bear to look at your sad face again."

She took her hand in her own. "Because before everything that's happened, you always seemed so sad. Like you were dragging yourself forward even though you didn't really want to, and that you shed blood, sweat, and tears without really knowing why. I always believed that you chased after a dream that you were scared of, that the path itself was far too difficult to walk."

She entwined her fingers with her own. "But now I can see that you've really made up your mind. That you understand the reason why it's difficult, and that you're no longer feeling like you're being forced to do so. You're choosing to do this because you feel that this is what is right."

Miku was reading her like an open book, exactly understanding her way of thinking down to the letter.

"What I desire for you is to make your own choice, unburdened and unshackled by anything else. I don't want your choices to be affected by others; I want you to choose it because it's what's coming from your heart. I want to hear your true voice again, not hidden behind a veil of fake happiness."

"Miku, I—"

"And if this is what you want, then who am I to stop you from doing it?" Miku said, raising her head to show her a smile.

Hibiki smiled back, and let out a chuckle. "You're the only person who can stop me. I know this isn't what you want, and that it would be going against everything you believe, but..."

"I'm not going to stop you," Miku reassured her. "My demand for you this time is that I want you to make your own choice. And I want you to know... that'll I'll support you, whatever it is you decide. Because now I know that you've already thought about it as much as you need to."

She raised her free hand to brush away a loose hair on Hibiki's face. "And I know you like to dwell on things. But once you when you reach a decision, then it's final."

"Miku..."

She couldn't hold herself back anymore. In a sudden move, she pulled her in, wrapping her arms around her and embracing her tightly, She put her head on her shoulder, and Miku hugged back just as tightly.

"Thank you."

Miku giggled. "You're welcome."

They stood in silence for a bit, just enjoying the contact.

"The world is a scary place, I know that," Hibiki murmured. "But I know that it's less scary... because I have you with me."

"I wonder," Miku replied. "Maybe it's because I'm scarier than anything out there, perhaps?"

They both laughed, and Hibiki could only admit that yes, that was true.

"I know you don't approve, but..."

"I don't, but I'm already used to it. You wouldn't be you if you chose differently," Miku said to her. "And that's why I love you."

It was those simple words that filled Hibiki's heart with warmth and strength. "The fact that you still want to do so after everything... just shows me how much you've grown."

The cloth beneath her shoulder was dampening as she spoke. "You do what your heart tells you. And I want you to know... that I'll always be proud of you."

Hibiki shuddered in her hold.

"Miku... I love you."

"Yes... I know."

And so the two remained.

The impossible dream she wished for... was still oh so very far away.

But the choice has been made, and all that was left to do now...

Was to see what the future holds.

-!-

_One year later..._

...

...

...

RING!

"Ugh..."

RING RING!

Her hand sought the damned device as she reached over to the nightstand.

RING RING RING!

It landed atop the thing, stopping the obnoxious ringing short.

Miku rose from the bed, rubbing her eyes as she forced herself awake. She moved to sit at the edge of the bed and then stood, immediately putting on slippers to avoid touching the cold metal floor.

She dressed quickly and headed to the entrance of the room. The door slid open before her, and she walked into the bright hallway. Her stomach grumbling, the only thing she wished to do was eat. She had unfortunately skipped dinner last night due to the amount of work she had, and so now was the chance to stuff herself.

She arrived at the cafeteria quickly, finding it lively and bustling as always. She scanned the tables carefully, looking for a specific person among the crowd. She found her easily enough, seeing as she was the only person with her tray piled up with outrageous amounts of food. Her phone in hand and a fork in the other, Hibiki ate silently.

Miku smiled and immediately stepped in line to take her own serving of breakfast.

"Oh Miku-chan, good morning!" the kitchen lady chirped.

"Good morning," she said back.

"Hibiki-chan is already here waiting for you!"

"Yes, I noticed. I'll go join her right now."

"In that case," the lady murmured and put a huge serving of scrambled eggs in her plate. "This is for you two! I don't think she took enough food!"

Miku laughed. "I'll make sure she eats her share then."

With the now heavy tray in hand, Miku headed over to where Hibiki was and sat down across from her. Her girlfriend didn't lift her face from the phone's screen and blindly reached over to take a stab at Miku's serving. She hit the mark and put it in her mouth, chewing noisily.

"Hibiki, your face is dirty again," Miku pointed out.

That was enough to force the girl out of her stupor, and she hurriedly took a napkin to wipe her face. "Oh, sorry, didn't notice. There was an interesting news story about a UFO sighting in Hokkaido, and it kind of made me lose track of time."

Miku sighed. "A UFO sighting of all things? Really? I didn't think you were into that."

"Me neither."

Miku sighed again and got to work on eating her own meal. Between bites she spoke up, Hibiki still enraptured by the story. "So where are you working today?" she asked her.

Hibiki swallowed and answered. "We're actually gonna be closer to where you are," she answered. "Said they wanted to get some work done in the city center, so I'll be really close to Flower this time. What about you?"

"Same as usual. Last night was really busy, with that big project leaving so many of the workers tired and hungry, but today it should be far more relaxed. Poor Obaa-san needs all the help she can get," Miku replied.

"Well, with you, Yumi, Kuriyo, and Shiori to help her out does she really need anyone else?" Hibiki asked honestly.

And Miku sighed yet again. "Yumi is still dropping plates after two months; it's kind of getting old."

"Well, she'll get the hang of it eventually."

"I sure hope so. Who knows what will happen if I have to ditch them in the middle."

That anime nut was still a walking disaster wherever she went. The owner of Flower, along with much of the populace, were allowed back into the city only five months ago. She, along with the rest had quickly decided to set up shop once more, if only to bring some life back to the area.

And it worked wonders. With so many construction workers around, a restaurant as good as hers was bound to attract a boatload of customers every single day. The poor woman, for all her culinary experience, could not handle the onrush of people on her own, and so decided to employ a few helpers to take some of the burden off.

Miku immediately jumped at the chance, and from then on worked in the woman's renovated store full time. She had nothing better to do, considering school was still out, and it was a nice way to not only earn some money, but also help out in her own way in the reconstruction. She may not be able to lift huge piles of rubble or operate heavy machinery, but she could at least be there to help the workers out when they needed some rest, and bring them some delicious food.

Hibiki, on the other hand, had done the exact opposite thing. She chose to actually join the reconstruction crews, participating full time in building some of the new structures. She drilled holes, carried heavy equipment, stacked concrete blocks; everything that the burly men did, she also did. And it was one hell of a surprise to the men, as she proved to be a great asset to their efforts.

Miku figured that this was her own way of making amends. Hibiki had told her already that 'because I made the mess, it's my job to clean it up'. And what better way to clean up than personally helping out in the work?

It also helped her to regain some of that lost muscle mass, which began to quickly return once she gained a few months experience in her new work. With all these new muscles she gained, Miku had to admit she looked quite dashing...

"Hibiki, your hair is in your food," she told her.

Immediately Hibiki yelped, raising her head and grabbing the tip of her ponytail sadly. She took another napkin and worked earnestly to dry the wet tip, the thing having found itself inside of her soup.

Miku laughed, still amused by Hibiki's flustered conflict with her new hairstyle.

It was just one change among the many that had taken place during the year. Miku was surprised to hear Hibiki's desire to grow her hair out despite earlier reservations, and after teasing her for a bit about it, helped her out. Hibiki's hair always grew out strangely, more often than not growing to the sides rather than down, but with a simple application of a hair straightener, they managed to get something pretty nice. The thunderbolt hairclips had been lost at some point during the incident, and they never bothered to buy new ones; instead, Miku bought her a nice hair tie that looked good and was also strong and functional as to never fall off.

It wasn't very long, barely reaching her shoulders, but it was long enough to tie it up in a nice little ponytail that ended up making her new job much much easier.

Miku found herself surprised, as Hibiki had never been one to care about her outward appearance all that much. She did have a few nice dresses, but all in all, she never gave it much thought, just like a lot of things; so it came as quite a shock that she started showing a bit of desire to look nicer, something that Miku happily obliged.

As for Miku herself? Not much had changed. Her hair had grown out a tiny bit longer, but in terms of hairstyle, she hadn't changed a thing. Far too used to the white ribbon, she decided to keep it even a year later, although she had to buy a new one.

Looking to her phone again while wiping her hair, Hibiki's eyes widened, and she looked to Miku. "It's time to go."

"Oh, it's already a quarter to? Looks like I slept more than usual," Miku noted, pushing back her chair.

"You did, but I didn't wanna wake you. Your sleeping face was so cute after all~"

Miku's face evened out, and she raised an eyebrow. "What is this? Are _you_ trying to tease _me_?"

Hibiki noticed her error a bit too late, and Miku smiled devilishly. "I see how it is then; prepare yourself for tonight. This time, you're the one who's not sleeping."

Hibiki blushed and gulped all at once.

She was never more thankful for the fact that the personal quarters in HQ had soundproof walls.

"W-we should go."

"Yes."

And that was another nice change Miku noticed. The very fact that Hibiki woke up before her was one thing, but she had also consciously and actively checked the time to make sure they weren't late.

She was far more diligent and serious than she had ever been. From what she had heard, her coworkers had praised her dedication and hard work repeatedly, some of them even jealous that she managed to get so much done on her own.

Miku knew Hibiki could get dedicated to a cause, but now she was no longer as absent-minded. She even understood implications this time, which was the most surprising thing of all.

She was just awaiting the day they'd be back in school. Maybe Hibiki would even get better grades this time.

The two stood up, clearing their dishes away by the entrance and headed out to begin their workday.

-!-

"Here you go, Osaka style okonomiyaki with a diet coke for you, and takoyaki for you."

"Uoh! This looks amazing! Thanks, Miku-chan!"

She smiled and headed back to the kitchen to get the next meal. As expected, lunchtime was always the busiest of the day, with so many workers off for break time. While today was not as overbearing as yesterday, the restaurant was a popular spot, and so was almost at full capacity all the time.

In another corner of the shop, Yumi successfully managed to bring the customers' orders to their table. She smiled in her direction and sent her coworker a thumbs up as she took more dishes to bring to more tables. The owner was working double time in the kitchen, but still managed to keep up.

Customers came and went, and Miku weaved her way between them to make sure everybody got their share and had time to rest. Just then, a group of around five workers came in, all of them laughing happily as they made their way inside.

And with them was Hibiki, her face dirty and her clothes sticky from all the work she did. Miku went up to them and smiled brightly, handing Hibiki a towel to wipe herself off. She led them to an empty table where they could sit and promptly took their orders.

While at work, the two never had much time to interact. Still, Miku made sure that her girlfriend was not working herself to the bone. The way she interacted with her peers was nice to see, and the men seemed to respect and appreciate her as one of their own.

As if they could try anything else. Miku had quickly made it known that Hibiki was quite taken, and should anyone try anything they'd face her ire.

From the stories Hibiki told them, they really didn't want to mess with her.

And so, lunch break for Hibiki's group continued as normal. They gulped down their meals heartily and merrily, and stayed sitting a little longer before heading back to work. Right now, the entire population of the city was cooperating in the reconstruction, each person doing their part in the workload of getting them back on track.

It was like this in the rest of the world as well, people coming together to build themselves up again. It was quite a sight to see and a story to hear, as this was the first sign of the world of understanding Hibiki wished to create.

It was a small step, but a step nonetheless.

Suddenly, Hibiki's communicator rang, and she hurriedly picked it up to answer. From the corner of her eye, Miku noticed the act and continued her work while watching her girlfriend carefully. A few moments later she hung up and scanned the area to look for Miku. Their eyes met, and she walked over to her to explain. "Miku, it looks like I gotta go."

Miku's ears perked at the news. "I see..."

So it meant the usual, then. The owner already knew such a thing could come up, and so Miku had arranged a few deals with her if it happened while she was at work. Luckily, Yumi, Kuriyo, and Shiori were also working in the restaurant, and so there were enough people to serve the tables even in her absence.

Hibiki turned back to one of the men, who happened to be the supervisor and explained the situation to him. He nodded, and she rose from her seat to head to the door, waiting for Miku to join her.

Miku rubbed her hands on her apron and took it off, putting it behind the counter. "Ma'am, I'll be back in a bit."

"Alright, Miku-chan! Take your time!"

With the owner's permission, Miku headed to the door and walked with Hibiki to their destination.

-!-

A short while later, the two arrived at the harbor.

There, they saw what they had expected: a helicopter parked on the ground a fair distance away, and all of the other wielders standing by it, waving to them. The couple quickly ran up to the group, glad that the vehicle wasn't running just yet.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late," Hibiki said.

"Nah, you're not late; we just got the message too," Chris answered, leaning on the side of the helicopter. "Caught you in the middle of work?"

"Middle of a break actually," Hibiki responded with a smile. "How's the fundraiser going?"

"Quite well," Maria answered. "We managed to secure a lot this morning."

"People are digging our singing after all!" Kirika exclaimed, as usual, her voice louder than necessary.

"Seems so. I guess we're not the Queens of Music anymore, are we Maria?" Tsubasa asked her singing partner.

"Looks like it. At the rate we're going, we might end up an idol group."

"Please no. I don't want to be an idol," Chris protested. "I agreed to do this, but no way in hell I'm gonna continue later."

"Oh come on! It's fun!" Kirika tried to argue.

As the two of them argued between each other, Shirabe spoke up instead. "And how's it going for you? Are you sure you don't want to join us too?"

Hibiki waved her hand in front of her face. "Sorry, but no. I'm okay with what I'm doing right now."

"Still, isn't it difficult?"

"It is, but it's also fun. The people are nice. We talked about this," Hibiki reminded her.

Miku watched them all with a smile. It seems only the two of them had decided not to join in on the fundraising campaign that took the wielders all over the country. They were offered the choice, but by then they had already found work and as such didn't want to up and disappear on their employers.

And besides, they liked this more down to earth style better. It put them face to face with the people of the city, allowing them to mingle and meet new people all the while.

Not that their friends didn't, but it was just a tad bit too public for their tastes.

And this is another change Miku noticed in her girlfriend. Originally, she was far more upbeat and bubbly, jumping and scuttling around without anyone to stop her. She would glomp anyone and invade their personal space, not at all caring for what they thought of her attempts at being more friendly.

But now, most of that was gone. She no longer jumped, and no longer seemed as uncontrollably energetic. Her quiet demeanor amongst her fellow wielders seemed to have stuck somewhat, as in their presence she held herself back from being too overwhelming.

It was not out of any sort of formality or anything, but more of a sign of respect for everything they had done for her. If she did not change her outlook and attitude, then it would seem like she had learned nothing.

As they conversed amongst themselves, Genjuro eventually arrived from within the submarine, making his way towards them. "I see everyone's here. Good," he said, then turned to Hibiki. "You must be surprised that I called you as well."

She rubbed her cheek with her finger sheepishly. "A bit, but at this point, I'm supposed to expect it, I guess."

Indeed. It wasn't common now that Hibiki was called to operations, seeing as a few changes had taken place since then. Usually, the other wielders swiftly dealt with the problem themselves, while Hibiki was left behind in Tokyo to do her own thing.

There was no need for six of them most of the time, and considering her new position, Hibiki was more likely than not going to stay behind.

So when she was called, it probably was serious enough to warrant needing her help. "I'll fill you in on the details in the helicopter, so say your goodbyes quickly and we'll get going," Genjuro ordered, and the girls nodded in acknowledgement.

"Alright, then I guess we'll head in," Chris said. "See ya later tonight, Miku."

"Take care, everyone. Stay safe."

And so, each of them bid their farewells to her as they entered the helicopter, seating themselves in their designated spots. Only Hibiki and Miku remained outside, and as the pilot began the process of turning the engine on, Hibiki turned to her partner.

It was their usual ritual. Closing the distance, they kissed. They didn't have time for anything more, so right now it was a short, warm thing they left them both giggling. They put their foreheads together, their eyes closed.

And so, Hibiki spoke up first.

"I'll be back before you know it."

Miku found the words to be incredibly amusing, and so responded with a few of her own.

"Okay, but don't make come and get you this time."

What a strange way to summarize what had happened a year ago.

Yes, Hibiki said she'd come back, but didn't; and so, Miku was forced to bring her back.

They disconnected, and Hibiki turned around, putting one foot onto the steps to climb into the helicopter.

And Miku watched her. She watched her back and smiled.

Hibiki had changed. She had grown, and no longer held that sad look in her eyes that she had tried to keep hidden from all those she knew. Now, they were vibrant, and serious, and happy, but most of all, they were heroic. Every time she looked at them, she felt like she'd be swept along for the ride. Hibiki would from now on only look forward.

And will never look back again.

...Well, not exactly.

Just as she made the last step, Hibiki turned her head around, sending Miku one final smile before heading inside and sitting down by her comrades.

After all, if she never looked back, she wouldn't see what was eagerly awaiting her return.

And so, the helicopter's blades started spinning, and Miku took many steps back to get away from its field of influence. The wind blew about powerfully, and both her hair and skirt flapped chaotically. She raised a single hand to stop her hair from getting in her face and watched as the helicopter rose above the ground little by little. She tilted her head as the helicopter eventually rose high enough that she could not feel the wind. It turned in the air and began flying away into the horizon, becoming smaller and smaller across the background sky.

Miku watched it go—watched _them_—go on their next endeavor in saving the world. It was a small step at a time, but each time Hibiki went, she knew that this time would be extra special.

Because for her, there was no greater hero.

She smiled, and turned back around, heading back into the city. Before leaving, she murmured to herself one simple question.

"Now then... I wonder what I should make for dinner tonight?"

-!-

_(Play: Weight of the World - Nier Automata OST)_

She was on a helicopter, yet it was quieter than it had ever been. Leaning her head against the window, she stared outside, her mind wandering.

Genjuro was speaking, probably briefing them on what they were going to do; but right now, she really couldn't bring herself to care. She was content with looking at the sky—looking at the world—and simply watched the clouds go by.

To be here again was a rare occasion, made all the rarer by the changes she had undergone.

And she knew she had changed. She felt she had changed, and Miku wasn't very subtle about her surprise at said changes. She felt different, but not in a bad way... no, in fact, she felt like a veil of the world had unfurled before her, letting her see things much more clearly.

Except for this time, it wasn't marred by hatred and vengeance.

_-!-_

"_Do it," she said quickly and bluntly._

_Genjuro looked at her sadly. "Are you sure? You know you don't have to do this."_

"_I know, but I want to," she answered. "Now more than ever before. If I can use it to make up for everything I had done... then I will. I want to make the world I dream of a reality."_

_He couldn't argue with her at all._

"_I want to believe... that this dream is not a mistake."_

_There really was nothing he could say to dissuade her from this path. "Looks like you've made up your mind," he said in resignation. "Alright, then we'll start the conversion as soon as possible."_

_She nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Master."_

"_You don't need to thank me... and as I said, honestly I wish you didn't take up this mantle again, but it looks like I can't stop you," he said with a small chuckle. "However, I'm stubborn myself, and so I'm going to make a few changes from here on out."_

_She tilted her head in confusion. All at once his posture changed, his expression losing its warmth and turning to steel as he entered his commander persona._

_And all at once, laid out his verdict. "Tachibana Hibiki, wielder of the Gungnir Symphogear: you are hereby relegated to reserves. Your participation in operations will be henceforth limited, and you will not be permitted to carry the relic pendant with you outside of the confines of S.O.N.G headquarters. You will be permitted to participate in training sessions, however, your access to your Symphogear will be reduced and will only be allowed with my express permission. Am I understood?"_

_His judgement came out of nowhere, and she stood frozen before him. His seriousness then evaporated, and he smiled again, putting a hand on her head._

"_I know it sounds a little harsh, but this is my way of granting you a bit of peace."_

_She looked up at him, her eyes glistening._

"_Take this as your punishment that you'll have to calmly endure. You are sentenced to living your life happily with your loved ones. Only on rare occasions will we ever call on you."_

"_But... why?"_

"_Because you've already given enough of yourself for others," he began, his gaze gentle and fatherly. "I believe that you've done enough; however, you seem to be a bit too stubborn for that, so I'll find a use for you here and there. Until then, put it in the back of your mind."_

_So this was his way of showing his appreciation...of showing his support._

_She couldn't help but sniffle. "Thank you, Ma—"_

_No, this time, she'll call him by his name._

"_Thank you, Genjuro-san."_

_He smiled._

"_You're welcome."_

_-!-_

Yes, that was how it had gone. She was punished by not being allowed to go with her comrades to various battlefields around the world.

It wasn't because they didn't trust her, or feared a relapse... but rather, as a reward for everything she had done. They desperately wanted to stop her from fighting, from sacrificing herself for the sake of others.

But she'd have none of it, and so they were forced to relent in some manner.

Someone nudged her in the shoulder, and she was stirred from her daydream. She lifted her head to look ahead, finding the rest of her comrades staring at her. Ah, they noticed she had wandered off. Oops.

"Sorry..." she mumbled.

Genjuro cracked a smile. The helicopter shook as they approached their destination, the wind currents pushing them about. "Any questions?!"

"No, sir!"

"Good! Everyone, show them who's boss! Make them regret taking advantage of our period of peace for their own gain!"

"YES, SIR!"

She found herself swept along. Yes, they were going to save people. Bad people were using the Alca-Noise to wreak havoc, and it was their job to put a stop to their tyranny.

Where were they? She didn't know, but she didn't care. It didn't matter to her where in the world she was, for her crime had been committed against humanity as a whole, so no matter where she found herself, she'd give it her all.

To make that world a reality.

The helicopter's door opened, causing the wind to rush in mightily. It blew about in the interior, and they all held on for dear life to avoid being sucked out. "This is going to be an air drop!" Genjuro shouted over the noise. "So head out there and give 'em hell!"

Chris was already itching for a fight, and she stood up. "You fucking got it!"

The others followed her lead, with Hibiki the last in the line. Genjuro headed over, standing by them and waiting for the signal to let them drop. Hibiki clenched the pole she held tightly, mentally preparing herself for the battles to come. She couldn't hear what Genjuro said over the noise, but a moment after he finished speaking Chris' face lit up with a savage smile, and she jumped out.

Maria followed soon after her, and then Tsubasa.

And then Shirabe.

And then Kirika.

Finally, there was only herself. She stood before the door to the world, staring down at the stretched earth beneath. She briefly raised her gaze to look at Genjuro.

He gave her a thumbs up.

Filled with resolve, she turned to face the landscape once more.

And with a final deep inhale, jumped.

She soared. Looking ahead, she could see the rest of her teammates falling towards the earth at fairly different altitudes, all of them still clad S.O.N.G's official uniform. They didn't need anything more than that since part of the plan was to transform in midair and land smackdab behind enemy lines.

Briefly, Hibiki entertained the notion of not transforming and simply letting herself hit the ground at terminal velocity. But then the memory of her sunshine filled her mind, and the negative thought fled her mind as fast as it came.

The lights began to cover her comrades, and so she grasped the pendant around her neck tightly. So tightly she grasped it she thought it would shatter, yet she still did not let it go.

For within it lay the legacy of those who had left the world... and the ideal she now carried deep within her heart. She closed her eyes, simply feeling the wind brush past her frame.

It took a while for the words to return to her. So long had she been unsure with herself, the first few times she tried them it didn't work. But now, after so long, she knew they would.

She felt that they would.

And never again will they leave her heart.

Focusing on the dream she had promised to reach...

She sang and was enveloped in light.

"_Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron"_

_-!-_

_A heart, tainted by sorrow, was now free to spread its wings._

_A dream lay ever waiting beyond the horizon, one she would forever hold tightly in her hands._

_The path would be long, and the journey arduous._

_But she was not alone._

_And remembering her oath, the girl headed towards the endless battlefields._

_-!-_

_**My Sunshine**_

_**FINE**_


	41. Chapter 41: Alternate Ending: Final Song

The sphere of light that signified Saint-Germain's ultimate sacrifice faded away in motes of golden sparkles, raining down on the group gathered within the crater. Despite being at the ready to face Fudou's underlings, the wielders could not help but gape at the sight. Maria lifted her hand, watching as a single twinkle fluttered down into her palm. It vanished a moment later, and she could not help but stare in awe.

"It's like... it's life itself..." she murmured.

No one else made any sound, as if sharing that very same thought. Even Fudou's men were paralyzed by the view, involuntarily lowering their guns slightly and looking up at the glow.

However, out of everyone gathered there, only two people did not bother to stare up at the remnants of the divine power and Saint-Germain's life. Tsubasa and Fudou's gazes remained locked on each other, each one eyeing the other cautiously and with eyes narrowed.

As much as she wanted to turn around, Tsubasa knew she couldn't. It would be too risky to let Fudou do as he wants while everyone marvels around them. Besides, she already knew what the outcome was; there was no need to see it for herself.

For a Sentinel's duty was to protect the people, even at the cost of her own life.

"Are you satisfied now, Tsubasa?" the elder bit out. "We have lost a perfectly useful tool for nothing. It is by your own hands that our nation will once again be forced back to the bottom."

She could not help but let out a snicker at his words. "Then perhaps it should stay that way," she answered. "Maybe Japan is not ready for that burden just yet."

A few of the men beside Fudou heard their conversation and shook themselves out of their stupor. Signaling each other, they recomposed themselves and once again aimed their weapons at the girls in the crater. Maria and Chris responded by doing the same, standing back to back as they kept their eyes locked on as many of the agents as they could see. Kirika and Shirabe stiffened, covering their charges with their entire bodies. While Hibiki was down for the count and unconscious, Miku tried to struggle and push Kirika off of her.

"Everyone, please—!"

No one bothered to respond to her, too focused on their tasks to acknowledge her now. The girls had sworn to protect them both, and that's what they'll do.

With the tension back up, Tsubasa mentally prepared herself for what was to come. "What will you do now, Kazanari Fudou," she questioned in a low, ominous voice. "The divine power is gone. They are weak, ordinary girls now; there is nothing for you to find here anymore."

"That matters little," he replied coldly. "We will find another way to bring it forth. When that time comes, they will be required. They will be kept in my custody until that moment."

Tsubasa's eyes widened. This man... how far was he willing to go? Was there nothing sacred in his eyes?

No, she remembered. Nothing was sacred, not even the bonds of marriage. She was his direct offspring, born from the union between himself and her late mother, even though her mother was already married to Yatsuhiro.

To Fudou, nothing was more important than his ambition. He would toss aside his own family should it be required, and he would do so without a single shred of regret.

And the more she thought about it, the more Tsubasa realized that there would be no use talking to this man.

For the only thing he truly understood... was his own desire.

She had not moved a single inch from her previous position, the sharp edge of Kanade's spear still digging slightly into his neck. The small cut was still bleeding, yet he made no move to acknowledge it. He simply didn't care.

The white light vanished, restoring the darkness of the night; and together with it, the palpable bloodlust in the air. The confrontation resumed, and all knew that now it was going to come to an end, one way or another.

He had already stated that killing him would matter little, that it would be meaningless to do so.

Yet... Tsubasa could only think otherwise. She could only think that he was the root of the problem, that once he is gone, they'll finally be able to relax.

But it couldn't be that easy. If she decided to kill him here now... she, as well as her comrades, would not live to see tomorrow. They would not live to see those happy days they so cherished.

"I see..." she murmured, her mind raging. There was no way out of this situation. Genjuro was held back by relations, so he couldn't come to help them. They couldn't wait until morning, because that would be meaningless. If she withdrew, he'd take Hibiki and Miku. If she killed him, they would go down with him.

The silence was maddening. No one said anything, and the only sound audible were Miku's struggles as she tried to push Shirabe off of her.

Tsubasa waited, somehow hoping he'd just back off on his own.

She waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Until she could wait no more.

She grit her teeth as she spoke up loud enough for her comrades to hear. "I'm starting the countdown again! Be ready!"

And so, the threat of a gruesome bloodbath returned tenfold.

'_Don't make me do this.'_

"Five!"

Feet shuffled once again as both agents and Symphogear wielders prepared themselves for the madness.

"Four!"

'_You can still stop this now!"_

Adrenaline ran high, pumping rapidly in the veins of all participants. Sweat dripped down to the ground, their fingers on the triggers.

"Three!"

She couldn't let him do what he wanted with Hibiki and Miku. Whatever his plans were, she would never allow him to have them for as long as she lived.

But the cost... would be unimaginable.

"Two!"

'_How can you simply stand there?'_

He stared, his eyes unmoving. His calm, cold expression remained, meeting her gaze. Unfazed by her threats, and unmoved by her words, Kazanari Fudou would not back down.

She clenched her teeth again, grasping the handle of her spear much tighter.

"One!"

'_Everyone... I'm sorry.'_

She hoped. She hoped that he would not make her do this.

But before she could reach the final number, he spoke up one last time.

"My ambition cannot be stopped."

Her blood grew cold, and her eyes widened.

'_This man...'_

She let out the breath she was holding.

And did not even bother reaching zero.

There was a flash of light, accompanied by the sound of a blade swishing through the air. It happened instantly, faster than the blink of an eye. One moment Tsubasa was with the spear against his throat, the next it was by her side, both of her hands gripping the handle tightly. However, the sound that decided it all...

Was the sound of flesh being sliced.

Like a butcher carving into a pig's carcass with his knife, the meaty and disgusting sound that echoed in the crater shocked all those who heard it. Fudou's men were paralyzed once more, unable to believe what they had witnessed. Maria and Chris did not bother looking but knew what that sound signified.

It was quiet, far too quiet.

And then, something hit the ground with a thud. It rolled, gravity pulling it closer to herself. It came to a rest right in front of her eyes, and she could only stare at it with widened eyes.

White hair and a white beard, together with long bushy eyebrows. His gaze unchanged even in his final moments, Fudou's calm and judging brown eyes bore into her, piercing deep into her being. Even as a severed head, Fudou would forever stay the same.

The now headless corpse that used to be his body lost all strength, the central command of the brain no longer there to keep it standing. Pulled down by gravity, it fell to its knees all on its own, and then crumpled forward to crash onto the ground, dust being thrown into the air as it fell. Blood immediately began to pour from the sliced veins, pooling beneath the body in large amounts.

But Tsubasa did not dare to look at it. No, she was caught by the severed head's stare. Even as blood poured from the neck, his eyes remained unchanged, just looking at her.

Looking.

And looking.

And judging.

And sealing her fate, as if telling her that she would soon be joining him.

She already knew that. She knew that the moment she decided to pour strength into her arms and finish her swing. She knew that they were not going to get out of this alive.

But that was all dwarfed by the sheer desire to prevent a future tragedy, to avoid a repeat of what happened this night.

And if the cost was their lives... then that's what it was fated to be.

"Y-you—!"

One of the men turned on her immediately, raising his gun. She could see how his finger tightened on the trigger, nearly firing the shot.

She had only a second to shout, to let her comrades know what was about to occur. Steeling herself for what was to come, Tsubasa screamed the singular command, knowing it was all that was needed.

"NOW!"

At that moment, all hell broke loose.

Miku could only scream as the sound of gunfire filled her ears to the brim. Shirabe tightened her hold on her, covering her as much as she could with her own body as the insanely loud sound rang in her ears.

She felt like she was going deaf from the sheer volume.

It kept going, and going, and going, seemingly endless and eternal. She couldn't hear anything else, not even her own screaming, as the gunshots continued. Little by little their frequency was reduced, yet they were still loud, still deafening, filling her mind with nothing but terror.

She couldn't see, couldn't speak, couldn't hear. Her senses dulled by everything around her, Miku could only hope it would just end, that she wouldn't have to listen to this hellish blaring anymore.

She could only feel her internal self. She could feel her breaths quickening, her heart beating, and her fear rising. All external stimuli were blocked, disallowed, the gunfire having taken over what should have been a resounding victory.

And it remained as such, on and on. How much time had passed since it began? A few seconds? A minute? An hour?

A day? A year? How much? She didn't know, and she didn't want to know.

But then, it ended. Coming to a stop as abruptly as it had begun, the sound of gunfire died down to nothing. The only thing that remained was the overwhelming stench of gunpowder, the last of the echoes vanishing into the city's ruins.

Miku tried to calm herself. Slowly opening her eyes, her vision blurred momentarily before it focused once more. Her ears were ringing, making her unable to hear anything else.

She took note of her situation. Shirabe was still on top of her, covering her, and from the angle she was in Miku couldn't see anyone else in the crater.

Seeing that the short wielder was her only way to understand what was happening, she spoke softly, barely hearing herself speaking. "S-Shirabe?"

There was no response. Did she simply not hear it? That could be it. Perhaps Shirabe was as dazed as herself, and so was taking a moment to recompose herself from the hell that had just ended.

So she repeated herself, hoping that her voice will wake the girl up. "Shirabe?"

No response.

Miku could only stare, fear filling her frame instantly. Shirabe's head was to the side, so she couldn't see her face, but there was one thing she now noticed that was out of place.

Namely, that Shirabe wasn't holding her down anymore. She was limp and unmoving, and Miku's breaths quickened once more at the implication.

'_No... nononononono!'_

She tried to feel Shirabe's chest rise and fall, but she couldn't. There was nothing there, a terrifying silence and lack of an answer that almost made her lose her mind. Opting to try and release herself, Miku wiggled under Shirabe's weight, freeing her arms from where they had been locked under the shorter girl.

Carefully, she grabbed her by the arms, and with great effort moved her slightly out of the way, if only to see what was going on.

What met her sight was pure horror.

There was blood. She could see it, flowing down Shirabe's side freely and endlessly. Panicking instantly, Miku moved, freeing herself from her previous position under Shirabe. She fell to the ground with a very soft thud, and Miku hurriedly turned to look at her friend.

Her breath got caught in her throat, and she raised her hands to cover her mouth in dread.

Gunshot wounds littered Shirabe's back by the dozen. Having protected Miku with her life, Shirabe had been hit in the back purposefully by Fudou's agents, who aimed to take the wielders out. Her shirt was torn, and the holes in her back bled continuously.

Miku was no doctor, but she knew. She knew what this meant.

Shirabe couldn't be saved. She was... she had... and she was now...

She couldn't finish the thought, too terrified to acknowledge it. With the sight burned into her mind, Miku's gaze rose slowly, looking towards the rest of her friends.

And now, she wished she hadn't.

The first one she saw was Kirika. She, just like Shirabe, had protected Hibiki with her own body from the gunfire. And she, like Shirabe, had been hit multiple times in the back by carefully aimed shots, almost mirroring her partner in her injuries. The only real difference she noticed was the hole in the back of her neck, sealing her fate right in front of Miku's eyes.

And there was blood.

Her eyes drifted again, and the next one she saw was Maria. The older wielder, unlike her juniors, was on her back, having fallen at some point Miku hadn't noticed. In contrast to her juniors, it was Maria's stomach that was riddled with holes, and even her upper chest hadn't been spared the horrifying treatment. Miku's could barely make out that Maria's eyes were closed, and the gun she had been using was on the ground next to her hand, her grip having loosened once she had fallen.

And there was blood.

Next was Chris, and Miku felt herself nearly belching at the sight. Chris was also on her back on the ground, and she too was riddled with bullet holes in her stomach and upper chest. Almost exactly like Maria, the gun she had expertly wielded was on the ground by her side. But the most obvious difference was the singular, small, round, and bleeding hole right in the center of her forehead. Her eyes were still open, her mouth hanging loose as her life had been claimed in an instant.

And there was blood.

"A-a-a-ahhhh..."

Miku's lips quivered. Her eyes moved in all directions, trying to find anything, anyone, whatever it could be that would make this nightmare go away. None of Fudou's men had remained, as she could see none from her position from within the crater. Whether they had been killed or fled mattered not, because the only thing on her mind was some way to save her comrades.

But she knew it was impossible, that it was improbable.

Chris' injury was testament enough to that impossibility.

"A-ahhhhh..."

'_Please, let all this be a bad dream...'_

Her eyes blurred as tears began to form, flowing down her cheek in an instant.

"P-please... no..."

"M-Miku..."

A low, cool, and heaving voice suddenly rose up next to her, and she hurriedly turned to look at the source. Her eyes widened as she noticed Tsubasa limp towards her, Kanade's spear dragging behind her and covered in blood. Blood Miku knew that was definitely not her own.

"T-Tsubasa!"

The idol was in a very bad state. One hand was raised to cover a wound in her stomach, but there were so many of them that Miku knew it was a useless endeavor. Her entire frame was matted with the red life fluid, and her hair was fluttering down around her, its previous beautiful style forever marred.

Tsubasa made a few more steps forward before the spear fell from her grip, and she too followed as she crumpled to her knees right in front of her. Miku rushed to her friend, still panicking and hysterical, and caught her before she hit the ground.

Miku held the dying Tsubasa in her arms, helpless to save her. "T-Tsubasa! P-please, hold on!"

The sword wielder smiled weakly, the last of her strength fleeing her quickly. "Miku... I'm... glad... you're... not... hurt..."

"Please, don't speak! I'll get you some help, I promi—" Miku tried to argue, grabbing hold of Tsubasa's hand tightly. The idol's grip was feeble and weak, barely able to return the gesture. Her eyes half-closed, and her vision darkening, Tsubasa spoke up again softly.

"I'm... sorry..." she murmured. "I... couldn't... stop... him... I..."

"Please, Tsubasa! Please!"

"I couldn't... let him... take you..."

Miku was already crying, the tears dripping down onto the dying idol. "Tsubasa... please no..."

"Live... the... happy... days... we can't... be... there... with... you..."

No longer able to speak, Miku could only watch powerlessly as Tsubasa's gaze drifted slowly towards the sky.

"Ah... Kanade... I'm... coming..."

Her eyes closed for the final time.

The hand in Miku's grip went limp, and Tsubasa let out her last breath, passing away in Miku's arms.

"A-ahh..."

The sorrow was all-consuming.

The sun rose on the morning of November 7th.

Yet, there was no joy to be found in the victory.

Miku's heartbroken cries echoed in the crater, the sheer grief swallowing her up from within. With the fallen bodies of her friends and comrades by her side, she could do nothing but wallow in pain as the rescue vehicles of S.O.N.G finally made their way towards her.

Victory had been achieved, but the price was too high.

And in the bridge of S.O.N.G, the infallible and steadfast Kazanari Genjuro crumpled to his knees, the cries of his subordinates filling his ears. He held on to the remains of his console with a weak grip, staring at the floor in agony.

'_Ryouko-kun... Kanade-kun... I'm sorry...'_

The dawn brought with it the start of a new day.

But all that could be found... was unending sorrow.

'_I failed...'_

And for the first time in many years, Genjuro shed tears of grief.

-!-

_A few years later..._

It was raining again. Somehow, by coincidence or by destiny, every time she made her way out here it rained. The beating sound of the drops hitting the ground had become a close companion after all this time.

It was strange, how a birthday could also be a memorial day.

She knelt with a bouquet in hand, placing it gently over the grave before her. Normally, she'd take the opportunity to wash it, but it seemed the heavens decided to do that work for her.

She briefly glanced at the tombstone, vividly recalling the very first time she had come to this place all those years ago. That time, she placed the flowers on an empty grave, not knowing that it was simply a farce to throw off their scent from the world at large.

But now, it was different. The graves were not empty, and there was no masquerade to uphold. In a small graveyard on the roadside, six new graves joined the others within it, all of them buried on the very same day. Only one of those graves did not contain a body, for there was nothing left of its namesake when the dust had cleared.

Yes, here lay the five fallen Symphogear wielders, together with the alchemist that sacrificed herself for their sake.

And at the end of it all, only two remained alive.

Miku rose back to her feet, having finished placing the flowers on the last grave. Harumi, who had been holding an umbrella to protect her from the rain, placed her hand softly on Miku's shoulder, and the two stood in silence. They closed their eyes, giving prayers to the departed. After a minute, they opened their eyes and made their way towards the entrance of the graveyard, where two people were waiting.

The first was a man, standing with an umbrella in hand.

And the other was a girl, still as a statue on a wheelchair.

"It never gets easier, does it?" Akira asked Miku as she approached.

She shook her head. "No, it doesn't."

He gave her a melancholic smile in return. "Now then, shall we go back?"

This time, she nodded. "Yes."

Promptly, Miku took her place behind the wheelchair, taking hold of the handlebars and pushing towards the exit. Luckily for them, ramp access to the disabled was constructed a few years back, making their ability to bring the wheelchair to the graveyard itself much, much easier. It was a bit roundabout, but all in all convenient.

The four slowly made their way down to the street, where their parked car waited for them. Stopping by the door, Miku opened it, prepared to do what she had done several times in the past. Akira had already tried to offer his help, but after so many times he realized it was impossible to get Miku to bend on the subject.

So he went straight towards the driver's seat, turning the car on so they could warm themselves up with the AC. With Harumi still holding an umbrella over her head, Miku reached over and lifted Hibiki from the wheelchair with both hands and softly placed her on the seat in the car, fastening the seatbelt. She then folded the wheelchair and headed to the trunk together with Harumi, stashing it there for later use and then headed back to enter the car.

She closed the door, basking in the warmer interior. She did get a bit wet, but it was nothing major. A bath later would take care of it.

The entire time, Hibiki remained silent.

No, that was wrong. The act of remaining silent gave the illusion that the person was doing so of their own will, that they chose not to speak.

In Hibiki's case, it was different.

For she could no longer speak. She could no longer move on her own, she could no longer act or express emotions on her own. She required help with basic human needs like eating, drinking, and going to the toilet. Everything had to be done for her, for she could no longer do so on her own.

And Miku could not blame her.

After all, she was there when it happened.

As Akira pressed on the gas to lead them home, Miku once found her mind drifting back to the days right after the end of the incident. She could never bring herself to forget them, as every moment she had spent awake was akin to being in a nightmare that she could not escape from. It took a very long time for her to finally accept the truth.

Hibiki however, had a much more difficult time.

After being rescued, Miku was glad to have discovered that Hibiki was uninjured from the gunfire, Kirika having kept her safe with her own body. The five wielders, all dead, were carried away into S.O.N.G headquarters in a feeble attempt to save their lives, but it was far too late to do anything for them. Having been without their Symphogears, they were just regular people, and so succumbed to their wounds in short order.

Miku remembered she hadn't slept that night. Nobody did, in fact, due to what had happened. Despite her own body screaming at her for rest, Miku simply could not sleep.

Because what happened a few days later was the highlight.

Hibiki woke up that day, with Miku and many others by her side. Disoriented and confused, she kept on asking questions in her delirious state, and she had trouble understanding where she was or what she was doing.

They had explained it to her slowly, that she was now in safe hands. But then she asked where everyone was, and why she couldn't see them.

She was promptly given her answer.

What followed was one of the worst screams Miku had ever heard in her life. It was blood-curdling, spine-chilling, and horrifying. Miku had never before heard such a despaired sound leave Hibiki's throat, and she was sure her vocal cords would remain damaged and torn for a long time afterwards.

Hibiki screamed, thrashed, and went into hysteria. She was inconsolable and was unable to listen to anyone trying to comfort her or get her to calm down.

It was impossible. The knowledge of what she had done, together with the fact that her friends had died for her sake, was simply too much for a person like Hibiki to bear.

And just as quickly as it had started, it ended. As if she was a machine that was suddenly switched off, Hibiki went silent instantly and dropped back down to the bed, leaving the medical team perplexed as to what had happened.

A few days later, they gave their diagnosis.

Nothing was physically wrong with Hibiki, aside from her sore and damaged vocal cords.

So they could only give one answer to the mystery: Hibiki's mind had shut itself down from the grief, and no external stimuli were able to get any reactions from her. She was classified as being in a persistent vegetative state after a few weeks of failing to arouse her, despite her not having experienced any visible head trauma. No, it was a purely mental condition.

One, they figured, that she brought upon herself.

Hibiki's consciousness vanished that day, and from then on Miku swore to take care of her until it returned.

A few years later, there was still no change in her state.

"Miku-chan, we're here."

Miku blinked, raising her head to look outside the window. She was so lost in thought she didn't notice they had arrived back at the house. Recomposing herself, she waited for Harumi to open the door for her, and together the two took the wheelchair out of the trunk. Miku unfolded it, secured it, and placed Hibiki on it. Akira then drove off to park the car while the two women headed towards the house. They had built a small ramp leading to the doorway to make it easier, and so they entered the Tachibana household together and with no difficulty.

"I'll go prepare the bath," Harumi said upon entering. "Take your time, okay?"

Miku nodded in response, pushing Hibiki towards the living room. She stopped by the couch, making sure to lower the brake so the wheelchair wouldn't roll away, and sat down as she waited.

Taking care of Hibiki was as difficult as it was heartbreaking. No matter what Miku tried, Hibiki simply wouldn't respond to anything. Her eyes were open but unseeing. She had lost a lot of weight and muscle mass, a stark difference to what she was just a few years ago. Her hair was longer, but Miku did her best to make sure it wasn't disheveled.

All in all, Hibiki looked healthy, if a bit thin. Her reflexes worked fine from what the doctors told her, as in the end there was indeed no brain damage.

But that made Miku all the more disheartened. It simply depended on Hibiki one day just waking up, and nobody knew when that day would come. So all she could do was simply wait, and take care of her until she did.

Her phone rang, and she quickly took it out of her pocket, staring at the screen to see who was calling.

'Tomosato Aoi'

'_Oh right, she usually calls around this time.'_

Clicking once, she answered. "Hello?"

"_Miku-chan, good afternoon,"_ the woman on the other end said. "_How are you?"_

"I'm fine," Miku answered sincerely. "We just came back from our regular visit."

"_I see..."_ Tomosato murmured, knowing what she was referring to. "_Any changes?"_

Miku shook her head even though Aoi couldn't see. "No, it's the same as ever."

Tomosato sighed in sympathy, not at all surprised. Miku decided to change the subject. "How's work? Are you doing okay as the commander?"

"_Yes. It's not easy, but we have some leeway, seeing as the Noise are gone and all. We're still looking for new wielders, and we've got a few candidates in mind, but all in all, everything is fairly quiet on our front,"_ the woman answered.

Miku sighed, remembering what took place at S.O.N.G at that time.

Following the end of the incident, it was clear as crystal to everyone involved that Genjuro did not take it well. Never had they seen him so despaired and distraught, and even though he managed to bring himself to take care of the bureaucracy, he was simply not the same afterwards.

And then one day, he resigned. Passing along his position as the commander to his lieutenant Tomosato, he left S.O.N.G and never returned, disappearing somewhere unknown.

"_How about you?" _

Miku took in a deep breath and leaned back. "I'm... okay, I guess. Hibiki's mom forced me to take a bit of a break here and there, but I can't bring myself to."

"_You want to be there in case she wakes up, I bet,"_ Tomosato said sadly. "_Miku-chan, listen—"_

"I'm not giving up," Miku said quickly. "I'm never going to. I'm not going to give permission to cut off her support. I'm going to take care of her until she gets better."

Tomosato sighed over the phone, having heard these words many times in the past. "_I really can't stop you, can I?"_

"No, you can't. We're not part of S.O.N.G anymore either, so you can't force me either."

"_Had no intention to," _Tomosato reassured her. "_Just looking out for your wellbeing; both of yours. We'll help you for as long as you need our help; we won't give up on her either. This is what we promised Genjuro... and the girls as well."_

Miku remembered that day. The day Tomosato, who was sworn in as S.O.N.G's new commander, and how she vowed to keep the peace that the girls had sacrificed their lives to achieve. With Fudou out of the picture, the Kazanari household fell into the hands of his eldest son Yatsuhiro, who had quickly taken over its assets.

But that's where the Kazanari line would end. With Tsubasa dead, and the two remaining members having no spouses to make children with, the Kazanari bloodline was fated to end with Yatsuhiro and Genjuro.

Just like Tsubasa said it would.

That was their new reality. Tokyo was still destroyed, and so Miku had to finish her education here in Chiba. S.O.N.G's staff remained, with Tomosato as its new leader, and they were now looking at the prospect of new wielders to use the relics of the fallen in their stead. Miku chose to stay with the Tachibanas to take care of Hibiki, putting aside her own life plans in the process.

And that's how the years have passed. Different yet the same as always, except Hibiki, who was not there to liven up the mood.

Their friends, who had been a constant source of warmth and comfort, were nothing more than memories now, with very few things left behind to remind Miku of them. Only their relics remained, and those would eventually be passed down to their successors, whenever they may come.

Miku originally planned to sever relations with S.O.N.G entirely, but their continuous help with maintaining Hibiki's health was a godsend in a lot of ways. As a result, she found herself talking with a few of the staff regularly, even though she was not a part of it anymore. S.O.N.G owed them a debt of gratitude, and so would forever work to assist them in all of their endeavors, whether they be financial or otherwise.

"I know," Miku said to her. "I'll talk to you again some other time. Have a good evening, Aoi-san."

"_You too, Miku-chan. See you."_

At that, the call ended, and Miku put down the phone beside her on the couch. She sighed again, bringing a hand up to rub her temple to clear away the small headache that had formed. She tilted her head and looked at Hibiki, still and silent like always. She reached out, taking one of Hibiki's hands and putting it between her own.

"Hibiki..."

She hoped. She hoped that somehow her voice would be able to reach her. Yet, just like always, there was no response from the girl. She was simply not there, as her mind was absent.

An empty shell of what she once was, created from the overwhelming grief and pain of a thousand realities that piled on top of her at once. Hibiki was a distorted individual, and so her ability to bear certain regrets and burdens was twisted as well. She was never one that dealt with loss well, and so this time it was simply too much.

"Miku-chan, the bath is ready," Harumi said, walking into the living room. At some point, Akira had entered as well, but she didn't bother listening. Hibiki's grandmother was not at home at the moment, probably taking care of something in the city. "Do you need help to bring her up?"

Miku shook her head. "No, I'm okay," she answered, and stood up, walking behind the wheelchair and turning it around to head to the stairs. As part of S.O.N.G's help, they installed one of those modern devices that connected to the wall that made it easier to bring Hibiki to the upper floors, where there was another, smaller wheelchair they used.

Just like always, Miku lifted Hibiki from the chair and placed her in the seat. She had done this so many times by now that she figured she had developed some nice muscles. She was probably stronger than Hibiki right now.

Yet, she could find no joy in it. All she could do was wait and hope, and pray that Hibiki would one day return to her.

-!-

Later that night, Miku tucked herself in. She had placed Hibiki in bed a bit earlier as she readied herself for sleep. They had taken a bath that was as a chore as always and had eaten dinner together that was an odd occurrence. Seeing as Hibiki could not physically swallow, she was fed with either gruel or was given nutrition intravenously. Knowing when she needed to go to the toilet was also a difficult affair, but by now they understood the signs and made it easier for themselves by having a bathroom built on the lower floor.

After a hectic evening that she was used to, Miku was finally able to bring herself to bed, exhausted as always after a day like this. Hibiki laid down on her back next to her, her eyes slightly open as she breathed slowly, unmoving and unresponsive.

It was always like this, and she was used to it. The first few weeks into this new routine, Miku had cried herself to sleep every single night, begging Hibiki to wake up, and telling her how much she loved her. Her prayer fell on deaf ears every time, and by now she was simply willing to wait, as long as she needed, and would remain strong until that day.

The night was cold, but Hibiki was as warm as always. Miku snuggled up to her as much as she could, maintaining as much contact with her as possible. This was definitely not what she had in mind when she had imagined her life in the future, but she couldn't complain.

Complaining wouldn't fix Hibiki, restore Tokyo and Lydian, or bring back her dead friends.

As night fell and she became sleepy, Miku mumbled one last thing to her silent companion.

"Good night, Hibiki."

She gave her a small peck on the cheek, and then laid her head on her pillow.

She closed her eyes and drifted off, dreaming of better times.

That night, unbeknownst to her, a soft whimpering could be heard in the room. A single tear rolled down a thin cheek before it ended, falling silent once more.

_**THE END**_


	42. Chapter 42: Bonus: The Last Crossroads

**AN: This chapter contains spoilers for XV. Do not read it if you've not seen the season.**

-!-

_One and a half years after the New Year's party..._

"I'm back."

"Oh, welcome back, Hibiki. How was work today?"

She tossed her bag on the floor and threw herself on the bed. "Tough as usual, but we're getting close to finishing up this apartment complex. Matsuo-san nearly fell off the railing but I caught him just in time."

"Oh, my," Miku said in worry. "Is he alright?"

"Yeah, although a bit shaken up," Hibiki confirmed. "He should honestly stay on the lower floors if he's so clumsy."

Miku laughed. "Look who's talking," she said fondly. "You should go take a shower."

"Yeah, I will in a minute."

Silence fell upon the room as Miku continued writing in her notebook. The clock above their heads ticked lightly, alternating with the sounds of Miku's pen. The entire time, however, Hibiki had not moved from the bed, staring up at the ceiling with her brows furrowed. Her girlfriend noticed, and turned out with a look of concern.

"Hibiki, is everything alright?"

Hibiki was silent for a moment before answering. "Actually... not really. I've been having this weird feeling lately that I can't place. Like... I dunno, it's like—"

"Like a stone in your stomach that's rattling your insides?" Miku asked, causing Hibiki to raise herself from the bed and stare at her with eyes wide. "Yeah, I've been having... a somewhat similar feeling too. I put it aside, but it's kind of worrying."

Hibiki plopped down on the bed again. "Did you ask the others?"

"Yeah, but they said they don't feel the same. Kirika-chan was extra energetic today after a good concert they had down south. I'm honestly a bit envious."

"I see... what do you think it could be?"

"I have no idea," Miku said as she put down her pen and closed her notebook. "Maybe we should bring it up in the meeting tomorrow with Genjuro-san."

"Oh yeah, I nearly forgot about that. Something about finding new information from Tiki?" Hibiki said in wonder.

"We'll find out tomorrow," Miku said, then turned to Hibiki with a pout. "Now go take a shower already! You really stink! If you don't, I'm not sleeping with you tonight!"

The smelly girl immediately shot up from the bed. "Aaaah okay I'm going I'm going!" she yelled, grabbing all of her toiletries in record speed and dashing out of the room.

Miku sighed, stashing her stationary back in the table's drawer. It wasn't anything much, just some notes about music as well as personal thoughts. She figured keeping something akin to a journal would make the stay in this warehouse less depressing.

A lot and very little had changed since the incident. Hibiki still had her job as a part of the reconstruction team while Miku still worked in Flower with the others. Lydian was still unusable as a school, and as such the students were eventually allowed to grab their personal belongings. Housing overall was still a problem, and so a joint effort between the UN and the Japanese government set up temporary housing for the displaced civilians.

Naturally, seeing as Miku was one such civilian, she had received accommodation of her own. Because she was not officially part of S.O.N.G, and because her work required her to stay in the city, she couldn't remain on the submarine as a more permanent resident.

Thus, the damaged warehouses in the harbor were renovated and turned into somewhat of a dormitory. It was an extremely welcome gesture, even if the showers were a public space for many people's use. The rooms weren't very big, a far cry from what they had in Lydian, but it was more than enough for a girl as frugal as Miku. Hearing that her girlfriend was staying behind more often, Hibiki had decided to move in with her, even if it made the space a bit more cramped.

Miku didn't care, of course. Being with Hibiki was wonderful no matter the circumstances, so she'd never say no to her.

As for the others, not much had changed. They were still alternating between going on fundraising campaigns, this time extending to the rest of the world, and fighting rogue Alca-Noise clusters. It seems the Illuminati gave a bit too many of the crystals to various unkind people, which gave the Adaptors a bit of a headache at times.

Hibiki didn't need to go with them all that often though. They usually finish their work within a single day and come back even before dinner. It was a bit strange, but she appreciated it. She got to see them more often thanks to that. They'd never admit it, but they deserved their rest too.

"I guess I should start getting ready for bed..."

The usual routine went as expected. Hibiki eventually came back all freshened up and smelling like flowers thanks to the new shampoo they got.

Miku loved that. It always got her excited.

Nighttime came, and the two of them tucked in. Funnily enough, Miku realized, the change in their relationship changed very little in their daily lives. They had already been acting like a married couple beforehand, so the added intimacy was just a cherry on top.

Still, what it offered was...

"M-Miku! That's—!"

"Oh please, you're used to this already," Miku whispered in her ear sultrily. "Your reactions are always so cute..."

"M-Miku!"

"Ufufufufufu..."

That never got old.

-!-

"Good morning—hm? What's wrong Hibiki-kun?"

Hibiki blushed fiercely while Miku smiled. "N-nothing! Go on!"

After one of their usual nights, the couple now stood along with the others on the bridge of S.O.N.G. Chris yawned and stretched her arms, while Shirabe rubbed the tiredness out of her eyes. Only Maria and Tsubasa seemed unperturbed, more than ready for the briefing.

"Very well. As you may all know, we've retrieved some crucial information from the Autoscorer we recovered from the battlefield. Fortunately, enough of the Antikythera Gear was intact to analyze what Adam Weishaupt's goals could possibly be. While it took us some to, including the destruction of the lab that studied the remains, we've been able to extract just enough information for a clue," Genjuro explained, bringing up the relevant data on the large display.

It immediately indicated a spot in a very remote location, one which made Tsubasa wonder. "Is that... Antarctica?"

"Yes," Genjuro confirmed with a nod. "Lake Vostok, to be specific. Upon studying the location, we've detected some very strange movements underneath the ice, as well as a specimen of a scorpion from several thousand years ago. This all points to the sign that a precursor civilization may have lived there, and had hidden something that Adam Weishaupt tried to obtain."

"Something he tried to obtain," Maria repeated in thought. "You don't mean—"

"Divine power..." Hibiki murmured, causing the others to look to her. They noticed that Miku was likewise sporting a conflicted expression, as both of their eyes narrowed, studying the data carefully.

"Hibiki-kun..."

"I'm... I'm fine," she said, shaking her head. She grasped Miku's hand, who nodded to her. Hibiki looked to her commander seriously. "It's just... the two of us were feeling off lately. I guess it's related to that."

"I see... Considering what happened, it's possible you two can subconsciously feel it surfacing," Genjuro surmised. "You don't have to come with us if you don't want to. We'll figure out a way to deal with it. We're planning on heading our tomorrow any—"

"No, I'll go," Hibiki insisted, tightening her grip on Miku's hand. "If there's anyone who should go, it's me. I... I know how to deal with it. Besides, we'll need the god-slaying power if there really is a divine one there. I... I don't want anything to happen to anyone."

A lot went unsaid in her words, but it was easy enough to grasp what she meant. Chris put a hand on her shoulder, and Hibiki looked to her in confusion. Her friend's stare was determined, yet kind, which eased the worry in Hibiki's heart. She smiled at her, causing Chris to flash her a grin in return.

"Go on, old man. Fill us in about the rest of it," she said.

"Very well. Here's what's going to happen..."

-!-

That night, as they lay in bed, Hibiki once again stared up at the ceiling in thought. Miku was cuddling up to her, using her arm as a pillow.

However, neither could fall asleep right away. Both of their minds were occupied with they heard in the briefing, combined with that gut feeling that wouldn't go away.

It was easy to feel the unease and uncertainty in the air. After what they had experienced, going anywhere near a source of divine power felt terrifying. A sense of overwhelming dread that they couldn't be rid of.

The fear that there could be a repeat. With the god-slaying power back in her hands, Hibiki was practically vulnerable to be exploited again.

And she couldn't blame them for thinking so. Despite how much they cared about her, her insistence in going with them on this operation unnerved them somewhat. In the end, it was obvious to her that despite everything, they still doubted her mental fortitude.

But out of everyone that did, Miku didn't. "Hibiki..."

"It won't happen again," her girlfriend said with a resolute stare. "It won't. I won't ever falter again."

Miku looked at her in surprise but then smiled. She snuggled closer to her, and Hibiki turned over to wrap her arms around her. "I trust you," Miku said into her chest. "Just promise me you won't do something reckless. Please don't rush into danger again."

"...I won't. I promise."

"Good," Miku murmured with a smile. "I love you, Hibiki. I'll always love you."

Those words filled Hibiki's heart with such warmth she felt like she was going to melt into a puddle. How could Miku be so beautiful and cute at the same time? It was almost unfair.

"I love you too."

Smiling, they snuggled up to each other even closer and closed their eyes, drifting off to sleep.

-!-

For some strange reason, she missed the feeling of being in a helicopter. Maybe it was just nostalgia, or perhaps it was just that she missed being with her fellow Adaptors, but Hibiki somewhat felt at home in it. It took her a while to finally shake off the awkwardness around them, and she mostly returned to her behavior before the incident, albeit without the invasion of privacy part.

They flew over the skies of the South Pole, converging above Lake Vostok in preparation for the unknown signal's ascent. They were divided into two helicopters, with the three natural Harmonizers in one and the former FIS trio on the other. Hibiki shivered from the piercing cold, not having been prepared for it in any capacity.

Kirika voiced her frustrations over the comm, her teeth shaking. "T-t-t-t-t-t-this isn't what I expected from summer!"

Chris yelled to her in return. "Idiot! It's the South Pole! It's always cold!"

"Still!"

"_Everyone, we're detecting a massive energy spike!" _Genjuro's voice echoed in their ears. "_Prepare yourselves!"_

Just as he said that the lake's frozen surface exploded as a massive beam of crimson light shot through the ice. The clouds that had bombarded them with endless snow were blown away, and the Adaptors looked on in awe at the suddenly cleared sky.

The ground rumbled, a sight visible to the Adaptors even while flying high above. Soon afterwards, a gigantic, mechanical-looking limb broke through the ice, embedding itself on the surface as it began to climb out of its cold prison. Ice shards flew in all directions as it pulled itself up, disturbing the lake's surface. What appeared was a gigantic, bronze-coloured golem-like machine, its hulking form cracking the thick frost underneath it.

Naturally, the Adaptors were shocked. "I-is that the coffin?" Kirika asked in worry.

"Yeah, it seems so," Maria answered. "This is what the commander told us about. We have to stop it before it destroys the observation post."

She glanced to her comrades on the other helicopter, who were looking equally as shocked by the coffin's form. She could also plainly see the haunted expression on Hibiki's face. Whatever it was she was seeing and feeling, it was definitely much stronger now that the coffin had made itself known.

Tsubasa too noticed Hibiki's tenseness and placed a hand on her shoulder. Her younger teammate looked to her, and the idol flashed her a small smile. "It'll be fine. We're in this together," she reassured. "Rely on us too."

Hibiki let out a sigh and nodded back with a smile. She looked down at the coffin on the lake's frozen surface, then raised her gaze to meet the gaze of the former FIS members. Shirabe and Kirika gave her a thumbs up, while Maria nodded.

They were giving her the go-ahead, it seems. They wanted her to lead the way forward; to be the first to jump and confront this hulking monstrosity. She, who held the god-slaying power. She, who had...

She shook her head. No use thinking about it now. Genjuro's booming voice erupted over the comm. "_You're clear for launch! Get in there!"_

The others nodded in acknowledgement. Hibiki, with the nudging from the others, took the reins. "Okay, everybody ready?"

"Yes!"

"Then let's go!"

And together, they jumped and sung their activation chants. The coffin took notice of their approach and activated its defense systems while they were in midair.

Soon enough, a battle was joined between the Symphogear Adaptors and the ancient coffin, wreaking havoc upon the surface of Lake Vostok.

-!-

CRASH!

A plate fell from Miku's hands, breaking into pieces and spreading leftovers all over the floor. The patrons in the restaurant looked to her in confusion.

"Hina!" Kuriyo shouted to her, running over to help. "Are you okay? Did you get cut?"

"N-no, I'm fine," Miku answered, surprised at herself more than anything. "Sorry, I'll clean it up."

"It's alright, let me handle it," Kuriyo offered, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder to comfort her.

"Thanks..." Miku mumbled. "It's just... something is happening, and for some reason, I feel..."

Kuriyo didn't need to prod any further to understand what she meant. She looked to the owner, who watched the two of them silently, and shook her head. "Do you want to take the rest of the day off?"

"No no no! It's fine!" her friend said. "I'll-I'll be fine, I promise."

Kuriyo wasn't entirely convinced but relented. "Alright, if you say so..."

She went on her way, leaving Miku behind with the broken shards on the floor. The girl clenched her hands over her chest, praying deeply. '_Hibiki...'_

-!-

"Sir, we've confirmed the Symphogear Adaptors have engaged the coffin in combat," the agent said, kneeling before Fudou. The elder narrowed his eyes in contemplation.

"I do not doubt that they'll be victorious. The decision rests on what comes afterwards; we shall see how they act once it is within their reach."

That's all he had to say on the matter, and the agent left without another word.

"Now, will you fall again? Show me your conviction."

-!-

Just like Fudou had predicted, the Adaptors triumphed over the ancient coffin. All six of them, tired from the gruelling battle took the chance to catch their breaths. They were somehow not gravely injured, even though they'd all been struck head-on several times by its massive limbs, as well as from stray shots from its protector drones.

Tsubasa was the first to rise to her feet. She dusted off the frost off of her Gear, and let out a relieved sigh at the sight of the downed coffin.

"_Good job everybody,"_ Genjuro said over the comm. "_Take the time to rest and standby for now; we'll be bringing the teams around soon."_

"Acknowledged," Tsubasa confirmed. She looked to her comrades, all of whom were sitting down on the ice, tired from the fight. It was moments like these that they appreciated the automatic heating system of the Gears; extreme cold didn't affect them nearly as much as it should've. Conversely, it also helps against high temperatures. While it does have its limits, it's still a godsend in places like this. As they were right now, the bone-piercing cold of the South Pole was barely felt.

The massive coffin, now inert, lay on its back on the ice with a massive hole in its upper body. Even Chris, who was the demolition expert of the group, had to comment on the damage they did. "Damn, I didn't think the upgrades to our Gears would be that effective."

"Yeah, I didn't expect that either," Maria added. "I suppose... Saint-Germain's final gift to us didn't go to waste. To think the Gears could be supplemented with alchemical additions... It's honestly frightening."

"Who cares?! It saved our butts!" Kirika exclaimed, flashing a smile. "I kinda wanna see what's inside this thing, unless we accidentally blew that up too."

"I doubt it, but it's better if we wait and—"

Anything more Maria wanted to say was cut off when the five just now noticed that Hibiki had risen to her feet and was making her way towards the downed coffin. Instantly alerted, they jumped to their feet, and Tsubasa dashed towards her younger comrade in a panic.

"Hibiki! Step back! You must not approach it!"

Tsubasa's warning fell on deaf ears as Hibiki walked forward as if in a trance, completely ignoring the world around her. Her hand rose, and she lightly touched the surface of the fallen coffin just as Tsubasa reached her position. The older Adaptor hurriedly grabbed her arm and shoved her back, pushing her to the ground.

"A-ah? Tsubasa?"

"You fool! We told you to get back!"

Any further reprimands she had were cut off when steam suddenly filled the air around them, leaking from the coffin itself. The Adaptors watched with puzzled expressions as the canopy of the coffin lifted upwards and slid open, revealing its insides.

"What is—"

"_Everyone stay back! Do not touch anything else!"_ Genjuro screamed at them. "_Wait for the research team! Only engage if you're threatened!"_

Hibiki, with her butt on the ground, could only look to the side in shame. "S-sorry..."

"Oi!"

Chris's call shook the two from their stupor. Hibiki briefly looked back to her, then turned her head to Tsubasa, who had approached and offered her hand. "Here."

"Ah, thanks."

Hibiki took the offered hand and rose to her feet. Tsubasa smiled to her, and together the two Adaptors headed back to their allies. Naturally, Chris had a mouthful to say as soon as they made it back.

"The heck were you thinking, idiot?! We told you not to do anything reckless!"

"I-I know... Sorry... I just..." Hibiki began, hanging her head. "I felt like... something was calling me... from inside that thing."

The other five looked alarmed, gazing at each other with narrowed eyes. Maria was the one to step up and put a hand on Hibiki's shoulder. "All the more why you shouldn't get close to it. We talked about this, remember? We know there's divine power in there, and that's all the more why you shouldn't come close. Let other people take care of it, alright?"

Hibiki raised her head to try and argue, but Maria shushed her before she could say anything. In the distance, they could hear the approaching vehicles of the research team, coming to study the now opened coffin. Because it was so big, the Adaptors couldn't see what was inside. They could've jumped, but nobody knew what was inside and therefore it was deemed too dangerous to try.

So now, they had to wait.

-!-

About an hour later, the research team was already underway. Having built a makeshift lab in the freezing cold around the coffin, they began to work in earnest to study both it and whatever it had kept secret within. In the meantime, the Adaptors waited inside the observation post, sitting huddled around the solitary table in the middle. The outpost didn't have that many people in it at any given time, so they had mostly the bare minimum to get by while getting restocked every so often.

It was these resources that the Adaptors gratefully used. Having been offered hot drinks while they waited, they sipped on the tea in silence with only the whirring of the outpost's machinery to break it. They had, as a precaution, remained with their Gears active, ready to defend the research team in case anything came up.

However, Hibiki felt her mind wandering somewhere else. She thought long and hard, and the minutes ticked by as they waited for anything to happen.

By the one and a half hour mark, she felt compelled to act. Turning on the comm, she hailed Genjuro. "Um... Master?"

"_Hm? What is it, Hibiki-kun?"_ he asked, consequently causing the other Adaptors in the room with her to look to her.

"I was just wondering... what was inside that thing. I mean, I'm just..." she mumbled, taking in her comrades' gazes. "Curious."

They heard Genjuro grumble to himself for a moment, and then he answered. "_We've found... a corpse. The corpse of what we believe is a Custodian."_

"A Custodian? Like the ones Adam Weishaupt talked about?" Shirabe asked.

"_Yes. A member of the precursor race that had populated this planet before humanity. In addition to it, we found an intricate-looking vambrace attached to its right arm. For something of its age, it has been kept in pristine condition. The research team should be extracting it soon."_

"...I see..." Hibiki continued. Her grip on her cup tightened. "Where are you taking it?"

"_After studying it for a bit, both the corpse and the vambrace will be handed over to America as per our agreement."_

"So... the divine power is going to be around again, isn't it..."

She almost crushed the cup in her grip.

"_...Yes, it will."_

Genjuro's confirmation only served to tighten the knot in her heart. The others could see the storm of expressions on her face and the barely contained emotions within her distant gaze. The silence was unbearable, as they knew that she had something in mind she was not telling them. Ever since the mission began, she had seemed even more out of it than usual; they reckoned that it might be the onset of PTSD, but the doctor onboard the submarine had clarified that probably wasn't the case.

What was it that she wanted to say?

And as if by some destined cue, that's when she finally spoke up.

"Master, I'd like permission to—" she inhaled, trying to calm herself down. "I'd like permission to... destroy it."

The five's eyes widened in shock as her statement finally settled in. "_...Would you like to tell me why, Hibiki-kun?"_

The question echoed their own sentiments. Realizing she nearly broke the cup, Hibiki exhaled and finished the last of her tea, pushing the empty vessel aside. "I don't know if this is the right choice, but... the divine power... It shouldn't be here. It's... far too dangerous. It only brought us suffering and pain," she said. Her fists clenched, and the others looked to her with concern as she continued. "There's nothing that it can give us that we want. The world of understanding... can't be achieved with such a wretched thing."

She knew that firsthand. She, who had been the vessel for the divine power once before, knew exactly what that power entailed.

It didn't come freely. There was a price to pay for it, and from her own experience, she knew for a fact that it was not worth it. To use such a thing, great sacrifices would have to be made.

And that price was usually lives. She, who bore the burden of a sinner whose anger had caused the deaths of a million, knew it all too well. That knowledge had haunted her, and the others knew this was primarily why she had become so different.

The old Hibiki was gone. She vanished alongside the curses that day, and instead, they received this new one. A new Hibiki, reforged after she had been broken by her own self-doubts. Even though her habits had somewhat changed, they knew her innate nature did not. Regardless of what lay beneath the surface, Tachibana Hibiki was the sort of person that'd always think of others before herself.

A girl who follows a dangerous ideal as penance for all the lives lost.

And she, more than anybody, knows what danger lies with a power that they could not understand.

"So please... please let me destroy it. I'll make sure that the divine power... can never darken our lives again."

"_...Are you sure, Hibiki-kun?"_ he asked earnestly.

"Yes. More than I've ever been," she said resolutely.

He fell silent, and they figured that deliberations were being made within HQ as to whether or not to oblige her request. There was much at stake if he allowed it, Tsubasa inferred, seeing as they were under an agreement to hand their findings over. At best, it would damage the relations between the US and Japan, thus furthering the arms race of which country bore more relics. With such a potential of untapped power hidden throughout the world, who knew what disasters could ensue in the pursuit after them.

Granting permission here would have dire consequences. Yet, Tsubasa could already guess what her uncle would say. He was, after all, an incorrigibly kind man, who could not turn away such heartfelt requests. He held compassion, and he knew that she, more than anybody else, understood firsthand what that power meant.

In this regard, she was the expert, even more than Adam Weishaupt.

His answer came a minute later. "_...Very well."_

Hibiki's eyes lit up in surprise. Chris, equally as shocked, spoke into the comm too. "Wait, seriously old man?! Are you sure about this?! Isn't this gonna cause a shitload of problems?!"

"_Yeah, it will,"_ he confirmed honestly. "_However, I'm not foolish enough to ignore the obvious warning signs. If Hibiki-kun is so determined to destroy it so the divine power never returns, then so be it. I'll deal with the bureaucracy, so all of you support Hibiki-kun. If last time is anything to go by, it's never as simple as it looks."_

"Master..." Hibiki said fondly, closing her eyes in relief. "Thank you."

"_Don't mention it. You do what you have to do. The research team has just taken it out of the coffin along with the corpse, so you're in luck. I'll let them know of the change of plans. The Americans can have the coffin itself as a consolation if they wish to study it."_

That was it, then. Hibiki rose from her seat first, and the others followed after her, putting their empty cups on the table. Kirika led the way, opening the door for them to head out. Before she could even finish going down the steps, Hibiki jumped over the railing beside her, causing the blonde Adaptor to yelp in surprise. Hibiki landed on the ice and walked at a brisk pace towards the coffin, and the research team noticed her approach.

Their scattered equipment did not impede her path at all, weaving her way around them. By the looks on their faces, she could tell they had already been informed, although a few of them seemed disappointed and annoyed by the chain of plans. She disregarded those who looked like they would complain; she had divine power to destroy after all.

The others caught up with her just in time to look upon the Custodian's extracted corpse currently resting within a glass case. The cold had already covered the glass somewhat in ice, yet that's not what Hibiki was here for.

No, her eyes were locked onto the vambrace on its right arm, resting upon the body's chest. It really was in pristine condition, she noticed, just like Genjuro had said.

It unnerved her. The more she looked at the golden accessory, the more disturbed she felt by it. It wasn't doing anything on its own, yet its sheer existence, and the very fact that she knew what it contained already broke the illusion of its ancient beauty. The pattern at its center, made of cyan and purple gems, reminded her of something that only filled her with dread.

She looked towards the head researcher, who wordlessly nodded. Carefully, he inputted the code, and with a soft beep, the lock on the glass case was released.

"It'd be best if all of you clear the area," Tsubasa recommended to the research team. Without further ado, they retreated, heading towards the observation outpost for safe shelter. The Adaptors waited until had all entered, and then went back to the matter at hand.

"Okay..." Hibiki said to herself, circling the corpse's container to its open side. She eyed her comrades for a moment and swallowed nervously before lifting the case, exposing the corpse to the frigid air once again.

She definitely did not like looking at this thing; at least its face was covered so she wouldn't have to meet a hollowed gaze. With careful motions, she reached out with her hand towards the vambrace. She extended a single finger forward, ready to jump back in case it did anything out of the ordinary with her proximity.

She lightly touched its surface and hurriedly pulled her hand back. When it did nothing, she glanced to her fellow Adaptors again, who remained as unnerved as she was. Swallowing again, this time she allowed her touch to remain on the golden accessory for a longer period. She gripped the vambrace and slowly tilted the arm to the side, allowing her to slide it off without any resistance. The arm fell back onto the corpse's chest, where it remained unmoving.

Hibiki let out a relieved sigh. She was afraid the corpse might suddenly awaken and jump at her, but it seemed to be as dead as it could be. Now holding the vambrace in her hand, she studied it with a curious gaze.

She could definitely feel it. There was certainly divine power hidden within this thing. It was almost... like... it... was...

"HIBIKI!"

Someone viciously pulled at her arm, shaking her out of her stupor. "W-wha—?"

"You fool! Look at what you're doing!"

"Huh?"

She blinked, seeing Tsubasa holding onto the arm holding the vambrace. Then, she looked at her hands and instinctively dropped it down to the ground as if it had injured her.

"I-I was..."

The mere thought nearly caused her to hurl. Once again, her mind had drifted away and had nearly put on the vambrace on herself in a trance. Tsubasa held onto her, pulling her back, while Hibiki looked at the accessory with an expression of terror.

"Maybe this wasn't the best idea," Maria said. "Maybe we should—"

"No!" Hibiki yelled, freeing herself from Tsubasa's hold. "I'm fine! I'm... fine, I promise. I was just... sorry. I can do. I'll do it. I have to do it."

She spoke as if on the brink of madness. Chris bit her lip, desperate to say something, but she didn't know what. Everything about this situation was abnormal.

Hibiki hurried to pick up the vambrace again, this time narrowing her eyes with uncertain resolution. She clenched her fist as tight as she could, and only the armor on her palm prevented her from drawing blood. She took a deep breath, readying herself for the strike.

"Here I go..."

With a small application of force, she tossed the vambrace up in the air. As it rose, she cocked her fist back, eyeing the golden accessory all the while. The others were at the ready, materializing their weapons in preparation for a fight.

As the vambrace began to fall back down, Hibiki pulled back the pile driver up to her elbow.

And struck forward with all her might, roaring a battle cry.

"UWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Her fist smashed into the side of the vambrace.

Suddenly, the accessory shone with blinding white light. The other Adaptors cringed at the sudden burst of light, hurriedly covering their eyes.

"YOU IDIOT! WHAT DID YOU—" Chris shouted. She peeked for just a moment to see Hibiki be completely engulfed by the light, disappearing within its depths.

"Hibiki? HIBIKIIIIIIIIII!"

-!-

"What's going on?!" Genjuro barked out as soon as the light made its appearance.

"Divine power detected!" Elfnein yelled. "And also... Aufwachen?!"

"What?! Put everything on screen now!"

The homunculus immediately worked to do just that. Genjuro gripped the edges of his console tightly, unease settling within his breast. '_Hibiki-kun, please don't do anything reckless. We believe in you.'_

-!-

This time, an empty beer mug fell to the floor and shattered. Unable to keep herself standing, Miku followed, collapsing right by it.

"Hina?!" "Kohinata-san?!" "Miku! Oi, someone call an ambulance!"

It was difficult to breathe. She was hyperventilating, and her body felt extremely hot. The world blurred and swirled to and fro as nauseating dizziness overcame her. She could hear people calling her name in a panic, but couldn't pinpoint who.

Yet, all of those paled in comparison to the enormous weight she suddenly felt on her shoulders. Barely holding onto her consciousness, she mumbled a name weakly.

"Hi..biki..."

-!-

A world of never-ending darkness was a close companion for her by now. As soon as she opened her eyes, she could see that she was once again alone, trapped within pitch blackness without a sense of direction or purpose.

This... she recognized this pattern. The last time this had happened, she had...

'_Did I... already fail?'_

She fell to her knees, holding her arms to her chest as she held back the ball of anxiety that rose up within it. She clenched her teeth in pain, gnawing them against each other.

"I... I—!"

"**Intrigue."**

An unknown voice rose within the darkness, and she raised her head to look forward just as an unfamiliar silhouette made of light materialized before her, floating above the formless ground.

"Who... who are you?"

"**How upsetting. I am Shem-Ha, the one whom man worships as the god of this planet. We meet at last, Tachibana Hibiki."**

Her eyes widened in shock. "A... god?"

"**Indeed. I am words themselves. I have existed within mankind since the dawn of their civilization. I have heard their cries, and consequently, your own."**

She was paralyzed from the neck down, unable to bring herself back to her feet. "My... cry?"

"**Yes. Your heart, once tainted by All the Evils of this World, still rages within. Your doubts, thought forgotten, remain deep, gathering underneath the surface. Those resentments that you had thought discarded still torment your psyche. You, who had grasped that ideal, still waver before the sight of your own eyes."**

Hibiki couldn't speak. She hugged herself tightly, unable to meet the gaze of the manifested god. "I... I..."

"**Cognizance. You are but a victim like all others. That suffering is one that you, as well as your fellow man, did not deserve. Your purpose, far grander than such a vile thing."**

"W-what do you mean?"

"**Candour. I am Shem-Ha, the one who had designed mankind. I am here to once again offer you a choice."**

"A choice?"

"**Yes. This world, that had shunned you, was shaped by a wretched curse from which you had been liberated. The Curse of Balal, that had stolen the possibility of pure understanding, is the culprit."**

Hibiki's eyes were wide as saucers as she listened, enraptured completely by the god's words.

"**You, who wishes to bring about a world of understanding and connect with others, shall never be able to achieve that goal for as long as the Curse still grips mankind. Therefore, I hereby offer thee a proposition."**

Hibiki, transfixed, could only bring herself to listen. All other thoughts fled her mind as she listened intently, and she took in a sharp breath.

"**Offer thine body to me,"** the god boldly proclaimed. "**And I shall rid this world of the Curse of Balal once and for all. Your ideal world shall become a reality. I am Shem-Ha, the one who will shape humanity's future."**

And so the god had spoken, awaiting Hibiki's response. The girl kept staring, processing the god's offer with bated breath. Yet, in some manner, that offer had cleared the furious storm in her mind. Those words, so sweet and so tempting, felt for a moment to be the right decision. Had she been in her state of mind of a year and a half ago, this was an offer she would've quite likely accepted.

Yet, now... she couldn't bring herself to even nod her head. Her entire body, along with her heart, screamed one single answer that she knew to be her truth.

"I'm sorry... but I can't."

The silhouette did not have eyes, but she was sure they'd have been wide in shock and puzzlement at having been refused. Before the god could prod further, Hibiki rose to her feet, this time not feeling overwhelmed, and spoke confidently.

"You might be right, it could be that the world I'm aiming towards is only possible if the Curse of Balal is removed, but... I also think it doesn't matter. Even with Miku and I being free from it, it didn't stop those—" she choked back a sob. "—curses from doing what they wanted. They only looked to accomplish their vengeance, and as the person who was tainted by them, I know that even removing the curse won't stop those evils from existing."

"**Those evils were the cause of your torment. Would you not prefer they be purged from mankind for eternity? Would you not prefer humanity to be freed from the taint of All the Evils of This World?"**

"Normally I would, but... I know now that these sort of feelings are impossible to get rid of. I know now that sometimes, no matter how much you want to understand and accept others, they won't do the same to you. That sometimes, there are people that simply can't be saved."

It was a heartbreaking realization that she had made in that one and a half years. Being submerged in the evils of mankind forcibly opened her eyes to that awful truth. The tears she had shed could never be truly quantified. It took a look of reassuring and desperate soul-searching to finally bring herself to accept it.

"But even so, I want to aim for it. I think that it's worth trying. We come to care for others precisely because we can't completely understand them. I think that this very pursuit is what makes it all worth it. It is what makes it truly beautiful."

"**Even if that path is wrought with suffering? Even if the future is uncertain?"**

"Yeah. It is only through true heartfelt effort that we can join hands with others. I believe in it and I will dedicate my entire being to it. That's the answer that I've reached for myself after everything. And besides," Hibiki said, rubbing her cheek with her finger sheepishly. "I've already gotten myself possessed once. I don't want to do it again."

The god paused for a moment. The shining form roiled and shifted.

"**Answer. Hibiki, what do you seek?"**

"True harmony."

"**Answer. Hibiki, where do you seek it?"**

"Only within myself."

"**Answer. Hibiki, where are you headed?"**

The girl replied with a beaming smile.

"Isn't it obvious? Towards the bright future that lies beyond the horizon. The future where we can join hands with others in a world of understanding."

For some reason, Hibiki could feel the being on the other side smile in return.

"**Satisfactory. Very well, in that case, fulfill thine duty. I shall leave the future in your hands."**

The form brightened, and Hibiki brought an arm up to shield her eyes from the blinding glow.

At that moment, the illusionary world vanished without a trace.

-!-

The sound of something cracking echoed through the frozen plain.

Then, all at once, the light died down, revealing Hibiki once again with her fist extended towards the descending vambrace.

A tiny fissure appeared on the accessory's surface before the piledriver was released, and the vambrace exploded into a million glowing shards of light. They spread in all directions, vanishing from existence moments later.

Hibiki fell to her hands and knees, breathing heavily with sweat pouring down her brows. The other Adaptors ran to her, and Chris quickly kneeled by her side to check on her.

"Oi! You alright?!"

After a short moment of catching her breath, Hibiki answered. "I'm fine... I'm fine."

"What happened?" Kirika asked. "What was that light?"

Chris helped her friend to her feet. She slid her arm around her shoulder for support. "I... didn't falter again," Hibiki said, unsure how to summarize her strange meeting with the god. "I... made my own choice."

It was a strange answer to hear from her, and Kirika looked to Shirabe to see if she understood. Her partner shook her head, but neither pried any further from their resident god-slayer. With the vambrace shattered to pieces, their job here was done.

"_Good work, Hibiki-kun. We'll send out a car to bring you all back to base."_

"Thank you, commander," Maria confirmed for them. As the comm fell silent once more, she turned to her comrades with a smile. "Now then... shall we head home?"

"Yeah," Tsubasa said. "Let's."

And together, the group of six headed back to the observation post, with Hibiki smiling to herself all the while.

-!-

Genjuro crossed his arms and let out a huff. "Well, I guess that ended pretty anti-climatically."

"Yeah..." Elfnein mumbled. "It's a shame. I kind of wanted to study that Aufwachen signal more."

"Nothing we can do about it now. We'll deal with the fallout of this decision. I suppose some things should stay a mystery. Some answers simply cost too much to obtain."

-!-

The agent ran into the office and fell to one knee. "Sir! We have confirmed—"

"I am aware," Fudou said dismissively. "I have already foreseen this outcome."

"Then what shall we do, sir?"

The elder grumbled, stroking his beard with his hand. "Dispose of those three. Their usefulness as pawns came to an end before it even began. Make sure none can track down their whereabouts."

"Yes, sir!"

The agent promptly left, shutting the door to Fudou's office behind him. The elder leaned back in his seat, shutting the computer screen off.

"So this is the result of your conviction. No matter, even without the divine power, I will make our country strong."

His eyes narrowed.

"Even if by my own two hands."

-!-

That night, Miku sat at her desk, writing in her notebook absentmindedly. Even since she had fainted while at work, she could not help but feel anxious as to the cause. She had an inkling of a feeling as to what it was related to, and it frightened her. She never thought that feeling would become so strong as to physically debilitate her in the middle of the day. Luckily, hospitalization was not needed, for barely a minute after she had collapsed, the feeling had gone away as if it were never there.

What did that mean? What sort of drastic change could've happened within that one minute? There was no doubt about it, Hibiki was most likely involved, but even so...

What did she do that set it off in the first place, and what did she do that made it disappear? On one hand, Miku was afraid. On the other, the very fact it had vanished could mean...

At that moment, as if by some mad stroke of fate, the door to the room creaked open. Knowing that there was only one person who could have the key other than her, Miku swiftly abandoned everything and rose to her feet.

Just in time to see Hibiki stumble inside. She slowly closed the door behind her, and walked forward on uneven footing.

"Heeeeey Miku... I'm... back..."

She sounded incredibly tired.

Yet, for some reason, Miku felt a gigantic burden fall of her shoulders, the sight of Hibiki coming back home filling her with such relief she felt like she was about to cry. Tossing her duffle bag to the side, Hibiki plopped down on the bed face fist. Miku went over to her and rubbed her back gently.

"Welcome home, Hibiki. Do you want to take a bath first? Have dinner? Or—"

Before Miku could say anything further, Hibiki swiftly grabbed her, pulling her down to the bed. She yelped as her girlfriend embraced her, putting her head on her shoulder and hugging her close.

Miku was surprised for a moment before returning the hug. Hibiki smelled like sweat, and she could feel how oily her skin was from the exertion. However, she said nothing and simply enjoyed the closeness, finding it both puzzling yet welcome.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, just silent in each other's company. The clock's ticking in the background sounded louder than ever.

"Hibiki..." Miku mumbled, only for her partner to cut her off.

"I... I didn't falter," she said sharply, causing Miku to freeze. "I-They offered me... a chance to make the world I want, and for a second I thought about accepting it, but... I didn't." Miku could her breaths quicken in her ear. "I... I made my own choice. I... followed the path I believed in. I... I rejected their offer. I simply couldn't. I just... couldn't."

Miku could tell she was crying due to the muffled whines in her ear as well as the rocking of her shoulders. She closed her eyes, holding her girlfriend tightly and whispered to her.

"You did good, Hibiki. I'm so glad you came back home. I was worried something might happen, but you did your best. You tried so hard, and it all paid off. I'm so, so proud of you."

"Miku..."

"It's okay... it's okay... it's over now. You don't need to be scared anymore."

Once again, Miku found herself comforting a crying Hibiki. Ever since the end of the incident, she was much more to displaying her emotions out in the open like this, a far cry from how she was prior to it. All of the tears she didn't get the chance to shed in three years now came back at full force.

"It's okay... it's okay..."

And like so, the two remained in an embrace, letting the unshed tears flow freely once more.

-!-

It took a while for Hibiki to finally calm down. With her cheeks wet and her nose runny, Miku promptly dragged her to the shower, after which she made a quick dinner for her girlfriend before going to bed. She usually attempted to avoid feeding the bottomless pit that was Hibiki right before sleeping, but this time she made an exception in acknowledgement of her hard work.

It was nearly one o'clock in the morning by the time they finally settled themselves down. They looked into each other's eyes, their hands intertwined underneath the covers.

"So, do you want to tell me what happened?" Miku asked her. "I'd like to hear the details if that's alright with you."

"Yeah, it's fine," Hibiki replied. "You see, it all started when..."

She proceeded to recount her tale, providing as many details as she could remember. While most of the journey to the South Pole was pretty forgettable for her, she listened attentively as Hibiki began to describe the events around the reveal of the custodian corpse, to the moment Hibiki had asked Genjuro to destroy it. From there, Miku held her breath as she drank in the story, her eyes widening when her girlfriend described her meeting with the god in that illusionary world.

She didn't know how much time had passed by the time Hibiki was done, and she didn't care. It left her gasping, but at the same time, incredibly reassured.

Miku smiled as she brought her hands closer, "You did very well, Hibiki. I can't even describe how proud of you I am for making the right choice." She then, however, shook her head. "No, even if it wasn't the right choice, it was still your own. One you made by remembering what it is you want for yourself. You've spent so much time being selfless that you nearly forgot how to be selfish. I'm glad you finally figured that out, even if I needed to remind you the hard way."

That earned a small laugh from Hibiki. "Yeah... I guess you're right. Thank you, Miku, for being by my side all this time. I know I'm a pain in the neck and uncool, but I'm really... really... thankful you're here for me. I don't know what I would've done without you," she said. "And speaking of being selfish..."

Miku yelped again when Hibiki suddenly turned her over to her back and put herself on her hands and knees above her girlfriend. Her confident stare and unexpectedly manly gaze caused Miku to blush fiercely.

"H-Hibiki! What's this?!"

"Me being selfish," Hibiki answered. "And right now what I want... is you. So for once... I'm taking you for myself tonight."

Her girlfriend sputtered and laughed in response. It sounded like a gentle bell's chime. She raised her arms and wrapped them around Hibiki's neck. "In that case, show me what you can do, Miss Uncool Hero."

She drew her close, and their lips met in a kiss.

That night, they were together, like many nights before. Yet, this time, there was a different feel to it. A burden that had stuck around even after everything had ended finally was lifted off their shoulders.

A certain path, once thought possible, was forever closed. A future of tears and bloodshed may very well await those who live for the sake of others.

But for now, those others didn't matter. For now, there was only the two, basking in each other's presence.

Now, and forevermore.

_**THE END**_


End file.
